May 26, 2010.

Did you ever have those annoying neighbors that throw a ridiculously loud
party complete with live entertainment? Today while I was at work the
neighbors threw a hell of a party.

The neighbors in question were actually the United States Naval Academy.
The Academy was holding graduation today and the entertainment for the
afternoon was the Navy’s own Blue Angels.

Talk about spectacular. Actually LOUD and spectacular. The epicenter of
the aerial hijinks was the Severn River. From my vantage point at Jabin’s Yacht Yard on Back Creek the show was great. On Tuesday afternoon we watched a good bit of the performance as the Blue Angels practiced just overhead.

Today the actual performance was something to see. If we’re up here next year I think I’d like to take the day off and go watch the entire show. It was amazing to see these guys traveling at several hundred knots with only feet separating the planes. The slow flight demonstration in a plane designed for supersonic speeds was impressive as hell.

I’m sure it takes thousands of hours in the cockpit and classroom time as well to prepare for a performance at this level. Talk about a kickass job though.