Submarine To Arrive In Ontario Sept 8th 2012

Robin Craig · #1 06-09-12, 23:21

For those of you looking for something to do this weekend.

Yo might want to read this:-

http://www.portstanleynews.com/detai...+September+8th

R

Robin Craig · #2 07-09-12, 13:58

Jumped the gun, delayed a bit apparently

R

Lang · #3 24-09-12, 03:59

Only slightly related to the discussion but I couldn't resist it.

Amazing action shots of World Submarine Racing Championships

Here are some photos of the Submarine races off the coast of Italy, held in June, 2010. Switzerland was in the lead until they missed the third pylon and had to go round again. Austria and Romania were in a tight battle for second, but the surprise was Czech Republic which came from behind to win in the last few seconds. Enjoy.

Phil Waterman · #4 24-09-12, 15:43

Hi Lang

I always thought that the Submarine Races were always held at night preferably on nights with full moon and warm temperatures.

But back to Robin's original post, keep us posted on the efforts to preserve the sub and make it available for people to tour and understand. Until you have toured a sub be it a WWII or modern sub it is hard to conceive what it must be like to serve on one, for long periods under water.

Cheers Phil

Little Jo · #5 25-09-12, 01:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phil Waterman

Hi Lang

Until you have toured a sub be it a WWII or modern sub it is hard to conceive what it must be like to serve on one, for long periods under water.

Cheers Phil

Hi Phil

Strange how submarines have such a facination. You are correct that the WW2 subs had very cramped conditions and took a special person to even think of serving on one. I had the opertunity to go through two WW2 USA Submarines open to the public, both with connections to Australia.

The USS PAMPANITO at Fishermans Warf, San Francisco. This submarine sank a Japenese freighter, the Kachidoki Maru not knowing she was carrying Commonwealth POW's. The Pampanito later rescued 73 British and Australian POW's from the water after hearing calls in English.

The USS BOWFIN at the Pearl Harbor Memorial Museum. This submarine called into Brisbane for Post Voyage repairs before travelling along the Australian coast to Darwin where she topped up he fuel for her first war patrol.

I found them both to be very interesting, however to claustrophobic for me, I am glad I had my feet on the ground as a common Grunt.

1. USS Pampanito at her berth in San Franciso.
2. USS Bowfin at her berth at the Pearl Harbor Memorial.

Cheers

Tony

Lang · #6 25-09-12, 03:33

I did an overnight "cruise" on an Australian submarine in the 70's (As an Army observer - read freeloader).

Yes, they are cramped but the crews get used to it very quickly and a sensible, automatic routine allows everyone to live sort of normally. The thing they all like is the less formal atmosphere when compared to life on a surface ship. The bigger the ship the more structured the life. The submariners are a kind of family or small local football team.

Submariners are volunteers in almost every navy and can ask to go to other postings if they choose. They seldom do and once a submariner, always a submariner.

It certainly was and is a high risk operation but the crews feel they are in an elite organisation and smile at people who feel sorry for them. They point out there are dozens of very high risk jobs in all three services, a lot of them not as comfortable as an undersea life eg. several sailors mentioned their horror of crewing a steel coffin tank.

If you take away the cramped (but not impossible) conditions and claustrophobia, which comprise 90% of the comments of "not me" people but do not even enter the crews' heads, they don't have a bad life.

Little Jo · #7 25-09-12, 09:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lang

I did an overnight "cruise" on an Australian submarine in the 70's (As an Army observer - read freeloader).

Yes, they are cramped but the crews get used to it very quickly and a sensible, automatic routine allows everyone to live sort of normally. The thing they all like is the less formal atmosphere when compared to life on a surface ship. The bigger the ship the more structured the life. The submariners are a kind of family or small local football team.

Submariners are volunteers in almost every navy and can ask to go to other postings if they choose. They seldom do and once a submariner, always a submariner.

It certainly was and is a high risk operation but the crews feel they are in an elite organisation and smile at people who feel sorry for them. They point out there are dozens of very high risk jobs in all three services, a lot of them not as comfortable as an undersea life eg. several sailors mentioned their horror of crewing a steel coffin tank.

If you take away the cramped (but not impossible) conditions and claustrophobia, which comprise 90% of the comments of "not me" people but do not even enter the crews' heads, they don't have a bad life.

Hi Lang

I am sure your cruise would have been a trip in a lifetime for a Digger. I am sure you are right about sub mariners being a special breed, but alas not for this little land lubber. I don't like confined spaces, I like to keep my feet firmly on the ground and to see the sun and stars above. I recall some years ago when I visited Hitlers "Eagles Nest", Kehlsteinhaus, just outside of Berchtesgaden, we walked through the tunnels connecting various buildings and boy, I couldn't wait to get back outside again. Having said that, I have no problems with hights. Another self confession.

Cheers

Tony