Spent 14 days out in the Brooks Range in Alaska. Rafted down the Sheenjek River..... FANTASTIC PLACE !!!! Most remote place I have ever been.....

 

Went over to Bimini for the day and came across the "concrete ship" known as Sapona and took a couple off jumps her!! It was awesome. Kindda afaraid of heights so the boys were pretty P.O. that we took sooo long, but we did it and would do it again!!!! Hopefully going over again soon. Just a hop,skip and jump for us. What a magnificent place on earth !!!!

 

AMEN!!!

 

I have spent the last 4 1/2 years stationed on a sub, and let me tell you it loses the "cool factor" within a week or so. If not then, it definately loses it as soon as somebody does screw up and tries to kill all of you.

Got to go swimming at marianna's trench with no land in sight. Rome was the coolest city I've been to. Alaska was absolutely awesome to visit. Been all around the world, lots of different countries, seen alot of cool things. Its hard to narrow it down to the best.

 

Is that a hunter or a boomer?

That's one long SOB- linda like the Ohio Class, but I don't see the "hump" so I don't think it's a boomer, but- it looks too long to be a Los Angeles Class...

I've never been on, or seen a submarine- but the question that's burning me after reading you guy's post is this...

Ona modern Day submarine, what in the world could one man do, that would jeopardize the lives of everyone aboard the ship?
I mean, is it that easy?

 

Yes it is that easy. We drive only by listening, there is no windows and we only use active sonar in extreme circumstances. I'd compare it to driving down the highway, windows blocked, and driving based on GPS, maps, and what you hear outside your vehicle. Obviously many people take part in this, but just one guy can screw up and endanger all of us. I can think of 3 times where I actually worried about making it back home alive. A few other times were very close as well.

Judging from the pics, I think thats a Los angeles class (which I was on). Its hard to tell from that distance though.

 

It is a Boomer (Ohio class). I'm stationed in Kings Bay, Ga, and it's the only kinda sub that's here.
BennyHanna,
I agree 100 % that it does get old after awhile. However, I've been off the boat for 2 1/2 years, and I am not going back. Therefore in hindsight, it's a damn cool thing to think about. Where are you stationed?

BigHersh,
Yes, the turning of one wrong valve, or flip of the wrong switch, will send a boat down.

 

Oh yeah... I knew that.
I thought you meant somebody could flip the wrong switch, or something like that, and jeopardize the boat...

That undersea navigation would be a bit disconcerting for anyone...
I still remember when they were running the trench along the ridge on The Hunt for Red October.... Why anyone would do that (If someone would do that) is beyond me...

I agree though- what I read in a magazine somewhere, said when an Ohio goes under, it stays under and doesn't come up until it's either where it's going, or back at home. They also said only the Captain and the NCA knows there those boats are at any one time.

I met a guy that was in the Navy aboard an Ohio... I'm pretty sure this is BS, but this is what he told me.

He said Ohio class submarines, when on patrol, if they were to encounter any other submarine, they have orders to "take it out" if they are discovered, so they are not take out first and so that the nuclear armament is not endangered...

Like I said, I think that guy was BSing me, because as big as the Ocean is, I'm sure Ohio Class skippers have encountered at the very least, British and Soviet subs at some point. I know, outside of a time of war, such a drastic action would not be taken; otherwise we could find ourselves at war, over a submarine incident.

Either that, or our subs are way better than everybody else's. I read in Popular Mechanics that a Los Angeles Class sub is quieter at full throttle than a Soviet Akula Class sub is, at idle... The Virginia and Sea Wolf classes are supposed to be even quieter- but, I heard they killed the Virginia class, due to cost...

 

Funny you should mention undersea navigation...because that's what I do. A quatermaster in the Army keeps supplies, while a quatermaster in the Navy plots ships position. We drive by a means of 'dead-reckoning'. If we know where we start, we know how fast we went and in what direction for how long, then we can figure ships position. Almost like BennyHanna said: You need a map (chart), a compass, a speedometer, and a time piece, and you could navigate anything.
More than tha skipper and the Nav (Navigator) know where we're at, probably at most 15-20 people of a crew of 160.

Yeah, the whole 'take them out first' thing is crap. We make a hole in the ocean. Our job is to remain undetected. If deteced, we have failed. As a strategic asset to the country, we either deliver a first or last strike capability, and we can't do that if we're playing 'Hunt for Red October' games....

By the way, I'm sure you realize this, but I'll point it out even further. All of the submarine movies contain maybe 5 % truth. All the rest is BS. In fact, one of our favorite ways to pass time undeway was to watch movies like 'Crimson Tide' and point out and laugh at the inconsistencies, and outright BS.

 

Sailing and snorkling at Bora Bora, Huahine, Pappeetee.

 

Mine is simple.

I climbed to the top of Mt. Fuji.

Picture ---------> Here

 

Nope, it was actually the SeaWolf class that was scrapped after only 3 built. Virginia class is upping production from one/year to 2/year.

98Lariet, I was stationed in Norfolk. So obviously I was on a fast boat. I get out in exactly 30 days though. I was a effin nuke (ET). Now that I'm short, I look back and its kinda cool. I'm sure it will only get "cooler" the longer I'm out.

 

You'll miss it bro... You'll make a lot more $ out here, but- you'll be disappointed after being exposed to the military comraderie... Unless you're going back to your hometown...

I couldn't remember if Seawolf or Virgina was scraped, so I guessed... Thanks for the correction!

 

Ahhh the night i slept over LT's house, WOW now that was a night to remember... right LT..

 

I know I'll make more out of the navy. Its sad when I think about the pittance that I recieve for all the work I do. I think we just need to pay them alot more.

I'm sure I'll miss the comraderie, but fortunately I got hired with a company that absolutely loves military guys (especially navy nukes) and actively recruits them, so I'll be working with alot of ex-military guys.