Son, Sea, and Helicopters

Saturday, 12 March 2011

Wow, I can’t believe it’s already Saturday. What’s even more unbelievable is the fact that I was not only awake, but up and ready for the day before 7am. Amazing. Of course, I had a motive…

An AMS helicopter would be conducting training exercises with the NSRI by the Gordon’s Bay Harbour. So I made my way over there to take some photographs. The helicopter arrived about 45 minutes after it was supposed to be there (helicopter pilots, pfft). So I spent that time walking along the Gordon’s Bay Harbour wall, praying that a huge wave wouldn’t come thundering along and drench my camera in water.



It’s been a while since I’ve been in a harbour. I must say, it was good to smell the smells (the salt, not the rotting fish), see the sea, and listen to the waves rolling in and out. The helicopter finally arrived and landed by the Gordon’s Bay Naval Base. The AMS crew and NSRI had a briefing before going off to their respective craft.

A couple of minutes later I got a call from my friend. “Do you want to come on the boat and take photos from there?”
“Uhm, yeah, okay.”
“Run, you have 5 minutes to get here.”
So I ran, huffing and puffing as I went. I walked into the NSRI building, signed the indemnity form, was given a lifejacket, and hopped onto the boat.

Time to kick the… tyres?, and light the fires!
It’s been at least 5 years since I last went on a boat, and I’m pleased to say that I still have my sea-legs. I’d forgotten how amazing it feels moving through the water, bobbing up and down with the swells and listening to the water splashing along the side.



We went a short distance from the harbour and waited for the helicopter. It was primarily their exercise (the NSRI was there as a precaution, and to provide people to throw into the water, at least that’s the way I understood it); AMS would be practicing dropping swimmers from the helicopter, and then lifting swimmer and the rescuee (forgive me, I don’t know the correct terms) and flying to shore with them hanging beneath the helicopter on a (very) long line.



You have to admire those people; they jump from quite a height. And once they’re in the water, they have to fight with currents, as well as the spray from the helicopter’s rotor wash hitting them in the face. Looking at the water, I noticed a number of white things floating around. On closer inspection, I realised that they were jellyfish. Cute.



I think it was on the final ‘drop-and-retrieve’ when the helicopter hovered very close to the boat, effectively spraying us with water. My camera didn’t enjoy that much, and the salt created a thin film over the lens, making it look all hazy.



Exercise complete, we returned to the harbour. It was an awesome morning, and it’s great seeing the rescue services working in harmony. I would like to say a very big thank you to the volunteers of NSRI Station 9 for allowing me to join them at sea.

That just proves that it’s all about who you know, and being in the right place at the right time.