Part 18 (1/2)

While he was munching on what remained of it, I swam up to the surface and flagged down the security boat. I grabbed onto the side and explained that they were taking me in RIGHT NOW!! because there was a SHARK!! out here, and he was one hungry mother.

During another training exercise-this one was before my first deployment-four of us were inserted on the California coast from a submarine. We came ash.o.r.e in two Zodiacs, built a hide, and did some reconnaissance. When the time came, we all got in our Zodiacs and headed back out to meet the sub and go home.

Unfortunately, my officer had given the submarine the wrong grid coordinates for the rendezvous. In fact, they were so far off that there was an island between us and the sub.

Of course, we didn't know that at the time. We just circled around, trying to make radio coms with a vessel that was too far away to hear us. At some point, either our radio got wet or the battery drained, and all hope of connection was lost.

We spent just about the entire night out on the water in the Zodiacs. Finally, as dawn approached, our fuel was nearly gone. My raft was starting to go flat. We all decided we'd just go back ash.o.r.e and wait. At least we would get some sleep.

As we were coming in, a sea lion swam up, all friendly-like. Being from Texas, I had never really had much of a chance to look at sea lions, so naturally I was curious and started watching this one. He was a pretty interesting, if ugly, critter.

All of a sudden-splop-he disappeared below the surface.

The next thing I knew, he-and we-were surrounded by large, pointy fins. Apparently, a number of sharks had decided to make breakfast of him.

Sea lions are big, but there were way too many sharks to be satisfied with just him. They started circling closer and closer to the sides of my raft, which looked increasingly thin and perilously close to the water.

I glanced toward sh.o.r.e. It was very far off.

Holy s.h.i.+t, I thought. I'm going to get eaten.

My companion in the raft was a rather round fellow, at least for a SEAL.

”If we go down,” I warned him, ”I'm shooting you. You'll be something for the sharks to munch on while I swim to sh.o.r.e.”

He just cursed at me. I think he thought I was kidding.

I wasn't.

TATS

We did finally make sh.o.r.e without getting eaten. But meanwhile, the entire Navy was looking for us. The news media started carrying the story: FOUR SEALS LOST AT SEA.

Not exactly what we wanted to be famous for.

It took a while, but a patrol plane finally spotted us and an Mk-V was dispatched to pick us up. The commander of the a.s.sault boat took care of us and got us home.

That was one of the few times when I was really glad to get aboard a boat or s.h.i.+p. Generally, when I've been out at sea I've been bored. Worrying about being a.s.signed to sea duty was a big motivator during BUD/S.

Submarines are the worst. Even the largest feel cramped. The last time I was aboard one, we weren't even allowed to work out. The gym was located on the other side of the nuclear reactor from our quarters, and we weren't authorized to pa.s.s through the reactor area to get there.

Aircraft carriers are a h.e.l.l of a lot larger, but they can be just as boring. At least they have lounges where you can play video games and there are no restrictions on getting to the gym to blow off steam.

In fact, on one occasion, we were specifically requested to go to the gym by the CO.

We were on the Kitty Hawk when they were having a problem with gangs. Apparently, some punk sailors who were gang members were causing quite a discipline problem aboard s.h.i.+p. The CO of the boat pulled us over and told us when the gang used the gym.

So we went down to work out, locked the door behind us, and fixed the gang problem.