Internet Security, music, and Dad Jokes. And pets - it's a blog, after all.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Your daily WTF
That's the U.S.S. Kitty Hawk taking green water over the flight deck. 80,000 tons displacement getting bobbed like a cork. The flight deck is around 100 feet over the water line. Hope that the Infirmary is stocked with plenty of Dramamine.
Why aren't they out in the warm sun parked by some tropical island drinking mai-tais and chatting to scantily clad women? They have a weatherman and all that...
That helo made an emergency landing on the Kitty, the crew tied it down in place, and it had to be craned off when they got back to Yoko, both engines had to be replaced, and most of the avionics were also replaced...
One of the sayings every small boater knows is "there's sea for every ship and a ship for every sea". I never knew it was even possible to get green water over the deck of a carrier. 100'?
Another saying everyone knows is, "oh, Lord, your sea is so big and my boat is so small". A prayer I never thought would enter a carrier captain's mind.
I was on a couple of the big amphibious helicopter/Harrier carriers (LHA's), Saipan and Nassau, and those ships had regular cafeteria-length tables in the mess decks (dining area); when the seas got heavy they'd have to secure all the tables in a corner (tie 'em down with straps and rope and duct tape) and the sailors would eat on the deck, squatting like Indians.
One wonders why they were there at all. Not that all weather can be avoided, don't get me wrong, but I'm sure that there is a damned good reason that they were there in the first place, risking the lives of 5,000 sailors and untold billions of equipment - or, rather, there'd damned sure better be!
The big WTF is W(hy)TF did they leave that helo tied down that far forward?
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing it was a bit worse for the wear of getting pounded by that water.
Yeah, and not just water. SALT water.
ReplyDeleteI went thru one of those years ago (typhoon) aboard a carrier, quite a ride ! I was one of the few that didn't get sea-sick !
ReplyDeleteTo give credit where it's due though.
ReplyDeleteThat Blackhawk didn't move. They secure things pretty good there on the Kitty Hawk.
Why aren't they out in the warm sun parked by some tropical island drinking mai-tais and chatting to scantily clad women? They have a weatherman and all that...
ReplyDeleteNo flight operations today, guys!
ReplyDeleteAt sea, it seems you always need a bigger boat.
ReplyDeleteThat helo made an emergency landing on the Kitty, the crew tied it down in place, and it had to be craned off when they got back to Yoko, both engines had to be replaced, and most of the avionics were also replaced...
ReplyDeleteOldNFO FTW! We can replace the gear; glad we got the crew safe.
ReplyDeleteOne of the sayings every small boater knows is "there's sea for every ship and a ship for every sea". I never knew it was even possible to get green water over the deck of a carrier. 100'?
ReplyDeleteAnother saying everyone knows is, "oh, Lord, your sea is so big and my boat is so small". A prayer I never thought would enter a carrier captain's mind.
I've read of seas like that, but never seen it. Surf's up somewhere.
ReplyDeleteholey moley.
I was on a couple of the big amphibious helicopter/Harrier carriers (LHA's), Saipan and Nassau, and those ships had regular cafeteria-length tables in the mess decks (dining area); when the seas got heavy they'd have to secure all the tables in a corner (tie 'em down with straps and rope and duct tape) and the sailors would eat on the deck, squatting like Indians.
ReplyDeleteOne wonders why they were there at all. Not that all weather can be avoided, don't get me wrong, but I'm sure that there is a damned good reason that they were there in the first place, risking the lives of 5,000 sailors and untold billions of equipment - or, rather, there'd damned sure better be!
ReplyDeleteWent through a similar situation on the Nimitz. I felt really sorry for the small boys after that ride.
ReplyDelete