Interdum feror cupidine partium magnarum Europae vincendarum
“When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle.” Edumnd Burke
You're telling ME? No one bothered to mention to me Marines spend all their damned time on boats. I got more time in the water than you'll get in the next 40 years. I was lucky. As a kid, I lived at the base pool. Or in San Antonio, Medina Lake was my second home.
Weird thing about me is if I'm scared of something I WILL confront it. Used to be terrified of heights. Now do think I was going to puss out in front of a bunch of alpha males in a helicopter? That'll be the f-ing day. I was traumatized by my father about swimming so I mastered the sh*t. He was one of those old-school, throw you in the water types. Naturally, I STILL was not good enough.
Yeah, and I hear ya on the lobster pots but when you got the munchies ......
“When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle.” Edumnd Burke
Just screwing with you. I was a lifeguard in highschool, and the only male I knew that could vertically float indefinitely... I like swimming, but rarely do so anymore. I think the last time I did, I was launching myself out of the water as a snowmachine sank to the bottom behind me. Adrenaline Scissor Kick for the WIN! I probably generated a respectable rooster tail coming out of the water onto the ice on that one.
Weird thing about heights - I love flying, especially in helos, but ask me to climb a tower and I'll decline. I have faith in the wonderful machines, but not so much with the 3-point climb. I was probably a goon for the Clintons in a past life that mysteriously fell off a building.
Interdum feror cupidine partium magnarum Europae vincendarum
“When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle.” Edumnd Burke
Autorotate, baby! And all the commercial helos we fly in have those inflatable floats on the skids for the dreaded water 'landing'. I asked our pilot once how fast the helo would turtle with those floats, and he snapped his fingers. 'Nuff said, but you can at least climb up onto the belly and wait for the next helo.
There's no need for me to climb... we hire those guys. I get to stand on the ground and point at the antenna that's giving us problems and my laptop tells me when he gets it fixed. That's a win-win all the way around!
Interdum feror cupidine partium magnarum Europae vincendarum
CH-46 Sea Knight. The difference between it and the Army's CH-47 Chinook is ours have pontoons. They'll float for about 10 minutes. That gives you enough time to dump your gear and get the f- out. I never got on one without at least 3 blades. The seatbelts always jammed. I was cutting my way out.
Other thing you have to worry about when it hits the drink is people panicking. You just hold your breath until all the idiots get done kicking everyone else in the head and then make your way out. Orientation is the other problem. Most people swim the wrong way. If the bird's upside down, down is up. The escape hatch doesn't change places. The way you swim when you get out DOES.
“When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle.” Edumnd Burke