Carrie Hasson Photography » Honolulu Oahu Photographer

Being onboard the USS Ronald Reagan while it was at sea was just as impressive as the takeoff and landing. As we disembarked into the Captain’s cabin we were welcomed so warmly it felt as if we had arrived home from a long journey. One of my favorite parts of the day happened here. Chatting with two young men on the crew, about their recent travels to Thailand and their favorite port of Australia. Better yet was seeing their smiles of joy and relief as I spoke with them about how they would soon be home. Sometimes it’s hard to wrap your brain around the young age of so many of these men and women, they were so full of experience and really wore their responsibilities proudly.

A few photos from the Captain’s cabin

My time onboard felt like minutes instead of hours. It all seemed to happen so fast and I can only hope that at times the sailors aboard had that very same feeling. From the Captain’s cabin we climbed up many flights of stairs, which were really ladders, to watch the Captain orchestrate and oversee the many many flights that would begin to unfold right before our very eyes. I was SO excited, we had a bird’s eye view of the dance AND the backstage action all at once! It was crazy, and even though you knew they had done it all countless times before, each time they were just as thorough and meticulous as the last.
Each shirt on the flight deck had a color, and each had an important job to do. Here is a look at the ballet performance, from my first row balcony seats

Before we knew it we were moving again, this time a visit to meet the air traffic controllers. Let me tell you, that place was a party! They take their job and responsibilities very seriously, but they rock and roll at it. Insert Top Gun soundtrack here! Seriously, this place was fast paced, music pumping and humor flying left and right. All I can say is that it was a joy to see there servicemembers having fun and loving their job in spite of their circumstances.

Next, it was time to go underground. The paleness and seriousness in their faces proved a dramatic difference from the dance party we had just left. We basically moved from Top Gun to Hunt For Red October, in just a few flights of stairs. The dedication of each piece of this moving city, this moving ’round the clock job they called home, it really left me in awe.

We moved onto our last stop for the day, and I had NO IDEA what I was about to experience. We received a briefing about what to expect out on deck, the importance of staying between the two men in yellow, not crossing the line, not even to lean the camera over the line…not even a little! We put all of our gear on and headed out. All you could hear was muffled noise. All of my senses were hyper aware, but mostly I was focused straight ahead, playing a serious game of follow the leader. And then we stopped. And words can’t express the feeling of the earth shaking beneath me, the loud vibration and rumble, the shear force of wind as fighters began to take off and land within mere feet of where I was standing.

As I crouched down to get the shot of the planes catching on the hooks, the wires would snap back toward me like a giant rubber band. The force and speed at which the planes landed was incredible! I just stood perfectly still in my little area, unable to move other than my finger on the shutter or a thumbs up to one of my fellow visitors. This will surely be one of the most thrilling experiences I will ever have. Just for reference, keep in mind when viewing these photos that I am NOT using a zoom camera. In other words, YES I WAS THAT CLOSE!

We left the carrier with the same heart pounding excitement with which we came. Catapulted off of the ship, going full throttle from 0 to 165 mph in under 2 seconds. What a great end to an unbelievably incredible day. Catching a glimpse of the sunset through the plane window, I was imagining the sailors as they would soon arrive home. There truly is nothing that comes close, no matter how exciting or thrilling, to the feelings of being home. Welcome Home to the U.S.S Ronald Reagan and it’s fantastic crew, my sincerest appreciation and gratitude for all that you do!

Coming down from this trip has been difficult. Frankly, the next day, I had a hard time believing I actually did it. But I did, and I lived to tell about it…and I loved every minute of it.

More than anything, the anticipation was a killer. My husband had me all kinds of scared before I left early Monday for my adventure. I ran to a neighbor’s and popped some kid’s dramamine, hoping to avoid sickness, but not wanting to be lethargic for all I would encounter. It worked. I arrived at the meeting point, hubby and the girls dropped me off. I think hubby was pretty excited for me, having been able to experience this himself. I think he was getting a kick out of my nervous anticipation. All formed in a circle in the parking lot were a group of people that wouldn’t really have much time to talk throughout the day, but would have lots of nods in approval, shared smiles in disbelief, and a joy of the story they would carry forward.

Caravanning out to the flightline, gathering in a room to be briefed, I felt like a pilot going out on my first solo flight. No time to think, just a lot of movement and by the time I knew it I was fumbling with my seatbelt in a seat facing the back of a plane. Hot and nervous, no windows, just a feeling of complete and utter trust in the “ballet” I was about to become a part of. That’s what they call it, and that’s what it is. From start to finish, landing, discovering, and flying off of an aircraft carrier in the middle of the sea is the most intricate of dances. Running through all of my checklists-earplugs under cranial headgear, life vest, goggles, completely seatbelted, camera gear secured at the back of the plane, long taxi ride out, liftoff and then an even longer 2 hour noisy (but quiet) flight. Noisy, because the plane was too loud to talk, and all of our thoughts combined probably said more than our words ever could. Quiet, because this was a trip we took silently, one we analyzed, dreamed of, imagined, and mulled in our minds the entire 2 hours. Oh boy, the Anticipation, it was immense. Checked my neighbor’s time, we were getting close, thumbs up, and then crew member ahead (remember we’re all facing back of the plane) starts waving hands furiuosly. That means get ready, my spine and body pressed tightly into the back of my chair and then-

NOW!

And just like that we went from 150mph to 0mph in about 2 seconds. I don’t think there are words, no there aren’t. Wow seems really inadequate. Use your imagination and then multiply it. You’re getting close. It was smooth though. The smoothest simualtion of a crash landing I could have ever hoped for:) And then the back of the plane opens up…and we’re turning. It’s bright and I see lots of water…beautiful blue water. It’s still so loud, but everyone around me seems to have a combination smile and confusion on their face. Kind of like, “what just happened, and what’s gonna happen next?” all rolled into one. Then a man boards the gaping hole ahead of me, in head to toe white. For a moment I felt like I was in a sci-fi movie, like we were aliens (or vice versa) and had just landed on another planet. I had that feeling a few times on my journey…