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April 2008
Going Home
I’m reminded of the Daughtry song every time I hear the words “I’m going home…” Come on…sing with me now. If everything with the plane stays working, running properly, and good, we’ll be coming home today. I’m ready to get home, that’s for sure! I enjoyed my trip to Halifax and St. John’s. It was cold, windy but sunny for most of the days. I saw some great places in St. John’s…beautiful waterfalls, nice beaches and great landscapes. I’m glad I came. I’m glad I had the opportunity to travel to Canada and witness this very important mission the Coast Guard performs. So goodbye St. John’s. I seriously doubt I’ll see you again…but then again, stranger things have happened. Until next time…
Petty Officer Charly Hengen
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Thursday…it’s snowing in St. John’s
As I look outside the hotel window, it’s snowing here. Yeah, another cold day (note the sarcasm). But if the plane is functioning properly today…we’ll be coming home! Hooray!! I flew with Provincial Aero Services yesterday. They are contracted by oil rigs to track, determine size, determine drift and collect data on ice bergs (as one part of their services). Oil rigs in Grand Banks are highly susceptible to iceberg collision, thus the need for the ice patrol services. As of date, three rigs are using services provided by Provincial Aero Services. Provincial also coordinates towing services for the icebergs. If an iceberg is headed straight for the path of an oil rig, time and effort are needed to tow it away from the rig, so it can drift a different course. They utilize a King Air aircraft. After processing the data from each day, it is shared with the Coast Guard and Canadian Ice Services. This joint effort maximizes the safety of vessels transversing the Grand Banks. But let me tell you this…I prefer the C-130 aircraft than the King Air…much smoother and more room to walk around.
Home…here I come!
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Cloud Hopping
It’s Wednesday, April 23rd and it’s a great day to fly. It is cold here, but sunny and clear. The plan is to fly a little over 7 hours to the East of St. John’s. Hopefully, we’ll see more icebergs.
Yesterday toward the end of the flight, more icebergs popped up, which was nice. I did get some decent pictures of them. I mean, I have 8000 feet above them and my zoom lens can only do so much! From what I hear, this should be the last patrol for this trip. It will be so nice to get home to see my boys. After being gone for almost 2 weeks, I’m missing them!! I told my oldest that I was cloud hopping in the airplane. He thought it was really cool and wanted to know if I was scared and if I fell through the cloud and so on and so on. Gotta love the child-like, innocent mind. I hope you have a great day! Enjoy the warmth!
Petty Officer Charly Hengen
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What is today?
What day is it? I think all the day’s are running together. Ah yes, it’s a Tuesday. Sunday, we did not fly due to a propeller issue, but thankfully, we did not have to change the prop. Monday, we flew for an estimated three hours, until we had to turn around and land due to a turbine overheat light. Thankfully, that wasn’t soo much of an issue. Today, we almost did not fly because of a generator problem, but magically, the problem fixed itself. So we fly—in search of icebergs. For 8.0 hours in the air I saw the most icebergs I’ve seen since I’ve been up here!!! And of course I have took pictures…that’s why I’m here! So I think the plan is to fly another mission tomorrow and head home on Thursday. It is cold up here. It’s around 0 degrees Celcius…so it’s right around freezing at night. I am ready to come home. I miss my kids and I miss my bed. And from what I hear, it’s warm in NC, so I definitely miss the warm weather. Soon I’ll be coming home. Even though the C-130 is an old plane and seems to break a lot, she keeps going. Kind of like the Energizer Bunny…it just keeps going and going (with a little help from the mechanics) and I know she’ll get us home.
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Weather Woes
Today is Saturday and we are not flying due to weather conditions. It’s actually snowing today! I think, if it’s going to be this cold, it should snow. And of course, with the low pressure that’s sitting over St. John’s right now, it’s undetermined about flying tomorrow. One good thing, there’s a Sci-Fi convention at the hotel, so I have seen some Darth Vaders, Storm Troopers and I hear that BoBo Fet is wandering around. Maybe I should have dinner with him? I have not kissed a puffin or a cod yet…but I hear some of us might before this trip is over! We went curling last night and like always it was fun! Thankfully, no one had to be taken to the emergency room…but a few did fall and hit hard! Hee hee! I’m anxious for the weather to clear so we can fly and search for icebergs. When we were coming in for a landing, I did see a ‘bergy bit…it was small and cute but nothing to really brag about. Hopefully tomorrow will clear and the sun will shine bright! Until next time…
Petty Officer Charly Hengen
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Wreath Drop Round 2
We flew today! Hooray! Hooray! Yesterday we could not fly due to a broken piece of navigational equipment. Alas, it was fixed late last night and today was successful. However, I could not see anything other than clouds while flying, so thankfully the radar was able to pick up what it needed to. We did drop the wreaths near the site of the Titanic sinking and pictures are hear.
It was an eventful day and hopefully tomorrow the weather will let up and I can actually see an iceberg!
PS—Hi SCPO Leon!
Petty Officer Charly Hengen
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Wreath Drop
Good Morning! It’s very strange how the time difference is here….I’m ahead of the East Coast 1.5 hours. Go figure! Today we fly searching for icebergs and dropping the wreaths. I’m looking forward to today and will hopefully get some good pictures. The weather is beautiful, sunny and probably cold. St. John’s looks much different since most of the snow has melted. WHen I was here in February, piles of snow covered the ground. I think that’s the most snow I’ve ever seen! It was amazing, but now only 2 months later…it’s practically all gone! Oh well, at least the sun is shining. Anyways, here we go to look for icebergs and I hope to see a big one! Have a great day!
Petty Officer Charly Hengen
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Memorial Ceremony
The ceremony to commemorate the 96th anniversary of the Titanic sinking was humbling as well as beautiful. It was sunny, windy and a little bit chilly as eighteen Coastguardsmen gathered to remember those lost that fateful day. As I think about the tragic loss of life, I can’t help but be thankful for what I have in my own life. Many people perished that day; babies, children, mothers, fathers and grandparents. While researching the Titanic sinking and the importance of Halifax, I learned that the only living survivor was two-months old at the time of the sinking. And now, she is 96-years old in failing health and even though she has no memory of the Titanic, she holds the key to what so many people are searching for.
We are geting ready to depart Halifax to head to St. John’s, Newfounland to begin the actual ice patrol. This time we will be dropping three wreaths from the C-130 Hercules in rememberance of the Titanic victims. The wreaths were blessed by Capt. Harry Crawford, chaplain of Canadian Forces Base of Halifax. I cannot wait to see the wreaths drop from the sky and land in the water. I cannot imagine being one of those persons in the frigid Atlantic waters with so much life ahead of you coming to a stop.
So remember those around you and tell them how much they mean to you. It will put a smile on your face and theirs as well.
Until next time, Petty Officer Third Class Charly Hengen
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Here I Go Again
Once again, it’s time for the International Ice Patrol. I’m looking forward to this one more due to the fact that’s it is the 96th Anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. And, I feel like a seasoned veteran already! I am packed and the C-130 takes off tomorrow. We fly to Groton, Conn. first to pick up the marine science technicians (they are the ones that have ice berg knowledge) and then we fly to Halifax, Nova Scotia for a Titanic ceremony. Even though it will be a somber ceremony, I am actually looking forward to it. So keep an eye out for some pictures! Talk to you later!
Petty Officer Third Class Charly Hengen
