TimeOut

Exploring San Diego's Embarcadero, Part 2

 

Welcome to part 2 of my exploration of the Embarcadero. No, I am not getting paid by the tourist board to write this stuff. They would talk about the new park going in (I'd say there's not enough parking), they would talk about the mass transit options (I'd say it takes 5 times longer for me to come by trolley than by car), they would talk about the weather and San Diego's destination appeal (I'd say we are crowded enough already! or as my neighbor says "Tourist go home but leave your daughter"). Sorry. My monologue is now over and I'll get back to the stay-cation report. How about a Russian submarine as our next adventure?

Head down to the Maritime Museum, get your hand stamped, and board the b-39 (catchy name). It's a privately-owned, former Russian sub that has seen better days and has been loaned to the museum. It doesn't make you want to buy one of those watches that claims to be made of "special submarine steel" because this baby is rotting everywhere. But it's still great fun to explore - I can't imagine owning it!

We enter in the forward torpedo room, the only space on the ship where you can raise your arms above your head and stretch out. There are more pipes, knobs, levers and gauges than you can imagine. No bare wall anywhere!

We walk through the ship towards the rear, passing through round porthole-type doors which denote the separate watertight compartments. It reminds one of the few incidents where subs were breached but people survived in various compartments. For awhile, anyway.

Eventually you come to the captain's quarters. What you can't see clearly is that this room is about 5 feet wide. So the captain was short or had learned to sleep with his legs folded up.

Here's the next hatch. Yes, you have to go through all these hatches. If you are large or stiff, or claustrophobic, skip this boat. It will be no fun at all.

These handles control the air distribution to make the ship descend or rise in the water.

The ONLY toilet. No magazine rack, but I imagine you wouldn't be able to spend a relaxing time here anyway.

Mrs Cazalea tries out the periscope. You can see across the bay to the old Naval Training Center.

More knobs and things - plus an instruction placard that says back down the stairs. They aren't kidding.

The engine room. Imagine with these diesels running! The heat, the noise, the smells.

It may not be obvious, but this is the spacious, triple-bunk-high crewman quarters.

Another view of the crew's area. God forbid you draw top bunk - it's diet time for you and don't raise your head when you wake up!

Finally we emerge at the other end, shaken (not stirred) by the whole idea that scores of these ships are cruising around underwater for 90 days at a time, patrolling the planet.

And off we go to another vessel.

Please let me know your thoughts about this sort of post. Does it interest you? Or go on to Adventure 3.

Cheers,

Cazalea

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