Whilst on a night DZ at Cromlix Farm in Scotland, I was marking the impact point with Cyalume light sticks when my oppo, one L** P***** , remarked in a quavering voice that the piles of light sticks were attracting animals. He always spoke in a quavering voice but in the dark it was spooky.
"Don't be daft" I replied. "The cyalume markers are Infra Red. They can't see them" I looked around and saw the dark shapes of animals slowly approaching the DZ as if in a trance. Soon we were surrounded by a niffy flock of sheep all gazing at the piles of light sticks.
"They must have IR vision" he said
"Not for long" I replied, "There will be a 1 ton box arrive in the middle of this lot in 10 mins!"
If the farmer had seen us just then, chasing sheep over the tufty grass hillside he might have reached the wrong conclusion. As if on cue a landrover left the farm and approached.
"Hey, youse guys, Your drop is cancelled" shouted a voice in the dark.
"OK" we said. "We best pick up the cyalumes"
"Have you got the goggs L**?"
"I thought you had them.....We can always catch a sheep" he said
The markers may still be there.
