@crimdell

6 years ago

When I was in the US Navy I crossed the Atlantic 6 times (3 Mediterranean deployments of 6+ months each). I know very well what it's like to stand the "midnight watch." Something that civilians might not be aware of is that at night US Navy ships go dark. Only a few red lights are allowed on the exterior of the ship. When there is a new moon, and without the ambient light from cities and land, the magnitude of the darkness is stunning. On nights like that one of my favorite things to do was to grab a pillow and blanket and go out on the helo deck and just stare at the stars. It seemed like a million stars and planets. We never went to the southern hemisphere but one time when we were close to the equator (near Grenada if I recall) we were able to see the Southern Cross above the horizon. On nights like that sometimes I would spot a satellite silently crossing the sky. This song makes me recall the good times from those deployments. When you spend a lot of time at sea it is amazing what you will see. I've seen numerous whales, hundreds of dolphins, and thousands of flying fish dancing across the surface like they were choreographed. One time I saw the sea lit with phosphorescence across an area at least a square mile. Those moments changed me forever. They made me aware of how microscopically small we are in the universe. They made me respect nature and realize that it is OUR responsibility to take care of our blue planet so that our children's children can see the same wonders I've seen.

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