Stonington Borough, Connecticut – On a cloudy day, the whop-whop-whopping of a helicopter could be heard along the shoreline. The sound, referred to as blade slapping by aeronautical experts, came from an U.S. Coast Guard helicopter on a training exercise in the southeast side of the bay that bisects Sandy Point and the peninsula.
Photo-J Chronicle, Pictures by Marlena Freitas © Copyright 2021
In a 15-minute exercise, a diver lowered into the water swam a short distance while the chopper circled. After circling back a third time, the diver was lifted into the helicopter.
Stonington, Connecticut. Shot from the end of Omega Street. The wind stirs the orange smoke marker that the diver used to signal the position for the pilot. Picture by Marlena Freitas © Copyright 2021
Stonington, Connecticut. After placing an object in the basket, which had been lowered to the diver, the cord was lifted, raising the basket and diver out of the water. The diver was lifted just briefly before dropping back down into the water. Photo taken at the bottom of Omega Street, Stonington Borough. Picture by Marlena Freitas © Copyright 2021
Stonington, Connecticut. As the basket is lifted towards the helicopter, the diver is barley visible as he swims away from the salty mist created by the choppers’ close proximity to the water’s surface. Photo taken at the bottom of Omega Street in the Stonington Borough. Picture by Marlena Freitas © Copyright 2021
Stonington, Connecticut. From the edge of the east lawn at the Lighthouse Museum, the helicopter begins to pick up the diver. Picture by Marlena Freitas © Copyright 2021
Stonington, Connecticut. Diver continues to be hauled up to the copter. Photo taken from the east lawn at the Lighthouse Museum. Picture by Marlena Freitas © Copyright 2021
Stonington, Connecticut. The diver waves at a crowd of onlookers (not in picture) gathered at The Point and the Lighthouse lawn. Photo taken from the east lawn at the Lighthouse Museum. Picture by Marlena Freitas © Copyright 2021
Stonington, Connecticut. A final, shot of the diver before fully lifted into the helicopter. Photo taken from the east lawn at the Lighthouse Museum. Picture by Marlena Freitas © Copyright 2021
Marlena Freitas can be reached at MARLENA.FREITAS77@myhunter.cuny.edu