Rushing Through Wilmington

Since Phil and I stopped off in Durham to see his relatives, we didn't have a lot of time in Wilmington, NC with the group, but we still managed to see quite a bit. We didn't tour the Battleship North Carolina, but got a good view of it across the river -

On the Wilmington Riverwalk.

The beach is pretty quiet this time of the year.

We went to see Fort Fisher, the South's largest earthen fort, which protected blockade runners en route to Wilmington before its fall in January 1865.

The North Carolina Aquarium is on the grounds of Fort Fisher. We met a young Bald Eagle with an injured wing.

And saw a rare albino alligator -

And some smiling stingrays -

They also have some really cool sculptures -

Some of which are pretty scary!

There were some really cool jellyfish -

Beautiful whatevers -

And some interesting lionfish.

AND - I found Nemo!

We then took the $5 ferry across the Cape Fear River.

Wilmington is a very busy port.

Along the way, we got a good view of the ruins of Price's Creek Lighthouse, from before the Civil War.

And a very distant view of Bald Head Lighthouse, also know as Old Baldy.

Across the river, we found the ruins of old Brunswick Town, the first permanent English settlement along the Cape Fear River. It was founded in 1726.

And yet another earthen fort, Fort Anderson.