LIVE FROM BAHRAIN
b roll online travels
last update February 28, 1998
| LIVE FROM
BAHRAIN B Roll Online has moved from Norfolk and Richmond VA to Manama, Bahrain (a small independent country in the Persian Gulf). Reporter Mike Gooding and I have been sent here to cover the Navy's actions in the "Showdown With Iraq."
February 23, 1998: We landed last night after flying through New York and London. The travel time was almost 24 hours. My gear made it in one piece, so we have our portable SX editor, power adapters, and my trusted 300 Betacam SP Camera and tripod. We plan to fly out to the USS Guam and USS George Washington in the coming days. They are Norfolk based ships, and the main reason we are here. I've already decked my camera with aluminum foil to protect it from the ships radar (which causes RF interference and break up on the tape). In the coming days, I will attempt to keep this page updated. I don't know what telephone access I will have on the ships, so it may be delayed.
February 24, 1998: Before we departed, the pilot of the chopper introduced himself and explained that his folks live in Virginia Beach (part of our WVEC-TV market). |
![[ENG Cam]](../buttons/rotcam.gif) He was really excited about his squadron being on TV. I made a deal with him. If he gave us some good fly by's of the USS Independence and USS George Washington to get aerial shots, we'd put him on TV for his folks to see. The deal worked out great, the conditions were great and the shots of the ships were beautiful. We won't be able to make up our end of the bargain for a few days, as are on the ship until Thursday. Then we will fly back to Bahrain and edit the packages. It's nerve racking not being able to see the images I've shot. I won't know exactly what I have until I get back to our portable editor in the hotel room back on shore.
February 25, 1998: I had difficulty with the radar on the Shreveport interfering with the electronics in my camera, but the Captain of the ship was kind enough to shut it off temporarily so we could shoot. Everyone was extremely helpful, and our Media Rep, JOC Doug Hummel was great. We'll fly back to Bahrain tomorrow, and put together a number of packages the rest of the week on WVEC. |
![[USS Guam]](photos/guam.jpg)
![[Mike Gooding and Kevin Johnson]](photos/goodnkev.jpg)
![[Kevin Johnson]](photos/kevhelocam.jpg)
| February
26, 1998: Back to Bahrain We awoke on the third day of our USS Guam stay to the sights and sounds of a Gas Attack Drill. Marines rehearsed donning their masks, while dismantling their guns, and drinking through a tube from a canteen. It was kind of eerie to think what it would have been like if it were real. Around 2 o'clock we jumped on another MH53 chopper to fly back to Bahrain. It was rather cold on the flight deck for the Persian Gulf, and on the helo I took a seat next to the window. My intention was to get an aerial shot of the Guam, but what I got was a constant cold wind from the half-open window. Imagine driving down the road at 150 mph with the window down... it wasn't fun. Once we arrived on land we rushed to complete two packages to send back to the states. With the expense of satellite time, we try to send as many stories as we can each time. After getting used to the nuances of the portable SX editor, I was able to get into an editing groove and complete the packages just in time. Due to the differences in TV formats (PAL vs. NTSC), we had to carry our own playback deck to the feed point (Bahrain TV). We hopped in a cab and were off. The feed went smooth and we were able to send both a regular and "nat sound" version of the stories. We're off to the USS George Washington for a quick day trip tomorrow. I hope to be back by the evening. February 27, 1998: Since we were not stay to overnight, I only took the bare essientials with me. It was nice not to care all the weighty gear up and down ladders and passageways (with the aptly named "knee knockers").
If you've never been on a carrier, you really need a day or two to get the full impression. You fly in on a twin prop airplane called a "COD" (the possible mental connection to COD LIVER OIL is not lost here). The plane has no windows and you face towards the back of the craft. You basically feel as if you are sitting in the back of very bouncy, very noisy U-Haul truck. Imagine your worst commercial airline experience and multiply it. The landing is the most impressive, as you fly in at around 180mph and stop on a wire in 3 seconds (good anti-lock brakes are no comparison to these planes). Upon landing we RAN around the ship getting all the elements we needed. We talked to the skipper, or "CO," of the ship, and the Carrier Airwing Commander, or "CAG." We track down some local pilots, and had just enough time to catch one rotation of "Flight Ops." They launch 10-15 planes off the catapults, and then land a similar number. At that point our time was up. We had to load up to fly back. Fortunately, Reporter Mike Gooding and I had had carrier experience before. It made it easier to know what we needed. It was hectic but effective.
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We board the
"COD", hold on for dear life, and shoot off the boat like a cannon... 0-180mph
in about 3 seconds. Your vision fails you with that much force, but the physical pressure
stays in your memory well. Our journey is almost done. We have two more stories to edit and feed tomorrow, and then we fly home on Sunday. We may have a little down time in the next few days, and I'll finally be able do the things I've wanted to do. I want to ride a camel! February 28, 1998
Take care and keep in touch.
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