Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly

The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly is such a pretty butterfly to observe. I have seen several of these type of butterflies in my Leesburg, Florida gardens; however, I have yet to photograph one here. I did observe many of these butterflies in my Jacksonville, Florida gardens.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly - Jacksonville, Florida

The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly was photographed in my Mexican Petunias located in my side yard gardens in Jacksonville. I've also got Mexican Petunias in my Leesburg front yard garden, so I am hopeful to snap a photo or two of this pretty butterfly.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly - Jacksonville, Florida

Checking the Wikipedia reference, this appears to be the female because of its ventral side markings. "The yellow morph is similar to the male, but with a conspicuous band of blue spots along the hindwing, while the dark morph is almost completely black." Pretty cool how the female is dimorphic!

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly - Jacksonville, Florida

I recently photographed a female dark morph, the Eastern Black Swallowtail Butterfly. The wingspan can be up to 5.5 inches with the females being larger than the males.

Check out my other sightings of butterflies in Leesburg and Jacksonville, Florida:

• Adult Giant Swallowtail Butterfly
• Anise Swallowtail Butterfly
• Eastern Black Swallowtail Butterfly
• Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly
• Gulf Fritillary Butterfly
• Zebra Longwing Butterfly

Call Before You Dig Sunshine 811

Do you know that Florida Law requires that you call 811 before you dig in your yard? I must honestly say, that in the "beginning," a while back, I did not know it was the law! When I had Duval Fence company install my fancy privacy fence, they told me they'd call to locate the lines. Nobody ever came out and marked my property. The day of the fence post installation, Duval Fence hit my AT&T line and took out my service. We were extremely LUCKY they did not take out the JEA power line!

Drake Chinese Elm Tree Cut Down

So, fast forward to January 16, 2015. I had called Camden and Son Tree Service to prune my Drake Chinese Elm tree in the front yard. When they showed up to give me an estimate on pruning, one thing led to another. "OK, how much to take it out?" I asked Diane Camden. She took a bit of time to survey the tree, walking around it and looking at the roots on the ground.

I knew it wouldn't be cheap, and I was ready for it. I didn't counter Diane about the price, as it encompassed tree and stump removal. The price? $475.00; which I paid immediately upon the tree removal. "OK, go ahead and take it out!" I told Diane. Camden and Son Tree Service cut down my Drake Chinese Elm tree in about two hours time.

Drake Chinese Elm Tree Removal by Camden and Son Tree Service
Photo Taken : January 16, 2015

As Diane Camden and crew were cleaning up, I mentioned to Diane that I would be calling Sunshine 811 before the stump was to be ground. And, to not schedule stump grinding right away, but wait for me to call her. By the time I finished up in the front yard, doing more intensive cleaning of the street, drive, and yard, it was too late to reach anyone at 811. It was interesting when I called the number, that you get a message about 911 - if you meant to call 911 instead of 811, you needed to hangup and redial.

It was Friday evening, and obviously I couldn't call over the weekend since the offices were closed. Then, we came into a holiday on Monday! So, Tuesday morning, I called a little past 9am. The gal I talked with was so difficult to understand; she totally had a computer voice! Probably from taking so many of these "call before you dig" calls.

Drake Chinese Elm Tree Removal by Camden and Son Tree Service
Photo Taken : January 16, 2015

More Information on Call Before You Dig

If you Google, "call before you dig," you can find a number of sites such as the Jacksonville Electric Authority JEA which has a page devoted to calling before you dig. You can check the list of colors from The American Public Works Association (APWA) Uniform Color Codes for temporary marking of underground utilities. The color of red designates electric power lines, cables, conduit, and lighting cables. That was the color that graced the front, middle and side of my front yard!

After taking time to read the JEA page, I moved on to Sunshine 811. I put a call reminder into my Outlook for Tuesday morning.

Sunshine 811

On Tuesday mornning, when I called 811, it was about a ten minute call to share my "call before you dig" information. Almost instantaneously, when I hung up, I had received a confirmation email with all my information. The very next email I received was an AT&T alert email telling me I was near a fiber optic location. That was rather coincidental as I had called AT&T on Friday, after the tree removal, to schedule a rebury request.

On Saturday afternoon, an AT&T technician showed up. We talked a bit about the tree removal and stump grinding to be completed. He saw that my AT&T line was already exposed in its location right next to the stump perimeter. He began to pull up the line, probably a little too aggressively, as he took out a lot of my grass along the line. He then said he could complete the bury request and proceeded to bury the line more to the edge of my property.

Wednesday afternoon, around 2:30pm, Pete from the JEA stopped by to mark my yard. He walked around with his line finder a good bit, first checking the side easement. He wasn't seemingly locating the JEA power line. Next, he came over to the front easement and walked toward the stump. Bingo! He found a line that was running higher up in my front yard, well outside the normal front easement, parallel to the street. He marked that area with red and continued toward the stump.

OH NO! The next set of red markings were surely cause for some alert. It seems the JEA power line is located beneath the stump, almost to the middle of it. He followed the course to the house and on to the side where the meter is located. It was then obvious that the stump grinding would be difficult to accomplish.

JEA Red Markings identify power line location
Photo Taken : January 21, 2015

I peeked over Pete's shoulder to see the depth readings on his line finder. At the outside perimeter of the stump location, it read 2.5 ft. Right in front of the stump, where there is still a bit of a root ball, it was reading 3.0 ft. I asked Pete how he would proceed, and does the JEA remove stumps? He had said it can be done, but that you might want two people involved. And, he also suggested to possibly dig gingerly down to locate the line first.

I called Diane and left her a message about the findings. When I got home later that evening, I had a voice message from her saying that it wasn't worth somebody losing their life over the stump grinding.

At this writing, I have left two additional voice mails for Diane suggesting we not try grinding the stump, but that we have her crew bring the stump and roots to the ground level. She hasn't called me back, but I am extremely hopeful she will. I am not equipped to finish the job and I surely can't plant my sod before the stump is handled.

More Emails from Sunshine 811

The next email that I received from Sunshine 811 was a very short survey for first-time callers. I think that survey was a bit too brief in its data capture. Perhaps there will be another followup survey?

Not quite 48 hours after my initial call, I received a final response email that detailed all the utility respondents.

JACKSONVILLE ELECTRIC AUTHORITY: JEA-WSBU WATER - No Conflict - utility is outside of the requested work site
JACKSONVILLE ELECTRIC AUTHORITY: JEA-WSBU - SEWER - No Conflict - utility is outside of the requested work site
JACKSONVILLE ELECTRIC AUTHORITY - Marked
A T & T/ DISTRIBUTION - Clear No Facilities
COMCAST CABLE COMMUNICATIONS INC - Clear No Facilities

Sunshine 811 - Call Before You Dig - Response Status

I also opted to visit the site to check on the status of my call request. "The most up-to-date response status can always be gathered at http://www.online811.com/IRTHOneCall/ or by calling 1 - (800) 852 - 8057." By inputting my confirmation and phone numbers, I pulled up the same information. I was/am good to go.

HOA Approval

By the way! When Diane Camden showed up for the tree pruning, and ultimate removal, she asked, "Do you need HOA approval?" We talked about that and she offered that she didn't think my next door neighbor got such an approval prior to removing two large trees from the front of her house. After the tree was removed and Diane and her crew were gone, the two female neighbors came back over to talk with me. They wanted to know how much it cost! Their high number was $100 under my actual cost. "Well, that includes stump grinding, so I guess $475 is worth it." said the one neighbor.

I mentioned to the other neighbor, who is the president of our HOA, about the conversation about HOA approval. She wanted to know who said I needed approval; I said the tree lady brought it up. At that time, she didn't confirm I needed prior approval. It wasn't until Monday afternoon that I got an email with a copy of the ARC form to complete and return; after the fact!

What's Next?

I am on hold to finish beautifying my front yard until Camden and Son Tree Service return to level the stump. Gosh, I do hope they come back! It is a positive that I have more curb exposure for my home; but the stump looks a bit out of place. The exposure is good because this house is for sale!! Hello, Diane?

Drake Chinese Elm Seedlings Removal

Holy smokes, but I do sincerely think this year was a bumper crop for seeds and seedlings from the Drake Chinese Elm tree in my front yard. I have never in my life experienced anything like this; i.e., so many seedlings proliferating my front yard grass, gardens and even back and side yards.

Drake Chinese Elm Tree Seeds and Seedlings
"The Bane of My Existence" ~ JaguarJulie Ann Brady !!

As of this writing, I have spent well over 32 hours pulling the seedlings. I finish an area and next thing you know, I'm back where I started. As you look at the photos of the seedlings throughout my yard, know that these photos were taken on about the 5th outing of pulling them, over the course of a few weeks. Will they ever end?

Drake Chinese Elm Seedlings under the Daisy Bushes

I hated to do it, but on Friday, January 16, 2015, I had Camden and Son Tree Service take out that Drake Chinese Elm tree! Now, I am awaiting the stump removal although we have encountered a big challenge that I will tell you about in a future blog post.

Drake Chinese Elm Tree Stump - Awaiting Removal

Seedlings : The Bane of My Existence!

When I was researching the seeds of this elm tree, I happened upon a blog post that I well could have written! My Garden Nemesis? Drake Elm Seedlings was penned on March 5, 2011, but it could have been written today! I too experienced a bumper crop of acorns from my oak trees in my back yard; but, then came the Drake Chinese Elm seedlings!!

Drake Chinese Elm Seedlings under the Daisy Bushes - Take Two

The day I contemplated pruning vs. removal of that tree, two of my female neighbors came down to talk with me. It just so happens, one of these neighbors was the inspiration for the previous owner of my property actually PLANTING that Drake Chinese Elm tree. It seems, he loved the way it looked!!! OK, maybe I did, but the tree is a messy tree. That inspiring neighbor laughed and said, "I tell everyone the tree is pooping!" That's why she has a blue tarp over her white car that is parked in her drive. Now, the other neighbor? Well, she had that tree removed!!

Drake Chinese Elm Seedlings in the red accent stone

We talked about all the seeds and seedlings. It doesn't seem to bother that one neighbor as she really doesn't do the type of yard and garden work that I do. She says, "I let the lawn mower cut off the tops." Well, the seedlings are still there. I'll have to walk down and visit her one day to see how her seedlings are prospering!

Drake Chinese Elm Seedlings in the side yard cypress mulch

Seedlings Removal - Pulling the Seedlings!

I have tried a variety of methods to remove the seedlings, but it all comes back to a hand job! I put on a pair of Playtex rubber gloves and go at it. The most satisfying method is to head for the area of the yard with the greatest density of these seedlings - where they look like a carton of sprouts in the grocery produce department! You use your entire hand, and descend upon the area, closing your fingers into your palm. Then, you pull up that area. You'll get some mulch too if you are working in a mulch area. It's also easier to work on the seedlings if the ground is a little moist, and not bone dry.

Drake Chinese Elm Seedlings in the side yard cypress mulch - Take Two

Pulling the seedlings out of the St. Augustine grass is fairly easy. Again, you do better to try this in the early morning before the sun has dried out the grass. I've not really tackled my grass yet, but will do that next. Last year, I spent a lot of time at the edge of my front yard, pulling the seedlings from the neighbor's grass. It was like the seedlings were waving at me!!! Pick me, pick me.

The toughest area to pull the seedlings is definitely the accent stone. You need to wait until the seedlings are more than an inch above the stone because the rubber gloves do not protect your fingers. Your hands will be sore at the end of the day and hopefully you won't have broken any nails!!

Cardinal Birds Help

There were a lot of different birds, along with many squirrels, that came to the Drake Chinese Elm tree to eat the seeds. Each time a critter would visit the tree, more seeds would be falling in clumps on my front lawn, along with the wafer thin seeds falling like snow helter skelter, and more of the seeds being carried with the wind here and there.

Red Cardinal Bird eating the Drake Chinese Elm Seeds

The family of cardinal birds have been visiting since the tree was removed. I hear and see them in the front garden outside my kitchen window. Although I have worked the mulch and stone in that area on several occasions, there are still a LOT of seeds waiting to become little seedlings. I am thankful for the birds visiting and encourage them to fill up!

Drake Chinese Elm Tree Seedlings
"The Bane of My Existence" ~ JaguarJulie Ann Brady !!

An Opportunity?

A friend laughed about the seedlings story I related. "You have a Drake Chinese Elm nursery." You know, that might be an idea! I do have a large back yard. I am seriously wondering ... should I actually try growing the seedlings and sell the little trees? I think I have over a dozen little Drake Chinese Elm Tree Seedlings in that photo. What do you think? Wanna buy an elm tree? Maybe that is an opportunity to explore to turn a positive out of the bane of my existence ... the Drake Chinese Elm seedling! Oh my. Are we done yet?

Drake Chinese Elm Tree Removal Jacksonville Florida

Are you familiar with the Drake Chinese Elm tree? It wasn't until I bought my house in June 2011 and went through the first season of that tree in my front yard that I formed my personal opinion on this tree. I do not recommend planting this tree in your front yard.

On Friday, January 16, 2015, Camden and Son Tree Service removed my Drake Chinese Elm tree from my front yard. I am awaiting the grinding of the stump which should be scheduled within the week. I first need to call Sunshine 811 to coordinate the "call 811 before you dig" process. On Saturday, January 17th, AT&T came out and moved my line away from the base of the tree.

Drake Chinese Elm Tree Removal by Camden and Son Tree Service
Photo Taken : January 16, 2015

It is a "messy" tree!

Seeds, Seeds, Seeds!!! The past four years I have spent countless hours in the front yard picking up leaf and seed pod clumps from my front yard. This tree is a squirrel magnet - they will come from near and far to feed on the seed pods.

Drake Chinese Elm Tree Removal by Camden and Son Tree Service
Photo Taken : January 16, 2015

So what? Well, I have never seen so many seed pods from a tree! The individual seed is encased in a light brown or tan wafer that is about the size of a fingernail. You can often see them coming down like little snowflakes that will blow here and there and accumulate in your mulch, stone, dirt and grass. Then, they will begin to sprout little seedlings. Ever look at a container of sprouts at the store? Well, imagine that density of seedlings forming a blanket over everything in your front yard.

Drake Chinese Elm Tree Seeds and Seedlings
"The Bane of My Existence" ~ JaguarJulie Ann Brady !!

The wind will carry those little seed wafers over your roof and into your side and back yards. And, they will blow into your neighbors' yards to sprout the little seedlings everywhere.

Drake Chinese Elm Tree Removal by Camden and Son Tree Service
Photo Taken : January 16, 2015

I pull the seedlings, emerging from the ground, by hand. I actually wait for them to get about 3 inches high and will pull a clump of them at a time. As of this writing, I have spent three separate occasions dedicated to pulling seedlings from my front yard. That's over 28 hours already; I still have a lot more seedlings to pull!

Roots, Roots, Roots!!! I don't know how old this tree WAS, but the roots had finally become an issue. The roots formed a root ball around the tree that was a good twelve inches above the ground. I was thinking that the previous owner, who put the tree in, must not have planted it deep enough.

Drake Chinese Elm Tree Removal by Camden and Son Tree Service
Photo Taken : January 16, 2015

The roots had not yet lifted my sidewalk or driveway, but that was a matter of time. Those roots have made it into my side yard. When I was putting in the two Bottlebrushes in front of the privacy fence gate, I found a root from that tree; it was definitely an inch in diameter, if not more.

Those roots were running above the surface of the ground on the perimeter of the tree. They finally began to significantly impact my grass which was already sparse under the tree. I would say it wasn't from the shade, but from an aggressive root system, that the grass wasn't growing. I've actually tripped over the roots when I have been mowing the grass.

Drake Chinese Elm Tree Removal by Camden and Son Tree Service
Photo Taken : January 16, 2015

Bark, Bark, Bark!!! The first year of experiencing the Drake Chinese Elm Tree, I thought it had some infection. The bark was exfoliating in clumps from the tree base and branches. My front yard was littered with large clumps of bark. You could actually peel the bark; and I did!

Drake Chinese Elm Tree Removal by Camden and Son Tree Service
Photo Taken : January 16, 2015

Camden and Son Tree Service

I have worked with Diane Camden and her son on three separate occasions. They first trimmed the water oaks in my back yard before I brought them out for a marathon day of water oak trees removal. When I called Diane, I had planned on aggressively trimming the Drake Chinese Elm tree. Diane and her crew showed up around Noon on Friday. We chatted about what I had in mind. When her son said, "if you take out more than 25% of the tree, you will endanger it." So, I asked, "how much to take out that tree?"

It really wasn't in the budget for a tree removal, but I opted to "take it out" and told Diane, "go ahead and take it out!" The price quoted was $475.00 which includes stump grinding. Considering all the hours I have already spent "cleaning up" after this tree, and all the hours to go, I figured my personal time was worth more.

Lucky for me, Diane is an efficient gal. She showed up with a crew with all the necessary equipment to do a fast and clean job. It was surely under two full hours to accomplish the job. They ground all the limbs and then carted away the cut base. Some of those wood pieces looked excellent for craft uses.

Drake Chinese Elm Tree Removal by Camden and Son Tree Service
Photo Taken : January 16, 2015

What I Will Miss!

It looked beautiful. But, looks can be deceiving!! Don't get me wrong, there are some positives about this tree. The first thing I will miss about this tree? Oh boy, this was surely a beautiful tree from the artistic shape of the base. It actually looked like the torso of a woman! And, looking at the major limbs of that tree, they too were quite attractive in their shape. I had worked on the tree each season to prune and trim it so that it formed a very attractive canopy. I appreciated the shade that the canopy afforded my yard.

Poor birds! I have had quite a few birds' nests built in that tree! You can actually see the biggest nest that was left in the tree. I think it was a cardinal bird's nest. There were a lot of different birds that frequented that tree. Cardinals, mockingbirds, mourning doves, bluebirds, thrushes, and even a red-shouldered hawk! I've found birds' eggs in my front lawn and even witnessed the hawk stripping a young mockingbird. I've watched the courtship of two mourning doves. I will miss the birds!

No more squirrels in my front yard tree! I definitely will NOT miss all those squirrels! Holy smokes, those are the fattest squirrels I have ever seen!

Drake Chinese Elm Tree Resource

The University of Florida IFAS Extension has a very detailed and informative page on the Drake Chinese Elm. I had to smile at their introductory statement about said tree; i.e., "An excellent tree that is surprisingly under-used, Chinese Elm possesses many traits which make it ideal for a multitude of landscape uses."

Perhaps, homeowner word-of-mouth has impacted the planting of this tree in people's yards? I don't know. But, I don't recommend planting it!!

Distinguished Visitor USS Dwight D Eisenhower

It is a very personal interview with a Distinguished Visitor of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower CVN-69. Not everyone gets to be a Distinguished Visitor in their life! On November 15-16, 2009, twelve civilians from the Jacksonville Florida area were given a very special opportunity to be VIP guests of the Navy's Distinguished Visitor Program on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Twelve selected individuals received VIP treatment as Distinguished Visitors on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) Nimitz-class aircraft carrier during an active training mission at sea off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida.

The following is an interview with one of the Distinguished Visitors of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) Nimitz-class aircraft carrier. His personal story is shared with all the memorable and exciting details of this unique experience.

This page has some fabulous photography and videos captured by the Distinguished Visitor in the spotlight. Oh, and by the way, that Distinguished Visitor is now my ex! Believe it or not. This story of one Distinguished Visitor's experience has been reviewed by official Navy personnel for factual accuracy.

Photo Credit: A Distinguished Visitor, my ex, who gets the photo/video credits herein.

Distinguished Visitor Poll
Please answer our question. Were you a Distinguished Visitor or know somebody?

1. Yes, I was.
2. Whilst I personally wasn't; I know somebody who was!
3. I've been on the ship with them.
4. Not yet had the pleasure.

USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69)

An Honor to be a Distinguished Visitor of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower!

To experience first hand the Navy's mission

"In life there may come those rare opportunities to do something that you may never have believed possible. Thanks to a fortunate happenstance and having friends of friends in high places, it was my honor to be invited to visit the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) Nimitz-class aircraft carrier as part of the Distinguished Visitor Embarkation Program. The purpose of the program is to allow selected civilians to experience first hand the Navy's mission, and to in turn contribute to the public understanding of the roles and missions of the Navy. I hope this piece will serve well as my contribution to this purpose." ~Ray Brady, Distinguished Visitor of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier.

The Official FAQs on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69)
Nimitz-class aircraft carrier - Check out the official Navy website for "Ike"

Insignia Patch of USS Dwight D Eisenhower (CVN-69)

"Construction of the third nuclear-powered and second Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), was authorized by Congress in fiscal year 1970." --Read the rest of the history from the official Navy website at http://www.eisenhower.navy.mil/history.html.

Check out the facts at http://www.eisenhower.navy.mil/stat_facts.html.

* Builder: Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, Va.
* Keel laid: Aug. 15, 1970
* Launched: Oct. 11, 1975
* Commissioned: Oct. 18, 1977
* Planned crew size: 6,287
* Number of anchors: 2
* Weight of anchors: 60,000 lbs. each
* Anchor chain: 1,082 ft. on each anchor
* Total anchor weight including chain: 735,000 lbs. each
* Distillation plant capacity: 400,000 gals.
* Number of light fixtures: approx. 29,000
* Length of flight deck: 1,092 ft.
* Width of flight deck: 252 ft.
* Height keel to mast: 244 ft.
* Area of flight deck: 4.5 acres
* Displacement of carrier: 95,000 tons
* Type: Nuclear reactor
* Number of reactors: 2
* Maximum speed: More than 30 knots
* Number of screws: 4
* Weight of screws: 66,200 lbs. each
* Number of rudders: 2 (29 ft. by 22 ft., 60,000 lbs.)
* Number of catapults: 4

The Distinguished Visitors of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower
(CVN-69) - NRSE Guests of November 15-16, 2009

My personal military experience is limited to two years of Air Force ROTC at UF, GO GATORS, and not passing my draft physical due to a medical condition at the time. As a participant. I come with a fair base of knowledge of Carrier operations and aircraft due to my interest and quite a few hours of watching "The Military Channel", one of my favorites.

The twelve special people who became Distinguished Visitors include Ray Brady, Vice-President of Technical Services, Nova Pressroom Products; James Clark, President, Daniel; Frank De Toma, Senior Constituent Advocate, Senator Bill Nelson; Jackie Gray, Senior Staffer, Congresswoman Corrine Brown; Dr. Todd Igel, Chief of Urology, Mayo Clinic; Sean McNeil, Bay County Chamber of Commerce Chairman, Military Affairs Committee and President, McNeil-Carroll Engineering, Inc.; Dr. William Newsom, Director, Eye Surgicenter, Ophthalmologist; Sara Phipps, President, The Yellow Door Agency; Bruce Smathers, Former FL State Senator, former FL Secretary of State, Influential Community Leader; Ted Spangenberg, Director, Military Affairs and Special Projects, Gulf Power Company; Susan Steger, Mayor, Fernandina Beach, FL; and Kathy Sutton, American Cancer Society Representative, Project Lead "In The Pink Boutique."

Official Navy News Story
Eisenhower CSG Successfully Completes COMPTUEX
From Public Affairs Story Number: NNS091124-22
Release Date: 11/24/2009 5:13:00 PM

"NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- The Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group (CSG) successfully completed a Composite Unit Training Exercise (COMPTUEX), Nov. 24, off the East Coast of the U.S. from Virginia to Florida."

Read the rest of the official Navy news story at http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=49858
For more news visit http://www.navy.mil/local/cvn69/ and http://www.eisenhower.navy.mil/ikenews.html.

Distinguished Visitors Arrive
Naval Air Station Jacksonville Florida

A welcome from Base Commander Captain John "Jack" Scorby and Southeast Regional Commander.

We arrive at Naval Air Station Jacksonville with a welcome from Base Commander Captain John "Jack" Scorby and Southeast Regional Commander, Rear Admiral Tim Alexander. Their welcome both instills us with excitement yet put us at ease of what we have in store.

Our group of Distinguished Visitors is introduced and includes professionals from Jacksonville, Fernandina, Orlando, Gainesville and Panama City. Among us is Bruce Smathers, former Florida politician and Secretary of State of Florida.

We Prepare to Board the C-2 Greyhound
The Carrier Onboard Delivery

After our briefing, we prepare to board the C-2 Greyhound, also known as the COD (Carrier Onboard Delivery) to take us to the Eisenhower. The COD is the only cargo aircraft in the world that can land and take off from an aircraft carrier. A short 45 minute flight to the Carrier 100 miles offshore of St. Augustine did not allow time for our friendly crew of the VRC 40 Rawhides to dispatch the beverage cart.

Did I mention this involves a tail hook landing on the Carrier? Yes we go from 120 mph to 0 in 2.5 seconds ... Awesome!!!! We are told, AFTERWARDS, that the tail hook landing experience we had was not much different than for an F/A-18 landing except that seats on the COD face backwards and we slam into the seat on the landing.

Arriving on Board the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower

Arriving on board we are greeted by the whole host of commanding officers including Ike's Commanding Officer, Captain Dee Mewbourne and Rear Admiral Gary White, Commander Strike Force Training Atlantic. The warm reception instills an overwhelming since of pride and appreciation. The excitement of being on an active United States Aircraft Carrier as a DV is surreal and all the DVs are beaming in amazement.

The buffet for dignitaries style lunch makes up quite well for the lack of peanuts and soda on the COD flight. After a safety briefing and suiting up with the safety equipment we are off to the flight deck.

The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower is Loaded

The IKE is loaded with a compliment of 65 airplanes, including F/A-18Cs (Baby or Legacy Hornets), F/A-18 E/Fs Super Hornets (the F models are 2 seaters), EA-6B Prowlers, electronic attack aircraft, E-2C Hawkeye, Early Warning radar and communications platform, and H-60 Seahawk Helicopters. The operation is called COMPTUEX, which is a training operation done prior to their 6 month deployment to the middle east coming in early 2010.

Grab Your Earplugs!

F/A-18s are Launched Off the Catapults by the "Shooters"

Throughout the day the F/A-18s are launched off the catapults by the "Shooters." The Shooters are "too cool" to watch as they communicate to the pilot by their hand signals and body motions. Our group observes several catapult "shots" from about 100 ft away. Nothing short of incredible!

The shuffling of jets and launching can be done in less than a minute apart. The bevy of activity on the flight deck could be described as a mix of a synchronized three ring circus and a Ballet. The different deck crew jobs are identified by different colored uniforms, each performing their task in an organized timely fashion. It is truly amazing, also considering many of the seaman handling these $75+ Million aircraft are only 19-20 years old.

Jobs on the flight deck are rated as the 2nd most dangerous job in the world after crewing on Alaska crab fishing boats. Another testament to our times is that of the 5000+ sailors on board almost 1000 are women. No doubt that this is a valuable enrichment to life onboard a ship.

A Taste of the Top Gun Experience

The Controlled Crash Landing of F/A-18 Tailhook

Jet landings on a carrier are better described as a controlled crash. The target area to hit one of 4 wires is about 90 feet long for the jet traveling at 140 mph. We watch from ring side on the flight deck as the morning launch group returns. The first plane misses the wires and "bolters." Pilots apply full throttle at touch down in order to fly off the deck if the hook misses the wires. The next try is successful and all others manage to grab a wire. I have watched these things on television many times, but it doesn't quite compare to actually being right there on deck seeing, feeling, hearing, and smelling all that is going on.

Picture Perfect Landing
F/A-18 Super Hornet - Pretty amazing to see this tailhook landing up close!

Another Picture Perfect Landing
E-2C Hawkeye! The plane! The plane! Check that landing you all.

Our Guides are Ensign Nunez and LCDR Shand

With Sarah on the deck driving a bazillion ton aircraft carrier with 5000 people on board! From here we split up into two groups. Our guides, Ensign Nunez and LCDR Shand did a great job getting us to all of our scheduled locations which is no easy task. One statistic I did not see is how many sets of stairs and miles of hallways there are on the Eisenhower. There is a bunch and we probably only saw about 2% of the ship.

Another Picture Perfect Landing
H-60 Seahawk Helicopter. A bit quieter than the other landing.

Strike Group 8 of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower

We visit the radar room for the strike group, no pictures allowed here. This is the giant screen war room nerve center that you see in the movies. Here Captain Chris Field, Chief of Staff Carrier Strike Group 8, gives us the run down on the Strike Group which can bring a substantial force to any region of the world.

Strike Group 8 consists of the Eisenhower, 11 surface ships, a submarine and Carrier Airwing Seven CVW-7. In earlier times a strike group would be maintained as a cohesive unit. Today the ships may be deployed separately to various missions as needed around the world. There is always a group of destroyers and cruisers and usually a submarine detached with a Carrier as the primary defense against an attack on the Carrier.

The Carrier Airwing CVW-7 Includes Five Squadrons of F/A-18s

The Carrier Airwing, CVW-7 includes five squadrons of F/A 18s along with the other important support aircraft. Several of the squadrons have a famous history dating back to WWII, such as the Jolly Rogers and the "Pukin' Dogs". For more information on the strike group, check out Dwight D. Eisenhower Strike Group.

More importantly to Captain Field was expressing to us the overall mission of the Navy which includes not only the protection of our country but also worldwide humanitarian causes and security to protect trade and the economic well-being for the whole planet. Check out the awesome video on the U.S. Navy Maritime Strategy.

A Trip to the Bridge 10 Stories Above the Flight Deck

A trip to the Bridge 10 stories above the flight deck has the best view in the house. A young female seaman is at the helm, seemingly unfaced that she is driving a bazillion ton aircraft carrier with 5000 people on board. I thought to ask if the women actually do make better drivers, but I refrained. From this view it is interesting that because the flight deck is 10 stories above the water there is a blind spot in front of the ship of about 300 yards. Commander Shands, shares that once a coast guard cutter passing 100 yards in front completely disappeared from view.

Visiting the Air Boss on the Flight Bridge

To describe all that we were able to see and hear during our stay would wind up a bit lengthy. In a nutshell we also visited, the Air Boss on Flight Bridge. From here they control the launch and recovery of the aircraft. Holding his coffee cup, I couldn't help but ask if he ever got buzzed and screamed "I want some butts!"

The Admirals Bridge Becomes Our Meeting Place

The Admirals Bridge just below becomes our meeting place. A trip to the ship store for souvenirs, where I pick up a great shirt, and then to our staterooms for a 10 minute break. We of course visit the massive hanger deck, where most of the maintenance and repairs occur, the engine test and maintenance is at the stern where they actually fire up and test jet engines.

We Visit the Jolly Rogers F/A-18 Squadron Ready Room

We visit air operations that keep track of where all the planes are, monitors fuel levels and coordinates air refueling. We visit the Jolly Rogers F/A-18 Squadron Ready Room where you can feel the intensity of pilots and weapons system officers preparing for a sortie. A talk from Master Chief Burke from Damage Control make us aware of the level of safety training and special training involved for fire fighting on board. The chaplain, CDR Brzek, offers services for all denominations or non religious shipmates alike as well as managing the ships library, internet cafe a place to "chillax."

Distinguished Visitors Are Awarded With a Five-Star Dinner

The evening kicks off with a five star dinner hosted by Ike’s XO, Captain Ted Williams and attended by many of the commanding officers of the various departments. The meal was prepared and served in black tie by the ship's culinary specialists, many of them young men and women relatively new to the Eisenhower and the Navy. Once again we are impressed by the fanfare and professionalism of our treatment.

We finish off the evening by viewing the night launch and recovery of the 18s viewed from Vultures Row, outside of the Admirals Bridge. The high point here is the visible fire plume from the afterburners at the launch.

Ear Plugs! See the Fire from the Afterburners!
An awesome sight to see the fire plumes

Next Morning Reveille at 06:15AM in Goat's Locker

The next morning starts out in Navy fashion with revile at 06:15AM. We have the regular breakfast buffet but with our special seating in the Chief Petty Officer hall. This hall is known as the "Goat's Locker" as this is where the "Old Goats" hang out. Command Master Chief Bryan Exum is our host and we share breakfast with a number of Chiefs, Senior Chiefs, and Master Chiefs. These are the men and women that have been around the block in the Navy and really run things at the hands on level. Thanks to Chief Briggs from Dallas, Chief Joice from LA and Senior Chief Dewald from Buffalo for sharing your Navy experience at our table.

The Medical Facilities are Very Well-Equipped

We then checkout the medical facilities, which as described by Senior Medical Officer, CDR Shimkus, is not the Mayo Clinic, but is very well equipped for their needs. She takes great pride in expressing the ability and dedication of her medical staff to overcome any lack of modernized equipment. The Eisenhower also has a complete dental facility which provides all services at no charge to shipmates and the Carrier Strike Group.

Visiting the Ordinance Control

We check out the Ordinance Control area that accounts for all the bullets, bombs and missiles. Every one is accounted for, which is good since you don’t want to loose any bombs. Bomb parts are stored separately and assembled only prior to use. The 18s are performing practice runs with both dummy and live munitions. One 500 lb laser guided bomb costs $90,000. This is serious stuff!

Drumroll for the Finale -- The Catapult Launch

At the end of our time on the Eisenhower we have yet one more grand finale experience, THE CATAPULT LAUNCH! We listen to the parting words of Captain Mewbourne and the XO, Captain Williams gives us the tips on HOW TO SURVIVE the launch.

We Prepare for Our Disembarkation

As we prepare for our disembarkation, Sarah of Jacksonville and Kathy Sutton of Jacksonville Beach are a little anxious.

As we walk out to the COD, the nostalgia of our short visit is already setting in, as we try to take in the surroundings and embed all of the experience into our memory.

The Exciting Catapult Launch
Off the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. May I say, going, going, GONE!

The Launch was Exciting - Time to Go!

The launch is indeed as exciting a 2 seconds as the tail hook landing. Kathy gives a thumbs up after the launch, and we are on the way back to NAS Jax. As a rank of the most exciting things that I have ever done (with my clothes on), the landing and launch are at #2. I have done a sky dive from 13,000 feet which still holds on to the #1 spot.

Thumbs Up Experience

An important and very rewarding part of the Distinguished Visitors DV experience is the chance to meet and interact with a wide variety of the crew. The commanding officers and Petty officers come with a vast Navy experience, either joining out of college or coming up through the enlisted ranks.

The young seaman doing jobs from swabbing the decks to moving around jet airplanes do so knowing that their job is important to the operation and to their fellow shipmates. Common to all was a rich life experience, and a since of pride in doing their job as service to their country. Also evident from the Commanding officers and Chiefs was a clear sense of mentorship to their subordinates and a positive attitude on life in the Navy.

We, the Distinguished Visitors all come away with a keen appreciation of what Captain Mewborne and the other commanding officers had expressed to us; that "the Carrier, the planes and all the naval activities are amazing, but what really makes the Navy is the people."

Reflections of a Distinguished Visitor
A place to make a rewarding life!

For me, it is a regret to not have had the opportunity to serve in the military, though in my era of Vietnam, the view of joining the military was not the same as it is today. As the times have changed, so has our military, but the values and heart and sole has been there all along and is still strong today. For young people, I can see no better place to begin a life experience and for many, a place to make a rewarding life.

Thanks to all of the officers and crew of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69), our COD crew, and Suzanne Speight, coordinator of the DV program for an amazing experience. ~Ray Brady

Keepsakes of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower

USS Eisenhower CVN-69 Small Pin. How About a Souvenir Hat Pin? This is a 1-1/4 inch metal pin. Wear as a ball cap hat pin or on a lapel. Comes with clutchback.

USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Collectible Coin. This coin is dedicated to the outstanding courage and commitment of all those who proudly serve aboard the U.S.S. Dwight D. Eisenhower. The obverse features the bust of the legendary General Eisenhower depicted above the ship named in his honor. Minted on the reverse is a rendering of the official emblem of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower.

The Supreme Commander: The War Years of Dwight D. Eisenhower. In North Africa, on the beaches at Normandy, and in the Battle of the Bulge, Dwight David Eisenhower proved himself as one of the world's greatest military leaders. Faced with conciliating or disagreeing with such stormy figures as Churchill, Roosevelt, and DeGaulle, and generals like Montgomery and Patton, General Eisenhower showed himself to be as skillful a diplomat as he was a strategist.

Stephen E. Ambrose, associate editor of the General's official papers, analyzes his subject's decisions in The Supreme Commander, which Doubleday first published in 1970. Throughout the book Ambrose traces the steady development of Eisenhower's generalcy--from its dramatic beginnings through his time at the top post of Allied command.

Hope you enjoyed the visit!
What an awesome experience to board a SuperCarrier. Been on board another naval aircraft carrier? We'd love to hear from EVERYONE who has taken the time to visit today. Please take a moment to sign our guestbook. Thanks for dropping by.

History: A Distinguished Visitor : USS Dwight D. Eisenhower was originally created on Squidoo by JaguarJulie on November 25, 2009. On December 1, 2009 this lens earned the Purple Star Award for quality content.