submitted by Spencer Cooke:

This Spring I had the opportunity to visit the USS North Carolina in Wilmington. This vessel is a retired Navy Battleship, used in WWII, now permanently parked in downtown Wilmington along the banks of the Cape Fear River, a memorial to the country it once served. While touring around the decks I came across some interesting information regarding PFDs once used on the ship. This gives some interesting insight into the history of Kapok used as flotation.

(USS North Carolina from the captain’s chair)

(Kapok and Mae West)

(Old school kapok pfd)

(Drilltime)

Inside the boat: I once had the Liberty Chits after eating a rather spicy dish.  Must be pretty common for Navy folk if they had to write it on the wall.

Thank you,
Spencer Cooke, Effort Inc

(Dawn surf session at Masonboro Island)

• Iceman 2012
• Time out with budding model, Bryan Owen
• Sea Wolf in the Carolinas
• Astral at the World Championships of Surf Kayaking
• Kayak Fishing in the Astral Greenjacket