USS Albacore

My husband has a true love and it is not me. He has what we call Submarine Love. It is a deep and abiding love that does not conflict with our married life, much. 

I knew Portsmouth was our vacation destination when he saw they had a permanent submarine tour. 

Allow me to introduce my Hubby and his love, The USS Albacore.

The tour is self guided with audio enhancements. The hatch was our first introduction to the confinement that is a submarine. Can you tell I don't like confined spaces? I still can not believe I went in there willingly. The things you do for love.

Spoiler alert the hatches do indeed get smaller on the inside. Just wait I'll show you.

This would be the wardroom pantry. Now I like a small kitchen but yowsa! Looks like we would be having mac and cheese every night. It is hard to be creative when bumping into everything. But I don't think this is where the cooking takes place, that should be the galley.

And speaking of bumping into things, how would you like to be the guy that has the bottom bunk here? I thought about trying to crawl in but nope! I am not five anymore and I would not want to be cut out of that space.

Ah there is my hatch man! Even I had to scrunch up to get through them. I am short I don't usually have to scrunch up for anything.

On a side note do you think there is such a thing as sub yoga? Poses would include: Hatch one, hatch two, into bunk and out of bunk. Hatch two pose looks a lot like a cat cleaning its nether regions, in my mind. I lost the ability to do hatch two, pretty much at birth.

The officer's ward room, complete with pass through and former officer. Good news it converts into sleeping quarters too. You know for all those visiting dignitaries.

Ah the periscope! Every young man's dream. And oddly enough something our house lacks. I want a periscope too. Jack would use it to watch the birds.

The main galley is slightly larger but still lacking the window over the sink. The sub force is rumored to have the best food in the Navy. I am guessing not too many souffles passed through here, but the coffee flowed freely.

The head (toilet) was way too small for me to ever want a picture of it. There are just some places of "business" that should not be posted on the internet. So if you want to see what a small toilet looks like you should take the tour. Even the virtual tour has a picture. It is OK you can go look at it, I won't tell anyone.

I feel I should tell you of the smell, the submarine smell. D inhaled deeply and kept commenting "The smell, the smell is right." I can tell you there was not a wool fume in there. But to each his own. It smells a bit like paint, diesel and metal. Mix those up, add the fact that she ran for 19 years with crews that showered once a week whether they needed it or not. Yep the Navy loves a good bathing joke.

Also at the park is a memorial garden for submariners. Dolphins are the symbol of the submarine force. What other air breathing mammal can dive like a sub crew can?

And for those on eternal watch... I salute you.