The Adventures of Chopper Chick!: Was searching for sharks, but found dolphins....

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Was searching for sharks, but found dolphins....

Since it is Grunion Season, that also means it's Great White season. Now is the time the mom sharks come to our coastline to give birth to their babies who will feed off the grunions for the next 6 months or something like that. I can't quite remember the exact details, but that was what I was told by Ralph S. Collier a while back, if I remember correctly. Anyway, you can check out this cool site he has......http://www.sharkresearchcommittee.com/
When I started surfing I wanted to educate myself on shark behavior. Ralph and I had a few conversations which were very informative and quite interesting. He told me things about sharks I had never heard of before. This morning I flew for KCBS in TV 2 with Mike Sandoval. After the morning show we cruised up the coast from LAX to Santa Monica. While looking for sharks we found a pack of Dolphins. It is always a beautiful sight to see from above. It made me wish I was on a surfboard though, in the water with them.

17 comments:

Dave Zader said...: Hi Thought you might enjoy some of the Fire and Aviation videos I have made over the years we seem to share some of the same passions for life.

http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=dzader&p=r

Also I have a friend who would love to talk to you sometime. She is very much like you in many ways. She is trying to get a job on the Helitack crew in Antartica and finish her Private Rotor.; 8:54 PM
camerapilot said...: 8:38 pm and I just felt an "F"in earth quake....ahhhhh?
Anyway, hi Dez!
Sharks! God they're perfect. Growing up in Laguna and living a block from the water I could find myself diving most of the week day & night. I saw one shark during my years of beach diving and I was so intrigued by its beauty that I chased it.
She gave a flick of her tail and she faded into the depths. On the other hand....
I got on a dive boat out of S.B and went to the Channel Islands one night. The boat set anchor at 6am and at that hour of a wet, gray morning I'm trying to figure out why I'm paying to put myself through this. "It's fun!" I say to myself. "Yeah, and your a moron." Well, over the side I go and into the murky depths.
Little do I know is that the dive boat is filled with scuba students taking their first open water dive. I don't have a problem with that except that the dive spot we are at will be the only place we dive instead of the usual 4. So after trolling the bottom for way to long I decide to surface, strip off my tank and swim out to a seal colony which is about a 100'yards off the starboard
bow. You know, get close like Jack
Cousteau...
I'm up against the cliff of the island in about 10' of water and I'm able to see the females and bulls sunning themselves. I'm having a real National Geographic moment until I start going over all the things I've read about sharks and their hunting habits such as their favorite food is ....."seal" and they normally attack in "shallow water".....and I'm all dressed out in a tight "F"ing little black suit topped off which stylish black fins.. hey, I think to myself, this is great, your in the food chain you idiot, well, nature does have a way of culling the weak and stupid so what are you going to do now seal boy?"
At that moment it was stunning to see all the seals start moving very quickly out of the water, such girth these animals have and look how fast they move! This is a really rare moment, why they only move like that if there is a predator and I really wish that I was sitting in a car!
I also read that sharks usually attack on the surface...cool that I'm floating face down like a pool toy!
It got all real primal at that point. I didn't see the shark, but I could feel her. I set an underwater record for swimming without air to the anchor chain. I shot to the surface so face one of the students on the transom let out a little scream which didn't even come close to the scream I was holding inside.
Love the ocean Dez. but stay away from the seals.
Envy your coastal cruise, sounds way cool.; 9:43 PM
C. Chapman said...: Very cool website - found it while re-watching (for the 4000th time
:0) )the movie One Six Right and saw your brief interview in the film. Okay, yeah, so I also noticed you were cute, but I was also curious about what you flew since the caption in the movie only mentioned helicopter pilot. Keep up the good work and as a full-time flight instructor of fixed wing aircraft, I am 'big' enough of a guy to 'forgive' you for flying helicopters :)

Great contribution to the Web!; 12:49 PM
camerapilot said...: Thoughts and prayers to the waterman who lost his life in the sea
at Solana Beach. Wellness and comfort to all of his family and all that knew him.; 8:09 PM
Desiree said...: dave, i posted a link to your videos on my blog. cool stuff. thanks!

camerapilot, another earthquake? arrggg. great story by the way!

c. chapman, lol. thanks! really appreciate the support.

camerapilot, i feel so terrible for his family. no sooner did i mention shark season, someone loses their life to one. it is so rare that sharks attack and kill people. like his son said, he died with great friends doing what he loved, but it still hurts. it hurts all of us. i don't like to see things like that happen.

p.s. i'm in d.c right now and it's raining here. wish i was in warm and sunny l.a. hahaha. a friend of mine works for the VP, so we had breakfast at the white house this morning. i'd have all sorts of photos but it's dumping rain here and i can't take photos in this weather or i'll ruin my camera. lol.; 12:55 PM
camerapilot said...: Since your on The Hill-
"Hail to you and the Chief!"
Maybe your good vibe will rub off up there.; 2:15 PM
Dave Zader said...: Glad to here you like my videos. Any chance you know a girl name Karen Kufta. Pretty sure she is still working for the Circus in your neck of the woods?; 9:58 PM
The wanna-be helicopter pilot said...: Hey Ms. Horton I was at the training night for the reserve fire heli-tack crew 41 at Fullerton Airport today and while we were inspecting the support truck we noticed a bunch of police helicopters flying in to the Aneheim PD heliport and I asked my Captain if I could leave for a few to check it out cause I like helicopters, hence the heli-tack crew :p and when I drove down there low and behold I saw your Corona PD helicopter parked with others, it was pretty crazy there were like 7-8 helicopters that showed up, Barbeque I guess? :p

Nice helicopter by the way :p; 10:16 PM
Alexandre Jay said...: Wow, cool blog. I'm an aviation artist that works in acrlyic and graphite, so if you ever need a commission doing, I'm your man. You can see my art at: www.blueskygalleries.co.uk

Thanks; 9:22 AM
camerapilot said...: Drove past the Rock n Roll band that was whaling at Rocky's this afternoon. Got into my little plane at around 5pm and headed out. I saw a huge craft approaching on a final to BUR. It was an S-58! She moved with meaning that girl,smooth just like you said and power too.
I on the other hand honked around the mountain ridges and knocked off any rust on my flying that had accumulated from my ground based work."If you don't use it, you lose it." At least that's me anyway.
I'm back in the Glendale Police Station tomorrow. More jail time.
I'll scan around and see if I can catch Chopper 2 again looking out toward the 5 Freeway tomorrow morn.
Have a great week Dez.; 9:26 PM
Anonymous said...: Hi,

I have to say that you are much prettier in person/than your photos on your site. I was the student pilot with the long hair hanging with my instructor at FBO Atlantic ONT Thursday night, with a black R22 when you flew in with the AStar to fuel up.
Keep up the good work...it's been fun checking out your site.
Derek
blenderpost.com; 11:11 AM
Trevor said...: Hey Desiree, Hope you were able to enjoy DC!!! The Air and Space museum is like going to church for me. :) Hey was able to watch both of LA County's FireHawk's working the Baldy fire today along with one CDF and one San Bernardino SD ship. They were using a small lake just south of the 210 in Upland to snorkel water out of. Was absolutely amazing to watch how quickly they get their water and go. And to watch 3 ships in the lake at the same time getting water was quite the sight to see! Even got down close enough for some pictures to where I was standing in the outer edge of the rotor downwash getting a little wet. :); 10:39 PM
Richard Gutmann said...: Desiree,

Here is a really sad story about students losing their money at a school that was supposed to train them to be helicopter pilots:
Helicopter students lose money

I'll take Derek's word for it but it's kinda hard to believe you actually look better than your pictures!

Richard; 7:37 PM
camerapilot said...: Richard,
Believe Derek, it's true.
Desiree,
This Sunday, your neck of the woods at 9525 De Soto Ave., Chatsworth, 9am-2pm. Free admission.....
13th annual "Natl. Street Rod Assoc. Appreciation Day." Over 400 Street Rods,Custom Models & my favorite..
Muscle Cars.
Happy BD again!!:); 12:50 PM
Richard Gutmann said...: Desiree,

Have a wonderful birthday tomorrow. Hope you are managing to keep cool in this weather.

Richard; 7:41 PM
shygirl said...: Desiree,

I knew it was your birthday May 18, but if I don't have a calendar in front of me, I'm lost. So.......................
Happy Belated Birthday! Hope you had lots of fun.; 10:14 PM
Trevor said...: Desiree, Happy Belated Birthday. I hope you got to spend it doing what you love the most. :)

Trevor; 10:41 PM

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PHPA / Professional Helicopter Pilots Association

Promoting safety and
understanding among
helicopter pilots, the PHPA
continues its mission
contributing to the critical
operations maintaining safe
helicopter missions and
acting as a liaison with the
community.

Coordinating efforts towards improving communications, methods of operation within the airspace system, or any other area that will contribute to the safety and education of all pilots;
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Promote community relations between the public and the helicopter industry.

The PHPA is a national
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corporate office in
Los Angeles, California.

Become a member and help
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Go to:
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Board of Directors
Executive Officers & Board of Directors
Robert Butler - President
Alan Frawert - Vice President
Tom White - Secretary
James Paules - Treasurer
Board of Directors
Morris Cohen
Guillaume Maillet
Chuck Street
Ed Story
Desiree Horton
Gary Hollbrook
Pat Carey

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Alex Calder - Web Administrator

How I got started..........

For those of you who are looking at a life of flying helicopters or just curious how I started and got where I am today, read on.......................

I have been flying helicopters for over 18 years and mostly here in Los Angeles until recently in 2005 when I started fighting fire as a contract pilot all over the U.S. during the summer and in the off season on occasion. Currently I fly for about six different companies as a free lance contract pilot. My main company that I work for is Heli-Flite/Aris Helicopters in Riverside, CA, where I do Aerial Construction flying, fly for Corona Police Department, and fly fires during fire season. In the off months outside of fire season I fly some news and photo and movie production flights for various other companies which some of them I have been working with for over ten years. Since I have received many emails in regards to how does one become a helicopter pilot.....I am giving a little insight to those of you who ask how I got started and how much it costs to become a pilot, well it's a long story and everyone has a different story as to how they got their start. Some people had it easy, some people had it tough, some joined the military, others did the civilian route. There are so many different ways to do it and no one has the same story. As far as cost, well it was alot less 18 years ago, so you will have to check with a flight school on that one. I started flying when I was 19 years old and at the time I couldn't get a loan, so I worked two jobs 7 days a week and after two years, finally got my private. If you can get loan, it will not take you that long as I could only afford a couple of lessons a month. I never got my CFI as I found other ways to build time. Even 18 years ago being a CFI did not pay the bills, so I worked other jobs and flew part time over the years to build my time. I washed helicopters in exchange for flight time. I even paid for left seat time for quite some time to build hours. I jumped on any chance I could get for free flight time riding along with other pilots in an empty seat. I made lots of sacrafices and had no time to myself. It was all about flying, kinda how it still is today. hahaha. Anyway, I started a dba and made brochures and brought myself my own flight business doing tours and photo flights out of a Hughes 269 and an R22. Eventually I had some money to put myself through Bell Factory School which enabled me to fly a Jetranger early in my career with very little time. Back then insurance companies did not require massive amounts of flight time. With just 300 hours and factory school, I now had a jetranger to run my tours in. It eventually led to flying for other companies. Sending myself to Bell school opened up opportunities and possibilities for me. It was also my reputation that opened doors. Attitude is everything. You will not suceed in this business with a poor attitude. Keep that in mind. Trust me, I'm not perfect. We all don't have perfect attitudes, but you know what I mean. My job offers took off from there. I was doing tours for various small tour companies and flight schools and then started flying traffic watch, then soon I was flying news in a 206 which later led to an astar. When I got into fire, I sent myself to long line and mountain flying school. Sometimes if you want something, you will have to pay for it to get ahead and open doors for yourself. I found a company that hired me with no fire experience. With my training I had paid for and experience from flying over the years I was on my way to do what I had always dreamed of doing, fighting fire from a helicopter. I was patient as it took time to get where I am today. You have to be patient sometimes. I still get impatient on occasion and want it all now, but it just doesn't work that way. So my advice to up and coming pilots who ask how to do it? Find a good school, find some money, stick with it, don't ever stop, don't make excuses, don't let others discourage you as that will happen your entire career, and you will suceed and get what you want eventually. Good luck!

By the way, some pilots never stop paying their dues. Sometimes if you want certain things to happen in your career you will find yourself making the same sacrafices later on, but the sacrafices seem even greater because with time, comes more responsibility and more to lose when sacrafices are made. But sometimes the gain is worth it!