So, morning came on time despite being below the slope of majestic Point Loma. Lingering in the pre-dawn was the silver orb of a near full moon, brilliant in its reflection of the sun still rising. Up at 0700, East Coast, 0400 on Shelter Island local, the harbor rim still snoozing.
Dining with Heather, the duty server in the restaurant’s lovely view of the harbor. Ordinary eggs an extravagance in morning. Looking to the opening to the harbor below the solid gray of the Point brought back memories of the Flagship going sea through that very portal. One morning, a lovely one very much like this, I had been assigned to conduct the Carrier Intelligence Center onboard examination of a nuclear carrier about to deploy. USS Coronado, 25 years later, is currently an addition to natural reef formations on the bottom of the friendly Pacific. Then, she was “The Command Ship of the Future!” and we spent a lot of time attempting to generate support for her modifications. On that long-ago morning, she was headed out to set up the exercise. I had not quite a day before embarking Nimitz, or one of her sisters, the next morning.
I took the opportunity to see Coronado underway, proudly heading out into the world ocean. I thought at the time that the best view would be from La Jolla, a nice place on the way to the Marine operating areas north of town. I drove over the Coronado Bay Bridge once the traffic died down a bit and across town to the north. I found a nice parking place near the trail leading down to the shore. As I walked down, I breathed the amazing fresh air. It was invigorating. Upon arrival down on the beach, the lovely view was sheltered by the dark cliffs that provided a loving embrace. And notice of a sign ahead. I was not surprised to see it, since public nudity was a common value there, though it should always be accompanied by suitable signage. This one was matter of fact, though a bit abrupt:
I was in casual San Diego wear- shorts and an aloha shirt, but I could see the outline of a gray ship fairly close in to shore. A better view was on the other side of the the warning sign, and that was the place to be. In order to be compliant with the guidance, rolled the shorts up in the shirt and boldly strode to a place with the best vista of the ship we were attempting to drag into the future. I found a place that showed her proudly underway, moving slowly up the coast toward the operating area off Camp Pendleton.
I did the usual, and waved proudly at my moving normal duty station. Then it occurred to me that someone on the bridge might be using the Big Eyes to see who ashore was gesturing. If so, I was in the uniform specified by the vantage point, and waved a little more vigorously. Eventually, Coronado diminished with her movement northward. I watched and waved until I would have been hull-down to anyone doing their duty out there as I attempted to do mine from shore.
And the feeling of the lively harbor air this morning, the brightness of the West Coast dawn, the distinct feeling of life alive brought that back with some vigor. And the best fleet farewell I was able to muster, naked as a jay bird and with an enthusiastic gesture to the Flagship of the THIRD Fleet. I will attempt to observe and obey all signs on this trip!
A visit to something else will follow in just a few hours, with an encounter with a large piece of gray steel I last saw alive under Japanese skies. And moonsets near Mt. Fuji.
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