Exercise Object

…When we handing over a tow, a protective bay is usually sought.
 

North American T6 ‘Harvard’.

For the handing over of the tow, the bottom-dumpers ‘Lek’ and ‘IJssel’, we sailed to the Canary Islands.
The Spanish Air Force was just practicing there.
They immediately used us as a training object.
So we were extra protected.

The ‘Gelderland’ had to handed over its tow to the ‘Groningen’.
It was a tangle of bunches, tow wires, chain stoppers and cutting ends, spread over both decks.

Chain stopper.

Meanwhile, three Spanish North American T-6 ‘Harvard’ flew around and over us and made mock attacks on us with a lot of noise.
We shot back with hand spokes, nails and boat hooks.
That was highly appreciated, because when they finished their exercise, they came flying over for a while.
Greeting with their wings.

Lower unloader.

In the meantime the work on deck continued and it became clear that the tangle was well laid when the ‘Gelderland’ sailed away.
The bottom unloaders stayed behind at the ‘Groningen’ and we still had our towing equipment.

The cook on the aftdeck also.

Unfortunately of short duration, we had to take over the tow again.
The ‘Groningen’ got a notorious ‘black-out’.
All work for nothing and do it again, no hurray went on.

Even the Spanish Air Force left us alone.