October 10, 2012 Plymouth, Mass

We camped at the Pinewood Lodge Campground. It was nice to be back in the pine trees. We had a whole area to ourselves. Rainy and chilly day.

The bus at Pinewood Lodge Campground which is on  Pinewood Lake.

National Monument to the Forefathers. An 81 foot high monument, one of the largest granite statues in the US. It is a tribute to Plymouth’s founding fathers. A detail from one side.

Plymouth rock is where the Pilgrims landed. Of course the rock used to be 3 times the size. At one time in its life it had a hammer and chisel next to it so people could take a souvenir. It has been cut in half and moved around a few times, then reunited and has a granite portico built over it. The Mayflower II is a reproduction of a late 16th century English merchant ship the same size at the original Mayflower. It was built in England in the 1950’s. It was sailed from England to Plymouth.  It is 50 years old and it still sails periodically. The original Mayflower set sail from England in Sept 1620 with 102 passengers. It took 66 days to arrive in Plymouth in December.

John on the deck of the Mayflower II. The windlass end of the  middle deck.

Here is a map of the Mayflower II. It was really cool. It was hard to imagine 102 people and all their possessions  crammed into it for 66 days. The passengers traveled in the lower  deck.  With their gear in the hold, or the bottom.

The round house below the poop deck was the chartroom and the first and second mate’s quarters. The Forecastle or Fo’c’sle housed the cook-room and the crewman.

After a grueling day of touring sailing ships and viewing rocks we went to the Mayflower brewing company so John could sample some craft beer.  After we got home  he stuck his head in the cabinet trying to reach something in the back.