Chinooks Buzzing our Houseboat 8/15/19

[sparkin5280]

So, just got back from the Lake and this happened to us Thursday the 15th. CRAZY, never seen anything like it!!! We were heading back up to Bullfrog and my wife was piloting the houseboat and she just so happened to have the SLR Camera in her hand shooting pics of me and the kids on the ski boat (can see me at the end). Two Chinooks buzzed us and I'm pretty sure one of them was no more than 30 FEET from the Houseboat, it was AWSOME! Guys can be seen hanging out the back of the choppers. This was just north of the Rincon as you can see, about mile 78. She swears they came out of Iceberg but I can't imagine they flew that canyon. More likely they dropped in by the Rincon and buzzed the Lake. I've seen Fighter Jets buzz through this stretch but never military Chinooks this low. I almost fell out of my Moomba boat and you can hear by my wife's exclamation that she was pretty suprised too!!! I still can't believe she caught this video.

 

[bdn]

Holy gunship Batman. That was sweet.

 

[Reed]

That is really cool thanks for sharing

 

[BuzzBait]

I also have had fighter jets fly over close enough to exchange salutes. Then shortly following the sound of the jets in the canyon. My heart pounding with pride. Great video thanks

 

[Brent R]

Very cool.

 

[birdsnest]

Lucky you.

 

[cfulton]

Couple years ago when there was a fire on Navajo Mt there were heavy lift helicopters dipping water out of Oak Bay. They'd select a section of water that did not have boats or people and drop down to 10-15' feet, put the snorkel in the water, pump up a load and head back up the mountain. We watched them for several hours. Very efficient, two or three helos cycling back and forth they'd disappear for an hour or so the be back. Probably went to get fuel and a snack. Chuck

 

[sparkin5280]

Lucky you.

SUPER lucky, I know!! Lucky to have seen this awesome display of power as icing to our amazing week on the Lake with good friends (Powell Newbies). Lucky that no one got hurt, lucky that nothing serious broke, lucky the weather was nearly perfect, LUCKY to have this Heaven on Earth Lake we go to. Fishing wasn't so lucky I suppose, I saw just one boil the entire time I was there. I was prepared to fish, but didn't get much in, not one damn striper. Although fishing takes a backseat to pulling kids and teaching them new things behind the boat. Catfishin' was good, always is....

 

[WaterDog19]

They are also Special Ops Chinooks, SOAR, Night Stalkers , notice the fueling booms on the right front side of them.

 

[Tiff Mapel]

On last year's Trash Tracker trip, we were headed up to the San Juan. Just as we were about to turn right, two black helicopters came up from behind us, probably 30 feet off the water, turned right in front of us, and also headed up the San Juan. They were not the type pictured above, they only had a single rotor. I literally had no time to get my camera. They were gone pretty quick. What a rush!

Tiff

 

[sparkin5280]

They are also Special Ops Chinooks, SOAR, Night Stalkers , notice the fueling booms on the right front side of them.

Ok, I was wondering what those booms were for on the front. Night Stalkers also makes sense, there wasnt one thing in them that wasnt black.

 

[sparkin5280]

On last year's Trash Tracker trip, we were headed up to the San Juan. Just as we were about to turn right, two black helicopters came up from behind us, probably 30 feet off the water, turned right in front of us, and also headed up the San Juan. They were not the type pictured above, they only had a single rotor. I literally had no time to get my camera. They were gone pretty quick. What a rush!

Tiff

Yeah I keep my phone pretty handy for taking pics and videos of the kids on the ski boat so once the first Chopper came through I grabbed my phone and I caught a little bit of video of the second Chopper coming through. If I didn't have my phone within arm's reach I wouldn't have caught any of it. That's why I'm pretty proud of my wife getting the entire fly through Here's a screenshot of my video from a different perspective while I was on the ski boat....

 

[AzTacoma]

Very cool!

 

[cfulton]

The boom on the front is for aerial refueling. It stretches just beyond the rotor arc and the refueling is done from a C-130 that's equipped with a long hose and basket. The hose and basket are retractable into the wing pylon on the C-130 and extends so they can refuel any type aircraft that has the probe. It can be exciting if there is turbulence. This system has been around for 40+ years. Chuck

 

[Ryan]

Awesome video.

That must be a normal run for them. We saw them in that same area this week last year.

 

[Rivergoer]

Dang, you north-enders have all the fun...

How cool your wife caught it all on video, split second presence of mind...good job!

 

[Dave I.]

We have one dog that is afraid of anything that flies. He runs inside every time I fire up the drone. I think we would have a hard time keeping him in the boat if they buzzed us. Still very cool though.

 

[linnell]

They're just looking for boils.

 

[moakes]

There were B-52s buzzing the Rincon one year. Before the crash in Monument Valley.

 

[Pegasus]

I love how you can see the rotor wash on the top of the water as it passes. Amazing video!

And that is exactly what I would want to see and hear if I were in need of help somewhere in the world. So proud of our USA military.