Ship Island

We took an hour long ferry to Ship Island, one of the islands in the Gulf of Mexico that is part of the Gulf Island National Seashore.  Ft. Massachusetts sits on this island, built in the early 1800's and obsolete before it was completed. It served as a prison during the Civil War. 

The island is uninhabited, but is a daily beach destination, with two ferries traveling the 12 miles out and back each day. The island was split in half by Hurricane Katrina but has been reconnected by dredging and sand replenishment and the Fort has been preserved.  It is quite a beautiful place.

There was very little shade, and the temperatures were in the 90's with the heat index at 105 degrees.  Thank goodness there were chairs and umbrellas to rent.