I just had to share this funny story. It's too good to keep to myself. I got it from a good friend who was present for the following events:

Last Friday, May 17, 2002, the Navy base at Winter Harbor Maine was officially "transitioned" to the National Park Service. (For those who are not seeking re-election from the newly unemployed in that area "transitioned" means "closed".) There was a big ceremony. Admirals, captains, the Governor of the State of Maine, representatives from the congressional delegation (the senators and representatives didn't have the guts to show up themselves), officials from the town government and the National Park Service, were in attendance. The day was beautiful with ice blue skies and evergreens. The ceremony was held outdoors in front of Building 1, a very picturesque sight indeed. There were speeches and flags flying and music from the band. Very stirring.

Because it was such a beautiful day they set up a nice buffet line on the veranda of Building 1 for the visiting dignitaries and the audience after the ceremony. This was behind the speaker's podium with a concrete wall between the ceremony and the veranda.

The ceremonial speeches were being delivered and all was going well when the first seagulls glided in to the buffet...

It took a while for those NOT in the audience (including the sailors who had set out the food) to notice the uninvited guests. The desperate mess attendants crawled out to do battle on their hands and knees so they wouldn't be visible to those involved in the solemn ceremony. They tried everything they could to clear out the gulls and when the gulls left, of course, they flew out over the crowd...

The dignitaries spoke on, blissfully unaware of the battle that raged between the sailors and the hungry gulls. They must have wondered, however, at the actions of the audience who winced and ducked whenever a gull flew over.

I think it was the crashing of the cutlery on the concrete that might have first got their attention...

I don't know if the official reports of the event mentioned the incident. I did hear a brief report on the radio but there was no mention of the gulls.