Thunderbolt Bimble

Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Fri 20 Jan 2012 23:57
Bimbling Around Thunderbolt
 
 
 
 
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We had some lunch, checked in with Hal – the harbour master and off for a bimble. Wonderful to see the very police vehicles who so helped in the recovery of the Wise Owl, this time seen from the land
 
 
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A hard working girl at rest beside a very worn fish market. Shrimp for sale, hmmm maybe later
 
 
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Looking over to our last fixed bridge before the marina, a rainbow
 
 
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The small town of Thunderbolt owes its name to a legend of a lightning strike that created a freshwater spring on the Wilmington bluff. Native Americans were found to be among the first inhabitants. Thunderbolt was a settlement which evolved into a shipping point for local plantation needs which also serviced the river traffic. In 1856, the Town of Thunderbolt was incorporated as Warsaw and then began its history as a processing port for the fishing community. In 1890, Georgia State College was founded for the education of African Americans. This college continues to be a historically black institution and is known today as Savannah State University.

In 1921, Warsaw's name was restored to Thunderbolt and the seafood processing continued to play a large part in this community's development. In 1939, yacht racing became popular and saw the construction of a yacht basin. Annually, the "Blessing of the Fleet" was celebrated until recent years and shrimping evolved into the primary seafood product.

 

 

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We walked along the road and stopped at a little memorial. Looking back down the river we could see Beez parked quietly, the umbrella is below left of her

 

 

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More ladies, sadly the last one seems to be used as a cat shelter; complete with blankets, bowls and cats

 

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A couple of houses and a street fairly representative of the area, at least I found the local nursing homesteady

 

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We wandered past the fire station, sadly the museum was closed, then I thought I had a ‘one careful owner’ but no this is a fully operational BBQ next to the café that sells “whole pigs butts”, hmmm maybe later.

 

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Then we saw a one careful owner for real, complete with garden, ornamental herb boat and water feature

 

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After a couple of hours bimbling around the streets, we got back to the river, right next to our last fixed bridge. Bear didn’t fancy keeping a boat having to use the huge walkway above. Even in a small town we found a tourist marker of yet another “famous” person. Never heard of most of them. Hmmm moving right along.

 

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Time for a beer in Tubby’s Tank House, sitting on a rocking chair overlooking the “main road”. It’s been a while since we have seen a bar built around a tree.

 

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A chap walked past with his very own' ‘Maypole’ complete with dancers. Bear pipes up, why do they have a cross in the middle of the road. “We walked right past it on the way here, it’s a memorial to local sailors and fishermen lost at sea, you Numpty, I’ll make you read all the names on the way back to the marina”. Have you ever seen a free angling paper rolled up and used as a weak cudgel.

Bear has

Silence is golden Bear,

Quiet Bear, Quiet

 

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As Andy Pandy would say - Time to go home, time to go home, Andy is saying, goodbye, goodbye

 

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ALL IN ALL AN INTERESTING BACKWATER

                     NOT MUCH OF A TOWN BUT VERY FRIENDLY