P.O.R.T.
Despite how busy I am, I have a hard time turning down something that seems to fun or cool to pass up. A good friend and someone I have been teaching with for years, Bill, asked me if I would like to be a rescue diver for a boat race. It took me all of 5 seconds to say yes.
P.O.P.R.A (Pacific Offshore Powerboat Racing Assocation) was having their annual Rum Run race. Which is a powerboat race from Long Beach harbor to Two Harbors Catalina to Avalon Catalina then back to Long Beach. A total of 77 miles of open ocean. POPRA uses Pacific Offshore Rescue Team (P.O.R.T.) as their rescue team and they needed more rescue divers.
Friday and Saturday was spent setting up, training and inspecting the boats.
Our main job as rescue divers was to be ready and on the scene incase one of the boats crash. We had 3 helicopters, carrying 2 rescue divers each. And 4 rescue boats, each carrying 2 rescue divers and 2-3 medical staff.
I was one of the extremely lucky ones that was picked to ride in the helicopter during the race. We took off from Long Beach airport and trailed the boats once the race got under way. The winner of the race was Team CRC with a time of 37 minutes. That’s an average of 150mph. On the water! That is just flippin fast.
P.O.P.R.A (Pacific Offshore Powerboat Racing Assocation) was having their annual Rum Run race. Which is a powerboat race from Long Beach harbor to Two Harbors Catalina to Avalon Catalina then back to Long Beach. A total of 77 miles of open ocean. POPRA uses Pacific Offshore Rescue Team (P.O.R.T.) as their rescue team and they needed more rescue divers.
Friday and Saturday was spent setting up, training and inspecting the boats.
Our main job as rescue divers was to be ready and on the scene incase one of the boats crash. We had 3 helicopters, carrying 2 rescue divers each. And 4 rescue boats, each carrying 2 rescue divers and 2-3 medical staff.
I was one of the extremely lucky ones that was picked to ride in the helicopter during the race. We took off from Long Beach airport and trailed the boats once the race got under way. The winner of the race was Team CRC with a time of 37 minutes. That’s an average of 150mph. On the water! That is just flippin fast.
It was surreal to walk around on the tarmac of Long Beach airport in full scuba gear. We were flying in R44 Raven 2 helicopters. Small, light and fast little guys, perfect for the job. I was wearing my normal bc, except with a high pressure steel 30 cu ft tank. Cause there aint a lot of room in those whirly birds.
But I learned that after 2 and a half hours in a small cramped open air cockpit. You will start to ache, get cold and have to pee like a flippin race horse. Oh I cant wait to do it again! Thankfully none of the boats crashed and everyone was safe. Which was the most important aspect of the whole day.
The next race is in San Diego in Sept and I am already looking forward to it. Whether if I will be in a boat or in the helicopter, it will be a good time and great experience.
Labels: POPRA, PORT, rescue diver, Scubadiving
posted by DiverJeff at
3:10 PM
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