Davis Bayou at Ocean Springs, Mississippi- March 8-11th

Our campsite at Davis Bayou part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Davis Bayou campground is blue dot. It is just east of Biloxi Mississippi.

Tunnel under that Mobile River. It was a relief to see that tractor trailers ahead of us didn't scrape the ceiling of the tunnel.

Our view looking down at the Bayou at sunset.

First time we've ever seen this sign!

When we arrived at this campground Joyce told Randy "you might want to turn on the light and look at the bottom of the steps before you step out, just in case a gator is waiting on you." The ranger came by and when questioned he said they avoided the campground but told us all the places to see them. This was another park that as soon as you were off the park grounds you were in a urban area. We enjoyed driving into Biloxi and see all the history there. Of course there were several casinos along the shoreline but we just are not gamblers so we just admired the architecture of the new buildings from the outside. 

This was a new home being built. The first story was just
 garage and pillars as this area had been hard hit by Hurricane Katrina.

We had a late lunch at McElroy's Harbor House. That's Deer Island across from docks.

McElroy's (built up for storm surges) had great seafood.

The Hurrican Katrina Memorial in Biloxi. The red band at top of pole shows the storm surge level of Katrina at 34.1 ft,
the blue band is the storm surge level during Hurricane Camille in 1969.

The Biloxi Lightouse was on of the first cast iron lighthouses built in 1848. It was only open at certain times for touring.

Broadwater Beach Lighthouse was part of the 
President Casino Broadwater Resort which was destroyed in Hurricane Katrina.

Once the sun came out as we drove around the Davis Bayou area we were able to see gators everyplace the ranger had told us about.

This big girl sunbathed here everyday.

What a smile.

When we drove up to this pond this gator would swim towards us. 

Joyce said he liked having his photo taken.

Another pond another gator.

We drove up about 12 miles to the Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge. Although we enjoyed learning about them in a movie at the visitors centers we never got to see a crane. It was their breeding season so the refuge acreage was closed to the public. The staff told us some nearby roads that had farms where some cranes had been spotted. After driving for several miles we truly felt we were looking for the elusive crane in a sandhill.
While driving around Biloxi we found Beauvoir the last home of Jefferson Davis. So we returned the next day to take the tour and go thru the museum. It was a beautiful southern home.

Beauvoir is just west of Biloxi Mississppi

You can see the height of the first floor and it was covered with water for almost a week after Hurricane Katrina. 

We enjoyed our tour of the home and visiting the museum.

Photos of what the home looked like after Katrina.

The interior was beautifully restored.

Roses blooming in March. The gardens outside of the museum.

Randy had to pull Joyce away from watching the fun-loving goats.

One goat LOVED Joyce... Ok, so he loved her shirt and tried to eat it! LOL