Posted on 01/08/2012 10:24:48 PM PST by SWAMPSNIPER
They that go down to sea in ships, that do business in great waters: These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep.
107th Psalm
pinglist
pinglist
I you’ve never experienced a storm at sea, this YouTube video will give you an idea of what it’s like. Once you’re in a storm like this, you just pray that everything keeps working and the people who built your ship knew what they were doing (and over built it for extra life insurance).
There’s no place to run and no way to hide from a storm — you just ride it out. I’ve been there, done that. I don’t want to do it again any time soon.
I fished for snapper in a 32 footer built on a Greek sponge boat hull design . We messed around in 1961 and had to ride out most of Hurricane Esther at sea. We got 90 knots of wind and 36 foot seas. It’s not something you forget.
Caught between two typhoons in the PAC on Independence we took whitewater over the bow - had to pull my forward lookouts in even though they were tied down they were getting pummeled all to hell.
Wind picked up to 80 kts from 20 so fast they didn’t have time to fold the blades on the rescue helo - so when the wind hit 120 it folded the front blade for us straight back over the top.
One of the Japanese destroyers with us lost their mast - whole antenna structure thing whoosh gone. One of our boys sonar dome was destroyed and another escort lost a radar. This would’ve been ‘93 I think maybe early ‘94.
She’s beautiful but when the dander is up watch out boys she’s not to be taken lightly
Saw the same thing on the Indy while we were in the No Atlantic. Tore up our starboard forward sponson.
That is some mind-boggling footage. God bless and preserve those who brave the seas.
Somebody owes me a new keyboard - and carpet!
Amazing shots. Amazing how the shots are so smooth considering many were taken from a nearby ship in such heavy seas.
“Okay, I know you won’t be able to see me, but I’ll be in the swell just ahead of you. Try not to run into us.”
Call me Ishmael. Some years ago — never mind how long precisely — having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world. It is a way I have of driving off the spleen and regulating the circulation. Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people’s hats off—then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can. This is my substitute for pistol and ball. With a philosophical flourish Cato throws himself upon his sword; I quietly take to the ship.
Well there’s plenty to think about and do whilst “riding it out,” but the problem is it takes five hundred times longer and seems to average 1.5 personal injuries per task!
No room for tall tales when you’re looking at the actual footage. A fellow - a relatively new sailor - the other day was telling me how he was in “sustained sixty knot winds” for almost two days. I’ve been in some heavy stuff but that kind of weather is the stuff of the roaring 40s and BIG, rare storms.
Just for kicks I checked his dates and location. He was off by, oh, more than half.
I’ve heard more tall tales about weather and waves than I have about fish!
I do believe this link will be stolen. Borrowed. For my homepage... :)
That was magnificent...thanks, SWAMPSNIPER...!!
The sea in that clip was mild by comparison to what I went through (twice) in the Atlantic aboard a destroyer (USS English) that ran into two hurricanes a couple of years apart.
We found ourselves in the 'eye' (guessing 10-12 miles across) of the second, an extremely eerie sight, relatively calm seas, and a giant whirling wall of clouds all around us, extending thousands of feet above. The captain steamed along keeping us in the middle for a bit, told everyone to take a look, because we had to turn to stay with the rest of the HK group.
That storm ripped the depth-charge racks off the fantail, tore the steam torpedo mount off the 02 deck, ripped off all lifeboats, and tore the 'breakwater' fairing off both sides of the ship - literally tore half-inch steel plate as if it were paper. We lost one screw, a radar antenna, and several smaller radio antenna. Many thought there was no way we could survive - but we did. We were five-six months in dry-dock afterward for repairs.
I need dramamine!
Awesome video, Swampsniper!
That was good.
He wrote a description of the storm for the ships cruise book and it was memorable. During the storm some really strange (and funny) things happened. At the time of the storm, DD-826 had a couple of Vietnamese officers aboard for shipboard training. They came away from that training cruise convinced that all Americans were totally crazy.
I seem to have heard something about that - That sponson was just across the forecastle from my office....never liked that office - it was in the exact spot all the OODs were recommended to take damage if we had to - as it would best allow air ops to continue without loss of other activities.
Great video Swampsniper!
That North Atlantic can be cold and rough!
I would not have wanted to have been on that ship!
Especially on the wheel or in the engine room keeping the power plant running. If you lose power in seas like that you are dead.
My Dad went through a few of those.
He went to sea at the age of nine in the Gloucester Fishing Fleet.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.