Surviving the Sea Fury: Rep. Billy Bob Faulkingham, the leader of the Republicans in the Maine House, also had a scary experience with Hurricane Lee’s leftovers. Even though a vast wave flipped their boat, he and another fisherman, Alex Polk, managed to stay alive. Their experience shows how dangerous and unpredictable the sea can be and how important it is to be ready and strong.
Even though stormy weather was coming, the lobstermen kept working, not realizing they were in danger. Then, a huge wave came at them very quickly, catching them by surprise. Faulkingham sped up the car in a frantic attempt to get away from the danger. He did this in a split second. The wave looked like a massive wall of water, a strange sight that towered over them.
The boat flipped over, but amazingly, its engine roared to life, spitting out black smoke and turning the propeller. In the middle of the chaos, Faulkingham and Polk were fighting to stay afloat in the cold waters of the North Atlantic.
They had to be brave and creative to stay alive. Faulkingham, who was hurt but still determined, helped Polk, who had been badly damaged, get to safety. After their boat capsized and they lost their phone, they used their emergency locator signal to try to get help.
Even though planes flew over them and other crabboats passed, no one noticed they were in trouble. As they clung to the back of the overturned boat, the emergency locator beacon told the Coast Guard to start a search and rescue effort.
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Mikie Faulkingham, a family friend, found them on his lobster boat and came to their aid. They were brought to land and taken to the hospital in an overturned boat.
Faulkingham was kept going by his strong faith in God and His presence. As long as their boat stayed floating, the sun warmed its bottom, which was excellent in the ocean’s cold water.
Faulkingham’s love for crab fishing hasn’t changed because of what happened. He doesn’t just fish to make a living; it’s a way of life, a hobby, and a promise to his family.
The event is a stark reminder of how dangerous it is to make a living from the sea, where nature’s wrath can strike quickly and without notice. It shows how strong and determined people are like Faulkingham, who keeps returning to the ocean no matter how dangerous.
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Our Reader’s Queries
How many sea furies are still flying?
Out of the current 17 Sea Furies in operation, only 4 are equipped with a Centaurus engine, as listed below.
Did a Sea Fury shoots down MiG 15?
Lieutenant Peter “Hoagy” Carmichael, from 802 Squadron, flying Sea Fury WJ232 from HMS Ocean, scored a hit on a MiG-15 on 8 August 1952. This made him one of the rare propeller-driven aircraft pilots to take down a jet during the Korean War.
Did Hawker Sea Fury ever see combat?
During the Korean War, the Hawker Sea Fury went up against Soviet jet fighters and managed to take down one in August 1952. Ironically, it was later replaced by the Hawker Sea Hawk jet fighter in 1953.
What was the last propeller-driven fighter?
The F-82 became the final propeller-driven fighter to be obtained in large numbers by the U.S. Air Force. Although it looks like two P-51 Mustang fuselages on a single wing, it is actually a completely new design. The Twin Mustang was designed to carry a pilot and co-pilot/navigator in order to minimize fatigue during long-range bomber escort missions.