Surface Surface Surface

“Chief of the Watch, on the 1MC commence a low pressure blow on all main ballast tanks.” What a great feeling after a long run to hear those words and smell the fresh air that comes rushing through the boat. Whether it’s a week or two months, coming back to the surface is a fantastic […]

Heroes Rarely Brag, But Uncles Often Do

I have four nephews on active duty. I am extremely proud of all of their contributions in a generation that is better known for the self-centered pursuit of individual gratification. Of all four, Ian was the one who has been the greatest surprise and has provided some of the greatest moments. Petty Officer Anderson was a sports […]

Labor Day Weekend

The lean submariner will be taking a few days off to prepare for a journey next week. Its Labor Day weekend which is kind of ironic considering the jobs report that just came out this morning. Please say a prayer for those who are serving us, those who have served, and those who gave their all […]

Food/Water Safety During & After Emergencies

FOOD SAFETY DURING AN EMERGENCY Did you know that a flood, fire, national disaster, or the loss of power from high winds, snow, or ice could jeopardize the safety of your food? Knowing how to determine if food is safe and how to keep food safe will help minimize the potential loss of food and […]

In Its Path

One of my least favorite memories of the USS San Francisco was the stop we made in Guam in 1982. In an earlier blog, I talked about the first part of the visit where the wives came to visit. But in the middle of the stay, two things happened that made it a very bad […]

The Right Stuff

“Seaman Schmuckatelly, what in heaven’s name do you have there?” “It’s my emergency box, sir!” he says proudly as he places the large, overflowing cardboard box on the deck. “Emergency box?” “Yes Warrant, the Chief told us we might be in for a storm and we should check our gear and be ready.” “Are you […]

Update 4 on Hurricane Irene

http://blog.fema.gov/2011/08/irene-update-4-those-along-east-coast.html Irene Update 4: Those Along East Coast Should Be Ready Last minute Planning: While its better to be prepared well in advance, it’s still not too late to review ready.gov and see how well prepared you are if the worst comes to pass.

Monkey See, Monkey Do

As I have gotten older, I have discovered that the words on pages seem to have grown smaller and less distinguishable. I was convinced for some time that this was a result of printing companies using cheaper and less effective ink and smaller letters to conserve costs. Kind of like the fast food restaurants are […]

Reality Check

I have been enjoying submarine week on the Military Channel and I hope those of you who are “Brothers of the Fin” can say the same. This post is a little different from my normal so if the only reason you come here each day is for boat stories, please feel free to take the […]

Just a moment in time

Like most of you, I am just trying to absorb the loss of our brothers in arms today in the fateful crash of the helicopter in Afghanistan. These man are part of today’s greatest generation and a reminder of how precious life itself is. They are not a number. They are not just a part […]