Thursday, July 12, 2007
"I'm Melting" /Wicked Witch
So, today was my first day learning how to drive the airboat for the gator job. If you have never seen one of these things, you should know that you sit up higher than everyone else, you steer from the back, there is no steering wheel--just a stick that goes forward or back and that does not mean forward or reverse, it means left or right. There are no brakes and no reverse. They are kind of long as well and the steering from the back thing can take awhile to get used to. It was pretty busy today so I only got to go through the “training” area once but I did a pretty good job actually. I’m pretty impressed with myself.
There is a huge propeller in the back, just behind where the driver sits and if you run in to anything, if you run into some tree branches, for instance, they will be cut up through the propeller and even though there is a wire cage around the propeller, you’re going to get it and it’s not going to feel very pleasant. That’s the first thing they teach you before you even step foot one on to the boat to drive it.
I stepped up, got in to the driver’s seat, was given instructions on where everything was located and how to steer, etc. I then was told to start it up and drive it around in the training area. For the very first part of it, I did ok but didn’t stay in the water way, kind of went in to the grass and then when it came time to turn around, I didn’t do it perfectly because again, you steer from the back and the boat is long so you turn WAY before you think you’re supposed to turn. (Plus momentum can be hard to get used to as well.) I turned it around but the back end, (propeller), was going to hit some tree branches so I turned it off and waited for the boat to kind of float on in to them and slightly bang in to them. My instructor pushed us off and I got the boat turned around completely to head back to the dock. On the way back I did really good keeping it in the waterway.
Then came time to dock. What I had to do was turn the boat a complete 180 and then slide it up to the dock on the boat’s right side. I’m not going to act like I knew exactly when to start that turn, the instructor told me when to start it, said to let the momentum do most of the turning and then I was the one who was to position the boat, using the lever that goes forward and back to turn it left and right, and dock it.
I’ll have you know, I did it damn near perfectly the first time. You may all gawk in awe at my incredible talent and abilities. I know, I know, it’s rough being this amazing but don’t worry, I’m used to it.
I think it will take me about 5 more times before I really have the hang of driving the boat well and knowing when to start turning and all that. And you know, this is so much better than being stuck in some ridiculous cube in some boring ass office next to some of the dumbest or bitchiest co-workers I’ve ever known.
This gator job is going to be awesome. Right now the only thing that sucks about it is the heat. OY VEY the heat! But, I did basic training in Alabama in the month of August so I think I can adapt to this.
Anyway, that’s it for today kids...the sun has wiped me out and I need to pass out.
