Sea story
I remember standing alert on the carrier one night, forget the alert status but I actually had my flight gear on and plane was preflighted, power on, etc. We were in a slide as we waited to see if any planes came around the corner north of Norway. I went back to my stateroom and just laid down on the rack for a quick 30 second nap. Immediately sunk into the deepest alpha wave comatose sleep possible. Was woken up by our young enlisted, and told we were a 'go' and to head up to the flight deck. Wha? Huh? Where am I? Oh f***
I was a 1 on a scale of 1-100 alertness.
Got up on the deck, it was driving rain and snow as I stumbled into the gale in my dream state to our Hummer sitting on Cat 1, getting instant hypothermia. Junior co-pilot was already in, power on, and we get the props spinning post-haste while the ship turned into the wind. We sat there with the engines turning while the Important People below decks decided what to do with us. I remember thinking I hope we don't have any emergencies, and I just have to worry about a night pitching deck recovery. Just trying as hard as possible mentally to clear the cobwebs, but not working.
Luckily we canxed, stood down status, and I crashed. Otherwise could have been an Approach article.