Air Show

Although we have seen few people the last 3 days, we have had an almost constant companion overhead as the pilots from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base have roared over the skies above us. 

Today we got a treat as the river runs directly past the end of their runway, with landing light towers in the river itself. As we paddled past we saw three big old B-52 bombers and thirteen F-15 fighter jets take-off over our heads with a deafening roar.

It was a reminder of my lost calling. My grandfather was part of the Army Air Corps during World War II. He was in Hawaii at Wheeler Air Force Base during the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and was based in North Africa during the European Campaign. He was later instrumental in the Berlin Air Lift. My father majored in aerospace engineering at NC State (Go Pack!) and worked for a jet engine manufacturer, Pratt & Whitney, for almost his entire career. All of this is to say that I grew up around planes and air shows were a normal occurrence. 

I always imagined getting into the family business as a fighter pilot, no question. I knew and still recognize planes the way most teenage boys recognize sports cars. Alas, when I was a sophomore in high school my eyes went bad on me. Back before laser eye sugary, that was a deal breaker. The dream was dead. Luckily I found architecture the very next year and my life took a new trajectory. No regrets, except when you have one of those planes ripping past, which to me is still one of the coolest things going.

On the wildlife front, yesterday was also a big day in the air, with another bald eagle (four times), three sea hawks (carrying fish caught from the river), an owl (the first I have seen in the wild - they are nocturnal after all), seven ducks, and countless blue heron. We also saw five feral pigs, three wild turkey and four deer (including two Bambi-like babies). An amazing day by any measure.