It could be Brag... Some long tows (12hrs +) in 30 ft seas could leave you wiped out for days after.
Mostly though it was just a kick in the pants. Lots of old world seamanship skills, dead reckoning, line handling, incredible skill required in general boat handling and surf operations, reading the water, calculating set & drift of a target vessel etc..
It was a great time. If i didn't have to be in the military they probably couldn't have kicked me out
