Friday, April 1, 2016

Re-visiting the Blue Angels

20160329_121225

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.

DSC_0454

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DSC_0453

 

DSC_0455

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DSC_0412

 

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

20160329_112046

The big fire trucks came out first,

Big fire trucks getting into place

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

20160329_112720

DSC_0417

 

They fired up their engines!

DSC_0418

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DSC_0423

 

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!

 

20160329_114625

 

20160329_114508

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.

20160329_114814

20160329_114817

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

20160329_115240

20160329_114622

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

20160329_115801

20160329_121027

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

20160329_121429

 

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

20160329_120816

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!

DSC_0439

 

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

DSC_0441

 

DSC_0443

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DSC_0444

DSC_0446

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good Show, Blue Angels!

Taxi-ing back to the hanger

 

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.

20160329_122429

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

Fat Albert

20160329_122629

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One last group picture before we go!

DSC_0452

3 comments:

  1. Love to watch the Blue Angels, we used to work @ NAF El Centro, the winter home of the Blues, since my hubby is a retired Marine we were able to ride on Fat Albert, that was one of the highlights of my life, very cool. Becki

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love to watch the Blue Angels, we used to work @ NAF El Centro, the winter home of the Blues, since my hubby is a retired Marine we were able to ride on Fat Albert, that was one of the highlights of my life, very cool. Becki

    ReplyDelete
  3. Glad you had another enjoyable day.
    Using the same technique for getting pictures of Humming Birds set your camera on Manual focus and then focus on Infinity. That is anything beyond a hundred feet. This will result in good quality pictures and extend your battery life.
    Be Safe!

    It's about time.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for reading! We'd love to hear your comments!