Sink week: part 2
7:15 am
I stood next to a pile of camera gear on a dock in Destin, FL. The sky was bright, and the early morning air was pleasantly cool and dry. The sound of waves lapping against the pilings was interrupted by three outboard engines turning over. As Captain Chuck readied his boat, the IMAX film crew traveling with me transferred their cases on board. I stepped over the transom, Chuck threw the lines, and we were off.
I stood next to a pile of camera gear on a dock in Destin, FL. The sky was bright, and the early morning air was pleasantly cool and dry. The sound of waves lapping against the pilings was interrupted by three outboard engines turning over. As Captain Chuck readied his boat, the IMAX film crew traveling with me transferred their cases on board. I stepped over the transom, Chuck threw the lines, and we were off.
7:45 am
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| Captain Chuck from Lone Star Fishing Charters in Destin, FL, our charismatic guide for the day. Photo by Dave Clark. |
8:30 am
She was just as majestic as I remembered. There she was, the luxury passenger liner SS United States, sitting at anchor in the Gulf. The surface was calm, almost waveless, and deep, deep blue. A canopy of cumulus clouds reflected the sunlight overhead. Dozens of boats milled about. The whole thing seemed…normal, as if the world had gone mad and accepted that passenger liners could sit at anchor in the middle of the ocean.
8:45 am
Chuck cut the engines. Here we go again. A boat with flashing blue lights approached. This time, it was the state police. Before that, it was Fish and Wildlife. And before that, it had been the local Destin PD. Every law enforcement agency with a boat was out here - from as far away as Sarasota. A Coast Guard cutter loomed on the horizon. Chuck called out to the officers approaching us: “Going to get our flag right now! Y’all have a nice day!” The officers waved and pulled away. By the time we reached Okaloosa County’s floating headquarters and picked up our green VIP flag that allowed us to be within a mile of the sinking ship, we had been pulled over 3 times.
8:50 am
A police boat with its lights turned off drifted within arm’s reach of the anchored ship. A man in a brown uniform and bullet-proof vest stood on the bow of the boat and took a selfie.
9:00 am
Captain Chuck circled slowly around the SS United States, giving my IMAX film crew friends a complete view. “Let’s go to the stern,” instructed the producer, Dave Clark. Chuck nodded and turned the wheel of the boat. As we approached the stern, I noticed two people bobbing in the water next to a buoy. Who in the world - then I noticed the County’s boat standing by, keeping watch. One of the people in the water was brunette, the other bald. Alex and Mike. Of course.
The swimmers climbed onto the
county’s boat, and my guess was confirmed. Alex Fogg, the Natural Resources lead
for Okaloosa County, had wanted to check the security of the emergency tow line
off the stern. His dive buddy, Mike, was more than happy to get in the water
too. While the guys toweled off, Chuck brought our boat into shouting distance.
“Hello!” “Beautiful day!” “How are you!” we called back and forth. Alex looked
better than I expected, considering the stress he must be under.
Is this what Burning Man is like?
A small city in the middle of the wilderness, where you run into all your
friends? That’s a sincere question.
She was just as majestic as I remembered. There she was, the luxury passenger liner SS United States, sitting at anchor in the Gulf. The surface was calm, almost waveless, and deep, deep blue. A canopy of cumulus clouds reflected the sunlight overhead. Dozens of boats milled about. The whole thing seemed…normal, as if the world had gone mad and accepted that passenger liners could sit at anchor in the middle of the ocean.
Chuck cut the engines. Here we go again. A boat with flashing blue lights approached. This time, it was the state police. Before that, it was Fish and Wildlife. And before that, it had been the local Destin PD. Every law enforcement agency with a boat was out here - from as far away as Sarasota. A Coast Guard cutter loomed on the horizon. Chuck called out to the officers approaching us: “Going to get our flag right now! Y’all have a nice day!” The officers waved and pulled away. By the time we reached Okaloosa County’s floating headquarters and picked up our green VIP flag that allowed us to be within a mile of the sinking ship, we had been pulled over 3 times.
A police boat with its lights turned off drifted within arm’s reach of the anchored ship. A man in a brown uniform and bullet-proof vest stood on the bow of the boat and took a selfie.
Captain Chuck circled slowly around the SS United States, giving my IMAX film crew friends a complete view. “Let’s go to the stern,” instructed the producer, Dave Clark. Chuck nodded and turned the wheel of the boat. As we approached the stern, I noticed two people bobbing in the water next to a buoy. Who in the world - then I noticed the County’s boat standing by, keeping watch. One of the people in the water was brunette, the other bald. Alex and Mike. Of course.
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| SS United States sitting at anchor. |
10:00 am
Chuck pulled alongside Tyson B, a support vessel tethered to the port side of SS United States. The two cameramen from the IMAX crew, Duncan Clark and Matt Teague, stepped from our boat onto Tyson B and then from Tyson B onto SS United States. Alex Fogg met them at the door, wearing a hard hat and a much more serious expression than when he emerged from the water just an hour before. Duncan and Matt had exactly one hour to mount and start their cameras before the sinking sequence began.
11:00 am
Dave and I could see Duncan and Matt on the stern of SS United States. Duncan cupped his hands around his mouth, and Chuck pulled our boat closer so we could hear. “There’s been a delay,” he shouted.
Chuck pulled alongside Tyson B, a support vessel tethered to the port side of SS United States. The two cameramen from the IMAX crew, Duncan Clark and Matt Teague, stepped from our boat onto Tyson B and then from Tyson B onto SS United States. Alex Fogg met them at the door, wearing a hard hat and a much more serious expression than when he emerged from the water just an hour before. Duncan and Matt had exactly one hour to mount and start their cameras before the sinking sequence began.
Dave and I could see Duncan and Matt on the stern of SS United States. Duncan cupped his hands around his mouth, and Chuck pulled our boat closer so we could hear. “There’s been a delay,” he shouted.
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