It all started with a ship in more ways than one but I shall talk about that on another post. Today I relate the tale of Bulgarian Naval personnel on parade, senior officers arriving under military police escort and a gathering crowd of civilian spectators waiting on the beach in the vicinity of the "Sea Terrace". Meanwhile not long after 10:00 hours I was sitting comfortably drinking coffee with friends at the "Morki Rei" trying to see the edges of the bay and a few feet into the air. The show was scheduled for 10 but I knew that there was no chance of anything getting off the ground.
Setting the scene. Fog and mist are both created by water droplets, differing only in their overall locations and density. Fog is a cloud that reaches ground level, even if that "ground" is a hill or mountaintop. Mist forms wherever water droplets are suspended in the air by temperature inversion, volcanic activity, or changes in humidity. Fog is denser than mist and tends to last longer. In terms of visibility, fog reduces it to less than one kilometre (0.6 miles), while mist can reduce visibility to between 1 and 2 kilometres (0.6 - 1.2 miles). We chatted about the terrible weather as a destroyer slipped past us barely visible in the fog and ruminated on our luck in having seen a near perfect display during the afternoon of the previous day.
At the time we had speculated that there was some sort of training exercise taking place until we were informed by Joy, the proprietor, that this was a rehearsal, part of the celebration marking "100 years of the Fleet Air Arm" taking place throughout the day on the 29th April 2017. Bear in mind that most institutions in the long and glorious history of this once great country were re-established after the fall of the Ottoman empire. The fog continued to swirl deceptively revealing the opposite bank only for it to disappear just as quickly. Finally at 12:12 hours after a few false starts when we mistook motorcycle engines for activity, a helicopter made a low pass in-front of us flying along the beach and over the breakwater into Varna port.
The show was on as the three Eurocopter AS 565 Panthers, streaming the red, green and white of the Bulgarian flag, emerged from the fog flying over the breakwater into the bay. It was not ideal conditions for a flying display or the taking of photographs, in deed I wished that I had my camera with me the previous day. If the pilots were prepared to make the effort I was too and I hope that they convey the atmosphere of the event. In several shots there appear to be only two choppers performing as, invariably, one had disappeared either horizontally or vertically into the cloud. The pilots showed tremendous skill and the crew tremendous trust in their respective captains.
A poor sailor was dropped into the water from an inflatable as the first display commenced. The crew would sweep the area to locate the unfortunate seaman prior to lowering a crew member in a wet suit and flippers to assist. Once the survivor was reached a basket was lowered and the rescue commenced. This requires skill to maintain lift whilst the basket is in the water to allow the survivor to be secured. Poor visibility is no help as the fog drifts in and out. Safely winched aboard the crewman was then recovered before departing the scene.
Next we are treated to a display of formation flying and aerobatics involving all three choppers. A star burst is difficult to imagine and was spoilt somewhat as the fog enveloped the scene. One minute a chopper was there the next invisible. Tricky conditions indeed especially in the close formation head to head and crossover displays. We were snug with food and drink to hand but I didn't envy the crowd on the beach, for once I had the upper hand over the officers lol. The flying display ended with a low level pass over the crowd. You would never get up close like this in the UK as the choppers buzzed past I almost felt that I could touch them.
Next the launch was approached from the stern. A crew member abseiled down to the deck. Recovering and injured sailor or taking someone off to deliver to shore the technique is the same as both the helicopter crew member and the sailor were winched aboard to be flown away. Again the photographs show how difficult these well practised manoeuvres become in poor visibility. Keeping your horizon in these conditions so close to a grey sea requires some nerve.
We were then treated to the deployment of a team of special forces personnel as the pilot hovered a couple of metres above the sea. In frogman gear with assault rifles in hand the team jumped individually, each beaten by the down draft of the blades as they wait for their colleagues to meet them in the cold sea below. In the rehersal two teams had deployed side by side but this must have been deemed to dangerous in these conditions. All of the displays represent months of training used in air/sea rescue or military operations.
Non more so than the stunning boarding of a hostile craft or recovery of a hostage situation. Watching the choppers fly overhead our attention was diverted by a burst of gunfire from the direction of the launch. This time the chopper approching from the rear would deploy a special forces team onto the rear deck under fire from the enemy. Covering each other as they descend the hostile force is systematically engaged and apprehended whilst support inflatables circle the stricken vessel. The pilot stands off at a safe distance acting as eyes and ears for the team.
A final flypast and salute to the spectators ends the display as the Fleet Air Arm once more disappear into the fog from whence they came. This was a magnificent and skilled display which lasted for nearly two hours. It was sad that the final "HALO" parachute jump by six members of the Special Forces did not take place. During rehersal they were spot on reaching their designated target on the beach next to the Sea Terrace. I hope that you immerse yourself in this event through the medium of my photographs here in my
"Centenary" photo album .
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