USS North Carolina

Standing on the inside of the battleship and looking out a porthole, I captured a few of the guns on the ship and the marsh beyond.

We took a different route out of Wilmington, NC after our time with the wonderful Bonessi family this year. And as the kids were whining about another long car trip, we passed the signs to the USS North Carolina Battleship Memorial. So we decided to stop. For the next three hours, we went through a short museum and then climbed up and down all over the battleship. It was the perfect place to stop with two jumpy little boys because everything you could access was completely okay to touch, move and jump on!  We ended the outing with sore legs, but that was okay by me. The boys spent the next four hours completely happy to sit still.  We hope you find some of the pictures we took interesting, entertaining, or both.

The ship itself as we wandered up the ramp to start our adventure.

Of course, Gabe and Max had to try the first big guns they could lay their hands on. Oddly enough, I think they were the smallest of the guns on board.

Max making the sound he thought this shell would make when it was shot through the air.

I thought the plane was very interesting, but you couldn’t climb up to it. You can see a bit of the crane (back left) that they used to return the plane to the deck from the water. Got to love the America flag still flying even though the ship is retired.

Bobby trying to get Gabe to read the information by the huge magnetic compass. The ship’s bell.

Bobby and Gabe excited to get into one of the big turret cannons. They had it neatly set up to you could follow the whole process of loading, aiming and firing.

Max trying to see through a scope meant to allow men in the gun turrets to aim. He was too short.

The boys found another type of gun in which to climb. See the smiles on those faces!

Yep, more guns. Shocking!

We got separated from Bobby inside one gun. I found him with his head hanging out a porthole on the next level up.  The USS North Carolina is in a marsh-like area. What out for the alligators.

Max decided he should be the one steering the ship while Gabe decided his feet wanted him to sit down in the wheelhouse. They were starting to slow down at this time.

Bobby and Gabe stand in line at the mess hall, while Gabe pulled up a stool in the section with tables.

We found the biggest shells. Gabe is about 4 ft 8 in or so, so I’m guessing these shells were about 5 feet long.

For some reason, Gabe really liked the assembly where the bundled the gun powder up for the guns. I’m not really sure why or if I like it.

Max was determined to move every lever, pry open every box, turn every knob he could find on the tour.

Gabe and Max looking back on another adventure conquered.