There’s been a lot of coverage this week of rotors in Strangford Lough. Something about tidal energy generation.

Is boring.

So, this afternoon, matters got taken into hand and Strangford Lough got to experience some rather more interesting rotor action. Namely the kind of helicopter action that can proceed along fifty feet about the surface at 70 knots.

Surprisingly enough, this is something that I’d not done before. I’ve done quite a bit of slow hovering round the airfield and a good bit of moving fast at a couple of thousand feet. But moving fast close to the ground, scaring the shit out of a few small bits of wildlife, that was new. Very Apocalypse Now – approaching the beach, low and fast, with animals scattering out of the way.

All I need now is a good door gunner…