Monday 6 June 2011

Keep Moving On - Savage Garden

It's a great delight to welcome the 141st country / region to the readership by way of the British Virgin Islands. As regular readers may remember the close US neighbour of these beautiful Caribbean Islands joined some weeks ago, so that makes 'the pair'. It is hoped our new readers will enjoy these pages and pass the link on to Family & Friends on the 'Island in the Sun!

With no detectable rain last night, today's sunshine was only interrupted by a single short shower keeping the day warm and slightly windy. For a change I put down the binoculars (not literally) to spend the day being a Grockle, a local West Country term for a holiday maker, and first took a look around

Some of the views of the Honolulu Waterfront
Historic ships

I knew I'd find a 'Comfortable Screw' eventually, that's PROPELLER to you!


A little history. Double right click on image to read.

Pretty fish just over the Harbour Wall.

The Cruise Liner Pride of America leaving harbour yesterday evening.

Later it was on to

A Submarine very similar to those I served in during the late 60's & early 70's so a few memories here!

Foredeck, coning tower and forward torpedo loading hatch, leading below.

The forward Escape Hatch.

The Fore-Ends comprising an array of Torpedo Tubes, and Action Re-load of 'Fish' as they were known and also utilised as a Bunk Space. This is where I slept during my time.

The Wardroom or Officer's Mess.

Control Room

including the controls for the forward hydroplanes.

Hatchway to the Coning Tower.

The Galley.

Galley Scullery.

The Crew's Mess.

Mid-ships Bunk Space.
The only Washing Facilities onboard.

The after Heads (standing room only).

Engine Room, the vessel could only run on huge electric batteries when submerged which would be charged by these engines overnight while on the surface or just below it, with a 'Snort Mast' raised.

After Ends with second array of Torpedo Tubes, another Action Re-load and the after Escape Hatch (center top).

Back on deck via the after torpedo loading hatch and looking at one of two deck guns.

A Signal Projectile Canon capable of sending 'smoke' or 'flare' signals to the surface while submerged.


and onward to the
The last (US) Battleship ever to be built.

The 'Blueprints' for this mighty vessel alone weighed a tidy 350,000 pounds!

The 'forgotten' vessel of the Pearl Harbour strike was the USS Iowa which still lies on the seabed here at an angle of 90 degrees. Onboard are still the bodies of 55 victims of the attack, 54 were Service Personnel while the 55th was an infant girl child.

The Biridge and Ariel array.


A look across Pearl Harbour
The Quartermaster (Gangway Sentry).

A Commemerative Plaque (right click to expand).

'A' Gun Deck from the Bridge.

The Bridge.

Chart Room from where all navigating would have been done.

Hope you enjoyed this little tour. I will be Moving On by way of a late flyight to Los Angeles this evening arriving there at 05:00 local time. This will be ideal to 'kick in' my 30 days Greyhound Pass and strat the journey to Baja California. Hope to be able to talk again before too long,
CHEERS