Monday, October 1, 2012

What Does One Do During a Tornado Watch?

Days on cruise:  192

Yep, when we got up this morning the forecast called for 100% chance of heavy rain and a tornado watch until 8pm. Nope, we don’t like the idea of traveling on the water in those conditions. And we still have enough time to make it to Chattanooga in time to meet relatives who are flying in, so a layover day sounded good.

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Fellow Loopers Craig and Barbara on Blue Heron knocked on our hull to inform us they’d come into a car for the day, courtesy of a former co-worker of Craig’s, and invited us to join them for a tour of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center here in Huntsville.

One story told in great detail was that of the Germans, led by Wernher von Braun, who after World War II ended, decided it was better to join the Americans instead of the Russians in their future rocket research and development and space program. There were also exhibits on the Apollo, Saturn and lunar module development and expeditions. It was well done and enjoyable, both interior museum exhibits as well as outdoor rocket and other exhibits.

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Above: Bob, Craig and Barbara posing as astronauts. Below, a space walk exhibit.

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Lots of rockets and missiles pointed skyward.

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Component parts including modules and engines were on display too.

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The size of these things is impressive.

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Some aspects of this museum and its’ exhibits were reminiscent of the Kennedy Space Center we visited in early April at the beginning of our Loop.

By the time we returned to the boat the sky had begun to clear, promising a better day tomorrow, says the forecast.

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