I took a lot of pictures while I was gone. Well over six thousand at last count. I released about 90 of them, but I couldn't release all my favorites, so here are some of the ones that didn't make the cut.
I like this picture. It says "blue-collar" and hard work to me and that's exactly what I saw every day on the Escanaba.
There were a lot of beautiful sunsets and sunrises while I was underway. There is definitely something to be said about getting out and away from buildings, trees, hills and any other kind of obstructions and seeing the sky full on like this. There was so much more to this picture, but my lens wasn't wide enough to capture it all. 
Another sky shot. The way the clouds play off the retreating light is one thing. As soon as it sets the stars come out in full force. I wish I could have gotten a shot of that...
I was told afterwards that every time they do deck cleaning it always turns into a water fight. The kid in the foreground was actually dumped into a water-filled cooler.
My boy BM3 Humphrey. Or Boats, as he likes to be called. It was one of those pitch-black kind of nights, but I wanted to see if I could get a shot of him lit only by his cig. Mission accomplished.
Brazilian Jesus. I don't know why people think it's all good-in-the-hood to be posing cross style in front of him like that. I mean, he's RIGHT THERE! HE CAN SEE YOU!
Not that anyone knows or cares about what I'm about to say, but I'm going to say it anyway: I went with an aperture setting of about f4, but my shutter was hitting at about 4000. A fair trade if you get a shot like this. We were doing some training with the Mexican Navy and I gotta say, their small boat is one of the best ones, most expensive ones I've ever seen. The thing can get up and move at about 58 knots.
We got in a water fight with the Navy. USCGC Escanaba vs. USS Nitze. They had a water balloon slingshot and we had high pressure water hoses. They might have one this one, but we killed them and their entire team during the war games.
I think this was the sun setting on Salvador, Brazil. I can't remember exactly, because we pulled in early enough in the morning that this could actually be a sunrise. Either way, I dig the shot.
That Fort Something-r-Other of San Juan, Puerto Rico. I wish I'd had more time to explore there. Maybe next time...just kidding Jenn...
The USS Nitze firing off some of its missiles with the USS Boone and Thach in the background. Did I mention we killed these guys during the war games? Just checking.
Rio de Janeiro. I would definitely visit again. Maybe when I learn more Portuguese than "obrigado." The beaches were beautiful, the water was clear, the sun was warm (despite it actually being Autumn there).Forty-four days is a long time to be out of contact with one's family. Especially when your child is 9 months old and you know that typically, children start walking at 10 months. I was anxious to get home. Thankfully, I have a wife that loves me, so she kept "accidentally" tipping him over every time he went to stand up. That's love right there.
