Spring “Break” . . . as in hip.

My Mother-in-Law

This year’s Spring Break trip was planned specifically to enable us to spend some time with my dear in-laws Bill & Rosemarie Volpone, Masters of the Universe. We were going to rendezvous in South Carolina. Not quite as long a drive for us as going to Florida and it would still allow us to head back to spend Easter weekend with my son Steve and his family. Unfortunately, on the day of our departure we received word that Rosemarie had fallen and broken her hip. It would be another few days before she would undergo surgery and I am happy to report that so far she is doing well. Morphine is a great drug.

A freak Spring snow storm ushered us off the mountain and totally screwed up my plans for a hike I had envisioned at the halfway point of our drive. There would be no hiking in Southwestern Virginia. The snow had melted into a cold and dreary drizzle. We spent a quick and uneventful night. In the morning we decided to head for Charlotte, NC and take a break there.

Artful ad at an old Coke bottling plant in Charlotte.

We had a few options in Charlotte on a chilly, grey Sunday. There’s always the NASCAR Hall of Fame but none of us are really big race fans. They had a nice looking Discovery Science Center but the expense would only be worth it if we spent the whole day. We were looking to only kill like 2 hours. I found the Aviation Museum of North Carolina on Google. It had the airplane there that landed in the Hudson River after it hit a flock of geese. Captain Sully was a big hero and of course this story was very big in the New York news that we follow. The price was right and Don even got a Veteran’s discount. We found our way to the airport complex and the building that houses the museum. Charlotte is the 7th largest airport in the world and is the only airport that lets civilians actually out onto one of their runway areas as part of the museum tour. The runway is home to the plane that was used in the failed Iranian hostage rescue initiated by President Carter. Don also stumbled onto some USS John F. Kennedy artifacts.

The ship in the photo is Don’s beloved JFK.

US Airways flight 1549
the one that landed in the Hudson.

This plane was on the Kennedy.

Damian even got to sit in a fighter jet and a small Cessna airplane.

Forget these road trips!

It was definitely a worthwhile diversion and when we finished our tour it was onward to Columbia, SC. Despite the palmetto trees that lull you into a false sense of tropical it was still damp, cloudy and chilly. I was regretting my entire wardrobe choice since I was packed for Spring. The Monday forecast promised clear skies and a warming trend. I went to bed skeptical.

Welcome to coastal South Carolina!

The next day we were planning a surprise for Damian. The morning dawned with patchy clouds that gave a tease of blue. Our destination that day was Charleston. The South Carolina Aquarium is home to a hospital for sea turtles. The only thing Damian loves more that an aquarium is turtles. Any sizes, shapes or types of turtles but his absolute favorites are the sea turtles. The hospital only does 2 tours a day and they are a hot ticket. We had our cooler packed with lunch goodies and waters so after a quick breakfast we took off. It was breezy by the Charleston harbor so we turned up our collars for the quick walk from the parking garage to the aquarium. At the ticket counter we learned that the first hospital tour was already sold out. That left us with the 2:00 p.m. Since we would have plenty of time we also included a 4-D movie ticket with our purchase. Damian has been to a lot of aquariums and I sensed the novelty had worn off.

The magic is still there!

Boy meets eel.

The eagle has landed.

Snake charmer.

The staff members were so friendly and helpful. I engaged in quite a lengthy conversation with a volunteer who was a recently retired school teacher while Damian was petting sting rays. She was telling me how great the turtle hospital was and she gave me the inside scoop on the current patients. At 12:00 p.m. it was time for our movie. It was a really cool BBC produced documentary about the sardine run that occurs off the coast of Africa and all the predators it attracts. The film was 3D and it also had water spraying on you and the seat rumbling and gusts of wind. All in all I gave it 3 stars (they didn’t give me any popcorn). We took a break for lunch and to stroll down the riverwalk before it was turtle time.

The weather had improved.

Never a bad day in Charleston.

We assembled at the designated tour departure point and were greeted by our tour guides. A salty older woman named, Bev and the leader of the interns who provide the direct care for the turtles escorted us through a side door and down the stairs to the basement. We exited a door that led to the outside where we received our instructions for entering the hospital.

The patient board – a sight familiar to all hospital workers.

There is no touching of the tanks, equipment or patients. This is to avoid cross-contamination. We have 20 minutes and can go anywhere as long as we stay behind the yellow lines. We are encouraged to ask the staff any questions and we’ll discover that they will offer lots of information on everything to do with their mission.

Damian was flitting from tank to tank like a kid in a fishy-smelling candy shop.  I approached one of the interns and identified myself as a nurse and asked what her typical shift is like. She’s a sea turtle marine biologist (talk about a sub-specialty!). They have a vet who comes in weekly and examines the turtles then creates a treatment plan which the biologists enact. Mostly it’s antibiotics and fluids. Although 2 of the turtles have undergone cataract surgery and one has an intestinal blockage that requires colonoscopies. They inject the fluids under the turtles skin as opposed to intravenously. When the turtles return to a healthy state they are released back into the ocean. They also have land turtles. One was run over by a car in Florida and can never be returned to the wild. He will spend his life there. Another is named, “Sky” because he was dropped by a bird in flight who was trying to eat him. He landed on a roof and was brought to the hospital. I was fascinated! Damian was fascinated! Don didn’t look too fascinated.

One of the adorable patients.

Hi there, Reece!

Reece’s whiteboard

We were only supposed to be there for 20 minutes and by 35 minutes I was expecting to be thrown out bodily. We just didn’t want to leave. Finally, we tore ourselves away from the tanks and we were released back into society. This was an amazing experience and if you get to Charleston and have any interest whatsoever in turtles it’s well worth a visit.

“Sky” the one of the right with the orange spot.

Our day’s not even half over. We ferry out to Ft. Sumter after the turtle hospital but that’s another post.

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