We're on our way back from Elizabeth City, NC. We just finished flying with the US Coast Guard, down the NC coast, some 236 miles, one way, along the coast, at 80 knots (~70 mph). We're taking pictures in case a hurricane comes through that area this season. With these photos we will know what the coast was like before the storm, at least through photos. After getting off to an uncertain start, due to fog Tuesday morning, we had great weather. Sunny, a few clouds, and about 73 degrees, which when sitting next to the open door of a helicopter moving at 80 knots can be a little cold. It does get windy in the cabin with the door open.
Phil ran the video camera (he got the most wind), and I took pictures with the still camera. I sit on the floor of the helicopter, with a gunners belt, which is exactly what it sounds like. It's the belt a gunner wears when flying with the door open, so they don't fall out. Anyone not in a seat with a seat belt wears a gunners belt when the door is open. This same airframe is flown by the Navy, the Army, and Marines, as well the Coast Guard. Our video equipment is strapped to the floor behind me and the camera is next to me.
It took about 3.5 hours to fly from the Virginia border to the South Carolina border. By the time we got to Myrtle Beach, SC, where we landed and refueled (our aircraft and ourselves), I was stiff and sore. But we'd finished everything we'd come for. And hopefully we could fly the next day and get even more data.
We had lunch at a Ryan's Steakhouse. Ryan's has a buffet lunch, it's quick, reasonable food, all you can eat. Perfect for the 3 young guys of the flight crew, and OK for the rest of us. Now, you must understand that the US Geological Survey requires us to wear a Nomex flight suit and leather flight boots when we fly, as well as a helmet, life jacket, etc. When we get off the aircraft, we usually stay in those flight suits when we go out to lunch as we did that day. As it so happens our flight suits are the same khaki-green color as the Coast Guard's.
At one point I got up to get some dessert. As I passed a neighboring table, I locked eyes with a young boy, maybe 7 years old. As I normally would, I smiled an waved. It was then that I noticed the look of wide eyed wonder on the boy's face, which quickly turned to a board smile as I passed. I think I made that boy's day. A little while later, as I was talking to the pilot, I felt something at my shoulder. An older woman had stopped and was trying to get a better look at the patch on my suit. "U.S. Geological Survey" she read. "Yes, Ma'am", and I gestured across the table, "and the US Coast Guard." We explained a little about what we were doing and why we were there. They left thanking us for our service. When we got back to the car I asked Adam, our pilot, if that happen often. "Oh yeah", he said, "I've even had people buy me lunch".
Unfortunately, when we got back to the hanger that evening, we found out we couldn't fly the next day. We'd accomplished what we'd really come for, surveying the whole NC coast, and they decided they needed the helicopter on Wednesday for another important mission, showing off for some VIP. Oh well. We'll fly with the "Coasties" again. Every time we've worked with them, they've been very helpful and a great bunch of folks to work with. And a hell of a lot of fun, too.
"It's a different world up there" Edward told me later. Still, I felt like a pretender... I'm not in the military and I feel a little sheepish about being mistaken for them. They're doing an important job, be it that they are in the Coast Guard, or the Army or any of our other 7 uniformed branches of service. "So are you...", said Adam. I guess so, even if I'm only a passenger with a camera...
