|
Part 2 Haze Grey and Underway
Some pictures can be viewed full screen by clicking on them and
display best on a 24 bit screen
• Tomcat 107
• Tomcat 114
• Hornet
• 2 Hornets
|
We were off again, first stop the boat's stores. They were jammed packed with all good stuff,
I wasn't well at this stage but I gladly parted with some U.S. coin for a couple of things.
Then down to the aft, boy, this ship is big! We had a good look at various engines from the
aircraft and went out onto the fantail - the dark rushing water and fresh salt air. However,
it was time for me to retire, I was just too sick to continue on that night and Frankie led
me on back to my rack, so I earned my callsign - chuckles.
I flung myself onto the middle rack; it was barely 30cm in height but was surprisingly
comfortable. Actually I felt quite well after awhile, eight bells sounded then mail call
- the mail we shared the C-2 with.
There were some weird noises, something like someone hitting the bulkhead with a hammer
, on and off. But with the swaying of the boat I soon fell asleep. During the night there
was a particularly big wave, it went over the bow and onto the flight deck, the roughest
night of the cruise, I was told, we slowed form 16 to 12 Knots.
All six of us were well awake by reveille the next morning and it was off to breakfast
in one of the officer's ward rooms. Hash browns and eggs (over easy), I felt I could walk
the length of the boat easily, and I did, a number of times. We stopped over at the TV
station (5 channels) and I got mildy interested in a movie - Meatballs 3. Next to the Bridge,
and it was packed, the Admiral was in attendance, we filed in quietly at the back, then
around to Pri-Fly where the air boss has his seat high on the island overlooking the
flightdeck.
We spent more than an hour on the flightdeck as aircraft were being respotted, I
spent awhile wandering around taking photographs and generally enjoying being on the
carrier.
Page 3
pictures and text copyright David McCandless 1997
|
