Re-visiting the Blue Angels

When we visited Golf Shores three years ago, one of our favorite memories was watching the Blue Angels’ practice session at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola.  Since we were in the area again, it was something we wanted to see again.

Some friends from home were here for Spring Break and were interested in seeing the Blue Angels also, so we made plans to meet at the Naval Air Station on Tuesday morning.  The Blue Angels start flying at 11:30, and I remembered from last time that it got very crowded, so we planned to meet around 9:30.  By the time we got through the security gate, parked and walked towards the flight line, it was almost 10am.  The gates opened at 10:30, so we had a little bit of a wait.

Once the gates opened and we passed through another security check, we walked across the parking lot and past a bunch of old planes on display.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We went straight to the bleachers and snagged seats for the show.

The big fire trucks came out first,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and then it was time for the Blue Angels to line up for takeoff!

 

 

They fired up their engines!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TAKEOFF!!

 

The narrator explained that with the low clouds that morning, they probably would not be able to do the high portion of the show, including many of the vertical maneuvers.

 

There were still plenty of amazing aerobatics that they could do, though!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have been having trouble with my Nikon camera lately -- it doesn’t always want to autofocus – and it was really struggling with keeping up with the Blue Angels!  Ugh!

I made due the best I could with my phone, but it wasn’t the same and I couldn’t crop the photos as closely without them getting grainy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Despite my photographic challenges, I got a few good shots . . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and I spent more time doing something I rarely do . . . just watching!

It was a great show once again, although I think we had a different experience this time, being on the bleachers.  The last time we were her, we had gotten there later and had to stand in the parking lot by the planes.  WE didn’t get to hear any of the narrative, but we were on the planes’ return path, and it seemed like they were flying directly over our heads!

Once the planes were back on the ground, my camera could get good pictures of them again!

 

The crowd waved as they lined up to return to the hanger.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good Show, Blue Angels!

 

With the main show over, there was one more performance.

“Fat Albert”, the C-130 responsible for carrying the crew and equipment for the Blue Angels between shoes, took to the sky.

It may not be as nimble as the F-18, or travel at 7Gs, but it’s still an impressive plane.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One last group picture before we go!