On the Waterfront – A-Fording an Island

(Pensacola, Florida; Feb. 26, 2023) – Very few jobs involve hanging out underneath a 555 metric ton (nearly 612 regular ton) steel superstructure swinging over one's head, but the Navy is not just a job, it's an adventure! This adventure played out on a cold, snowy day in Newport News, Virginia, as the final piece … Continue reading On the Waterfront – A-Fording an Island

On the Waterfront – Leapfrog!

(Pensacola, Florida; Feb. 17, 2023) – I haven't played leapfrog since I was about four feet shorter than I am now; that is to say, since I was rather little. Imagine my surprise in 2010 at finding myself in a game of leapfrog, but one played with thousand-ton warships instead of schoolmates on the playground! … Continue reading On the Waterfront – Leapfrog!

On the Waterfront – Pongsona + 20

(Pensacola, Florida; Dec. 8, 2022) –Typhoon Pongsona schwacked the island of Guam twenty years ago today. I arrived on the island for my new assignment at the Fleet Imaging Command, Pacific's photo lab aboard Naval Base Guam barely three weeks earlier in November. I landed on island just after my 32nd birthday, but don't let … Continue reading On the Waterfront – Pongsona + 20

On the Waterfront – On Eagle’s Wings

(Pensacola, Florida; June 9, 2022) – I possess the oddest collection of personal connections to ships I never served aboard. Just as one example: despite numerous attempts, I never set foot aboard the carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65)—even as a mere visitor. However, every ship I did sail aboard participated in an official formation photo-op … Continue reading On the Waterfront – On Eagle’s Wings

On the Waterfront – Sailing Into History: Dolphins in the Midst

On the Waterfront – Sailing Into History: Dolphins in the Midst (Pensacola, Florida; April 26, 2022) – The ex-USS Ponce (LPD 15) has arrived at her final berth in Texas at the scrapper’s yard. So, it’s time for another ‘On the Waterfront’ sea story about the Proud Lion and the adventures of her intrepid crew, … Continue reading On the Waterfront – Sailing Into History: Dolphins in the Midst

On the Waterfront – Sailing Into History: The Greatest Seaman

(Pensacola, Florida; April 21, 2022) – I posted the original version of this column nearly two years ago while I was still in Washington State. However, as the Proud Lion is sailing into history now, this memory has taken up pride of place in the formation of memories gliding along the channel for the Grand … Continue reading On the Waterfront – Sailing Into History: The Greatest Seaman

On the Waterfront – Sailing into History: Meeting the Proud Lion

(Pensacola, Florida; April 7, 2022,) – There are moments when disparate threads of unrelated events are woven into a brand new cloth upon which the tapestry of our stories will forever be embroidered. USS Ponce (LPD 15) was one such moment for me. Many unrelated threads from my childhood, my college days, and my early … Continue reading On the Waterfront – Sailing into History: Meeting the Proud Lion

On the Waterfront – A Tale of a Great Enterprise

(Silverdale, Washington; Oct. 15, 2020) – The retired aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) had a profound affect on my time at sea, and her deactivation in 2012 foretold my own retirement from the Navy in 2017. Pretty heavy stuff, especially considering I never once set foot aboard her! I joined the Navy to go … Continue reading On the Waterfront – A Tale of a Great Enterprise

On the Waterfront – Raising Gibraltar

(Silverdale, Washington; August 24, 2020) – I am proud to present the first “On the Waterfront” column for this blog. This is a space in which I can organize and share stories of adventures on the sea. Some of these might be Navy stories, some might be civilian experiences, but all are tied to the … Continue reading On the Waterfront – Raising Gibraltar