There was a crescent moon tonight over NAS Fallon. Not as who should say a “commander’s moon,” far less one issued to a retired captain. But a moon nonetheless. Which, when coupled with a sky completely innocent of cloud cover and with visibilities unlimited, made for an entirely different experience during the evening go.
It might have helped to have knocked out the rust on Monday evening. It can’t have hurt to have flown yesterday during the mid-day.
But this was almost fun, if by “fun” your definition is expansive enough to include the almost total absence of pain.
It’s late though, and I’m to bed. Flights of angels, etc.
I mind the expression, in Len Deighton’s book, “a bomber’s moon”. That is, a waxing crescent with about 3/10 cloud cover, just what you want for night bombing from yer Lancaster in 1943.
Nights like you describe were seen in AFGHN, especially when traveling to a ” Black FOB ” where there are no lights on at night. The entire expanse of the sky is visible as there is no ambient light to overshadow the awesome expanse of stars. I have seen the same stateside down on outer Cape Cod but not as bright and wondrous as being out in the Shitewilds of AFGHN as there is no light to dull the show put on by the heavens.
Meanwhile, back in Sandy Eggo, nature provides excitement of it’s own -
A great white shark was spotted off the coast of Imperial Beach on Tuesday, according to city officials.
Lifeguards said the shark was spotted near Imperial Beach Boulevard at 9 a.m. A local took a picture of the dorsal fin, and immediately showed it to officials.
The picture was then sent to a shark research facility, which confirmed the shark was a great white. Researchers believe the shark photographed was between 16 and 18 feet.
The shark reportedly stayed in the area for a moment, then swam on.
“We haven’t seen anything like this since the 1950′s,” said an IB lifeguard captain.
The beach is open, but signs warning people of the sighting have been placed throughout the beach.
Thanks for reminding us of the beauties often associated with flight.
Cheers!
That is one of the nice things about being a badger on the night shift in a rural area. The nights after a snowtorm are often cloudless, with the air scrubbed clean of dust by the snow. Sometimes you just have to pull the squad over, and get out and look at the sky.
A friend of mine, Scott C, ( I am amazed how many men of my age are named Scott ), was on a DESPAC DD, and he has told me of what he called “Starhip Nights”, where the sky was full of grizzions of stars, and the sea was flat and reflective, so the ship seemed to be sailing the stars.
I saw that on Courtney a couple of times. Once in the Med, and once on the Atlantic bringing the ship home to decommission. It is neat.