Crazy Thing in the Water!

**Jdarg** · 02-19-2008, 11:48 AM

I parked at the beach access in Grayton this morning, looked out at the water, and saw a HUGE floating military thing- maybe a hovercraft? Really loud (like a tractor), lots of spray and smoke. It was heading west, then stopped, kicked up lots of splash and smoke, then turned around and headed beack towards PCB.

It was nuts!

Did anyone else see this?

Oh yeah- other crazy thing. There were lots of crab pieces and parts washing up from Grayton down past Gulf Trace. The largest shells were about the size of my palm, and they were tan with some burgundy- I ahve never seen these before. I wonder what caused them all to die?

**peapod1980** · 02-19-2008, 11:52 AM

Originally Posted by jdarg

I parked at the beach access in Grayton this morning, looked out at the water, and saw a HUGE floating military thing- maybe a hovercraft? Really loud (like a tractor), lots of spray and smoke. It was heading west, then stopped, kicked up lots of splash and smoke, then turned around and headed beack towards PCB.

It was nuts!

Did anyone else see this?

Oh yeah- other crazy thing. There were lots of crab pieces and parts washing up from Grayton down past Gulf Trace. The largest shells were about the size of my palm, and they were tan with some burgundy- I ahve never seen these before. I wonder what caused them all to die?

The crazy thing in the water!

**Will B** · 02-19-2008, 12:01 PM

Probably a hovercraft out of PC. Here's an old thread that sounds similar to yours...

http://www.sowal.com/bb/showthread.p...ght=hovercraft

**TN2FLA** · 02-19-2008, 12:02 PM

Military hovercraft...
[ame]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hovercraft[/ame]

very common to see these in the area

**Jdarg** · 02-19-2008, 12:02 PM

Originally Posted by peapod1980

The crazy thing in the water!

Yes! It must have chopped them up and spit them out!!

**seaside2** · 02-19-2008, 12:05 PM

We've seen these things many times before.

Ms Seaside, as she sits in her beach chair and rolls her eyes at me:
"Your tax dollars at work. Now get up and get me another Margarita"

**klauricella** · 02-19-2008, 12:23 PM

I walked the beach this morning near Pompano Joes and noticed the crab pieces everywhere too, very strange. I've never noticed it before.

**Jdarg** · 02-19-2008, 12:29 PM

Originally Posted by klauricella

I walked the beach this morning near Pompano Joes and noticed the crab pieces everywhere too, very strange. I've never noticed it before.

And they were all picked over, right? I wonder if the large flocks of birds feeding out in the Gulf are feeding on these little crabs, and their pieces are washing in? It looked like a massacre!

**SWGB** · 02-19-2008, 02:37 PM

Sounds like spider crabs to me. Mostly a nuissance since you can't eat them.

**TreeFrog** · 02-19-2008, 02:53 PM

The other Crazy Thing you will see sometimes is in the air flying up the beach, not the water. It's a V-22 Osprey, which looks sort of like first like a twin engine propellor airplane, but with the biggest props you've ever seen. Sort of a cross between a helicopter and an airplane.

**Jdarg** · 02-19-2008, 03:15 PM

Originally Posted by TreeFrog

The other Crazy Thing you will see sometimes is in the air flying up the beach, not the water. It's a V-22 Osprey, which looks sort of like first like a twin engine propellor airplane, but with the biggest props you've ever seen. Sort of a cross between a helicopter and an airplane.

I have seen those!

I swear, I thought Grayton was being invaded this morning.

So instead of street walking, I walked on the beach. See, I was willing to protect y'all and take one for the SoWal team if necessary.

(clarification : by "street walking", I mean taking my walk on pavement, not what you gutter minds are gonna say!)

**ASH** · 02-19-2008, 06:19 PM

I've seen the hovercraft over near Navarre. THe Osprey Treefrog is talking about I believe is the same ones I have seen take off vertical just like a helicopter and then the whole engine rotates forward and the helicopter begins to make forward momentum until it's fully an airplane. These are supposed to be making a comeback in Iraq right now. Awsome sight to see. How something that heavy can hover....

**Miss Kitty** · 02-19-2008, 06:33 PM

I saw one of those before, jdarg. It was freaky and seemed to go around and around in circles and so so noisy!

**NoHall** · 02-19-2008, 06:52 PM

Jdarg would make a lovely streetwalker, if that's what she wants to do...

**SWGB** · 02-19-2008, 10:55 PM

Originally Posted by jdarg

I have seen those!

I swear, I thought Grayton was being invaded this morning.

So instead of street walking, I walked on the beach. See, I was willing to protect y'all and take one for the SoWal team if necessary.

(clarification : by "street walking", I mean taking my walk on pavement, not what you gutter minds are gonna say!)

Originally Posted by NoHall

Jdarg would make a lovely streetwalker, if that's what she wants to do...

You beat me to it. I was gonna say we only have the classiest street walkers in sowal.

**Smiling JOe** · 02-19-2008, 11:01 PM

Originally Posted by klauricella

I walked the beach this morning near Pompano Joes and noticed the crab pieces everywhere too, very strange. I've never noticed it before.

Not to worry. The broken crab remains are left on my dock every morning, by the birds. My dogs love to eat the left over parts. Sounds like they are munching on Doritos.

**HYDROSTAN** · 02-20-2008, 05:43 AM

Originally Posted by jdarg

I parked at the beach access in Grayton this morning, looked out at the water, and saw a HUGE floating military thing- maybe a hovercraft? Really loud (like a tractor), lots of spray and smoke. It was heading west, then stopped, kicked up lots of splash and smoke, then turned around and headed beack towards PCB.

It was nuts!

Did anyone else see this?

Oh yeah- other crazy thing. There were lots of crab pieces and parts washing up from Grayton down past Gulf Trace. The largest shells were about the size of my palm, and they were tan with some burgundy- I ahve never seen these before. I wonder what caused them all to die?

I think it's the machine that makes the big blue signs.

**NotDeadYet** · 02-20-2008, 06:21 AM

The day before yesterday there were as many washed up jellyfish as there were crab parts yesterday. I have never seen that many jellies, a nearly solid line in some places. If that many washed up, makes me wonder how many are still out there?

I've seen lots of days where there were jellies on the beach but not like that, ever.

**peapod1980** · 02-20-2008, 06:59 AM

Originally Posted by HYDROSTAN

I think it's the machine that makes the big blue signs.

There we have it!

**Jdarg** · 02-20-2008, 07:00 AM

Originally Posted by HYDROSTAN

I think it's the machine that makes the big blue signs.

And eats little crabs for snack.

**NoHall** · 02-20-2008, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by peapod1980

There we have it!

Originally Posted by jdarg

And eats little crabs for snack.

This is quickly turning into a skit from "The Muppet Show..."

**jodiFL** · 02-20-2008, 06:24 PM

it seems our area AFBs were doing all sorts of things in this area today..... not to mention losing about $50 million worth of planes. Story here
But at least the pilots are safe.

2 Air Force Planes Missing Off Fla.
From Associated Press
February 20, 2008 5:39 PM EST

MIAMI - The Air Force says two fighter jets on a training mission over the Gulf of Mexico have disappeared.

Eglin Air Force Base spokesman Sgt. Brian Jones says they vanished around 3 p.m. off the Florida Panhandle and that search and rescue efforts are under way.

Air Force officials are investigating.