You can see her from a pretty long way off.  Traveling west you cross a long bridge that spans first a very large marshland and then the bay.  The end of the bridge literally disappears into downtown Mobile.  Looking to your left you think you’re looking out on the Gulf, but you are actually looking into Mobile Bay.

Off to your left front lies her ladyship, nestled at the edge of the bay next to a large park.  She’s now at rest and deservedly so.  In the park are old gun placements and even a sub in dry dock and a B52.  But they fail to steal the thunder from the star of this show.

I suppose by today’s standards she’s not very big, but she is still a menacing piece of business, a proud part of history, and the namesake of a proud state.  Roll Tide!

I feel a kinship.  She’s gray, been through the wars, patched and fixed a bunch along the way, and now at peace. 🙂