Back in the late '70's we had a Gator Navy cruise coming back from the Med to North Carolina. Freak cold front hit with winds measured at 90 mph at Cherry Point. The LPH was taking green water over the bow - Flight Deck is 60 feet above water level. They said the CH-46s tied down forward spent a total of about half an hour under water from the waves over the deck.
Several of the rotor blades, which were folded and secured, were broken at the rotor hubs from the force of the waves.
Both of the old metal platform-style light stations on the coast of NC, at Diamond Shoals and Frying Pan Shoals, have been bought by private concerns, one for a sort of research center, the other for an adventure bed and breakfast, 4 nights for $600 or so per person, you arrange transportation via boat or helicopter (helipad on the roof).
Knowing what you do about the seas off Hatteras and Cape Fear, would you go out there? I’m torn. They’re honestly sort of like oil rigging platforms. They were decommissioned in the late 70’s. Neglect, some vandalism oddly enough way out there, and the ever-present rust. Still seem structurally sound, though, which is a little surprising to me knowing the pounding they’ve got to have taken unoccupied and unrepaired for decades.
Would you do it?
http://www.diamondshoalslight.com
http://www.fptower.com/images.html
Back in the late ‘70’s we had a Gator Navy cruise coming back from the Med to North Carolina.
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Reminded me... In ‘61, my CVA had returned from a long Med cruise to Mayport FL. All aircraft and squadron personnel had re-located to NAS JAX and many ships’ company personnel were on leave or liberty.
I was on duty when it was announced we were departing Mayport with just a skeleton crew. Hurricane Donna was headed for the coast and would have possibly damaged the carrier and berthing if we stayed in port.
We headed straight for the storm. Rough seas and chow hall only served black coffee and saltines. My berthing was one level below the flight deck (which was about 60-65 ft. above the water. Back then our racks were stacked 3-high and consisted of canvas tied to aluminum frames, with mattresses about 2 inches thick. ...The 55,000 ton ship was moving so much in the heavy seas that we had to tie ourselves into our racks to keep from being thrown about.
After we’d gotten through the hurricane, the guard rails on the catwalks alongside the flight deck were severely bent over or broken and the safety nets at the booms were also bent.
I was in V-2 Cats and we were responsible for maintaining the passageways and heads in the forward Officers’ Country, just below the catapults, where most of the pilots were berthed. ....There was water about 2 ft. deep in those areas and, as we worked to clean up the area we found several cases of good liquor floating; therefore, we were well compensated for our labor!
Sorry for the long posting, everyone. At my age I never know what will trigger old memories.