From a Navy friend…..

“Let me tell you about my Navy weekend.

On the way to Navy duty last Saturday (14Apr) morning I came upon three guys on base lying in the middle of the roadway; two in uniform and one in cycling gear. There was a bicycle on the side and an agitated duck nearby. My first impression was that the cyclist had fallen and the sailors were helping him. The duck, well, the duck was just puzzling.

As I slowly drove past I saw that a large grate covering a drain in the middle of the road was removed and the three were reaching into it. One of the sailors got up and told me that nine ducklings had followed mama duck across the porous grate and that they had all fallen through. The guys were unable to retrieve the ducklings and he said he needed a scoop of sorts. I parked the car and pulled two old plastic floor mats out of the trunk. I gave one to the sailor and I held on to the other. I looked into the drain, about 3ft x 4ft, 3 inches water deep with nine fuzzy, noisy ducklings scurrying about. We both placed the mats down as barricades and corralled the ducklings between the wall and the mats.

Then all HELL broke loose. It was sheer pandemonium. It’s amazing how fast those little fellas could move those tiny little feets. They were little speed demons whizzing past in a fuzzy blur. And the noise they made. Mama was not happy and quacked her opinion with flapping wings for effect. Add to that three excited sailors (including yours truly) and one old cyclist (in too tight spandex) and it was mayhem. In the middle of all this I’m trying to pluck fuzz balls out of the water. It took about three attempts to get one out and I think I pulled out five. Do the math; three times five is…you figure it out. When I plucked them out and placed them on the ground they waddled with serious purpose right over to mama duck. With all nine retrieved mama took the flock and they all turned tails on us.

We all got up and had an obvious feel good moment. No hugs, we were in uniform. It was a fine Navy day.But it did not end there…

I left the base about 5:30 on Sunday and as I'm approaching the site of the previous day's mayhem whom do I see in the same spot? No, not the older guy in the cycling spandex, its mama duck with her flock. I said to myself "get away from there mama duck". I counted the fuzz balls...she was one short and I went "oh no, not again." So I pulled up, got out and listened. Sure enough, peep peep peep from the drain. I tried to lift the grate off, but it was too heavy. "Got to go to the gym more than once every two weeks." So I hailed three sailors and they came over. I explained what was going on and they lifted off the grate. In the mean time mama and her flock have taken off and base security has arrived. Security blocked the street. I look in and I can hear the duckling, but it is nowhere to be found. It retreated into one of the feeder pipes. I fully understand cuz in the eyes of that duckling I'm the big bad wolf. I realize that there's no way the duckling will come within rescue range without mama making her presence known. So how am I going to get mama duck and her gang back? Sigh. I found her around the corner and started to herd her. She hissed and did not want anything to do with me. I persisted...I am a Navy Master Chief ya know, and got her moving. A rather motley formation, but I finally got her to the drain and blocked her in place. The duckling came out, but eluded rescue and went back into the feeder pipe. We switched places; I blocked one of the feeder pipes with a mat and waited. And waited. And waited. In the mean time some sailors I work with dropped by. One hung out and soothingly called out to the duckling. We even tried to make duck calls. Took about 10 minutes, but it finally came into view. I dropped the mat behind it and again all HELL broke loose. This time, however, it was just a tempest in a teapot. Was successful on about the fourth attempt. I lifted the duckling out of the drain and plopped it in front of mama. They all took off.

I asked security about rigging some kind of barrier to prevent a three-peat. He indicated maintenance had secured for the day. I called a sailor I work with, and as she was there another week she said she would hook up with maintenance in the AM and ask them to rig a barrier until the ducklings grow. We all shook hands, I chatted with the young sailors and we all felt pretty good about things. Score another one for the Navy.”