Comments on: Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet http://googlesightseeing.com/2005/04/11/warships/ Why bother seeing the world for real? Sun, 06 Jul 2008 21:47:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Michael http://googlesightseeing.com/2005/04/11/warships/#comment-200225 Michael Thu, 22 May 2008 20:46:01 +0000 http://www.googlesightseeing.com/2005/04/11/warships/#comment-200225 Was just out there yesterday in a row of oilers where the Iowa is tied up at the outside. Accessed the row from the inside via HMB-1 (Hughes Mining Barge) where a Russian submarine was once hidden (K-129) and now holds the once experimental Sea Shadow inside on blocks. Spent the day removing equipment from AO-7 USS Roanoke to transport over to the USS Hornet. During lunch I walked over and onto the Iowa to shoot some photos. The exterior is weathered, but not as bad as the other ships. Luckily she does not have much exposed equipment so exterior bulkheads and gun turrets are relatively easy to restore. The teak deck needs complete replacement though. The interior is surely spotless as the Roanoke was looking pretty good inside for being there since 1995. One interesting ship in the group was AS-17 USS Nereus, a submarine tender, dating to 1943 and built at Mare Island. Was just out there yesterday in a row of oilers where the Iowa is tied up at the outside. Accessed the row from the inside via HMB-1 (Hughes Mining Barge) where a Russian submarine was once hidden (K-129) and now holds the once experimental Sea Shadow inside on blocks. Spent the day removing equipment from AO-7 USS Roanoke to transport over to the USS Hornet. During lunch I walked over and onto the Iowa to shoot some photos. The exterior is weathered, but not as bad as the other ships. Luckily she does not have much exposed equipment so exterior bulkheads and gun turrets are relatively easy to restore. The teak deck needs complete replacement though. The interior is surely spotless as the Roanoke was looking pretty good inside for being there since 1995. One interesting ship in the group was AS-17 USS Nereus, a submarine tender, dating to 1943 and built at Mare Island.

]]> By: Gene http://googlesightseeing.com/2005/04/11/warships/#comment-199297 Gene Sat, 15 Mar 2008 02:59:27 +0000 http://www.googlesightseeing.com/2005/04/11/warships/#comment-199297 I see that the mothball fleet is much reduced in size. There used to be hundreds of them--many were old liberty ships from WWII that were be sold off to the breakers. I remember one night in 1966 sailing back in a 30 foot sloop into San Pablo bay from an excursion up the San Joaquin River and we were hit with a gale of wind. The skipper had gone forward to the mast to reduce and reef the main whilst I tended the helm. It was pitch black but I could make out the ghost image of waves ahead and yelled that we were coming about as the water was shoaling rapidly. Just as we got settled on the new course across the bay heading for Port Chicago a darker shadow appeared and then it turned on its search light blinding us. We were able to avoid the tug and the barges it was pushing. The tug and the barges were running without any running lights! We decided we'd had enough and made our way into a marina at Port Chicago and tied up for the night. I see that the mothball fleet is much reduced in size. There used to be hundreds of them–many were old liberty ships from WWII that were be sold off to the breakers. I remember one night in 1966 sailing back in a 30 foot sloop into San Pablo bay from an excursion up the San Joaquin River and we were hit with a gale of wind. The skipper had gone forward to the mast to reduce and reef the main whilst I tended the helm. It was pitch black but I could make out the ghost image of waves ahead and yelled that we were coming about as the water was shoaling rapidly. Just as we got settled on the new course across the bay heading for Port Chicago a darker shadow appeared and then it turned on its search light blinding us. We were able to avoid the tug and the barges it was pushing. The tug and the barges were running without any running lights! We decided we’d had enough and made our way into a marina at Port Chicago and tied up for the night.

]]> By: William http://googlesightseeing.com/2005/04/11/warships/#comment-123552 William Tue, 27 Feb 2007 08:55:14 +0000 http://www.googlesightseeing.com/2005/04/11/warships/#comment-123552 DAVID, YES...there is a "service" that will take you from Martinez Marina to tour the Reserve Fleet onboard a 40 ft. cabin cruiser. Make a cash donation onboard to bring the Battleship IOWA to Mare Island as a memorial at the same time. Go to www.bayviewcharters.com and click on US Navy Mothball Fleet. Have fun! DAVID, YES…there is a “service” that will take you from Martinez Marina to tour the Reserve Fleet onboard a 40 ft. cabin cruiser. Make a cash donation onboard to bring the Battleship IOWA to Mare Island as a memorial at the same time. Go to http://www.bayviewcharters.com and click on US Navy Mothball Fleet. Have fun!

]]> By: William T. Hill http://googlesightseeing.com/2005/04/11/warships/#comment-98718 William T. Hill Tue, 09 Jan 2007 19:48:04 +0000 http://www.googlesightseeing.com/2005/04/11/warships/#comment-98718 Is is a great sight to view them on the ride down CA 680 to the Concord area. Patrs from them wll keep manya navy boat ( in my day a boat coild be placed upon a ship ). Times change and and I can chage with it. Former AT-2, VA-65. Is is a great sight to view them on the ride down CA 680 to the Concord area. Patrs from them wll keep manya navy boat ( in my day a boat coild be placed upon a ship ). Times change and and I can chage with it. Former AT-2, VA-65.

]]> By: Finn Eriksen http://googlesightseeing.com/2005/04/11/warships/#comment-49649 Finn Eriksen Mon, 18 Sep 2006 02:11:23 +0000 http://www.googlesightseeing.com/2005/04/11/warships/#comment-49649 Seems to me there were liberty ships tied up on the Columbia river on the Washington/Oregon border in the early '70s. Am I right? I served in the norwegian merchant marine at the time and think I saw the ships then. I know I saw the ships on a river in the northwest somewhere Seems to me there were liberty ships tied up on the Columbia river on the Washington/Oregon border in the early ’70s. Am I right? I served in the norwegian merchant marine at the time and think I saw the ships then. I know I saw the ships on a river in the northwest somewhere

]]> By: brett gray http://googlesightseeing.com/2005/04/11/warships/#comment-43611 brett gray Mon, 21 Aug 2006 20:09:23 +0000 http://www.googlesightseeing.com/2005/04/11/warships/#comment-43611 Can anyone tell me if the ussprocyon ak19 is still in this aria my grandfather gunner first class donald.D.GRAY SERVED on this ship[ from the time of its comission till the ship was mothballed any info would be help full thanks. Can anyone tell me if the ussprocyon ak19 is still in this aria my grandfather gunner first class donald.D.GRAY SERVED on this ship[ from the time of its comission till the ship was mothballed any info would be help full thanks.

]]> By: TheSev http://googlesightseeing.com/2005/04/11/warships/#comment-40612 TheSev Wed, 02 Aug 2006 21:45:53 +0000 http://www.googlesightseeing.com/2005/04/11/warships/#comment-40612 Well, what do you know! I just looked at the pic again, and the ship I served on is the white topped one that they tied the Iowa to. There are some better close up pics of some of these ships at http://tendertale.com/ Their links are internal, so You'll have to look for it. sorry. not my site. Well, what do you know! I just looked at the pic again, and the ship I served on is the white topped one that they tied the Iowa to.

There are some better close up pics of some of these ships at

http://tendertale.com/

Their links are internal, so You’ll have to look for it. sorry. not my site.

]]> By: peter http://googlesightseeing.com/2005/04/11/warships/#comment-15734 peter Mon, 15 May 2006 20:36:57 +0000 http://www.googlesightseeing.com/2005/04/11/warships/#comment-15734 Great article on these ships in the Mercury News with lots of close up photos of teh rust and decay:- http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/states/california/northern_california/14582476.htm Great article on these ships in the Mercury News with lots of close up photos of teh rust and decay:-
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/states/california/northern_california/14582476.htm

]]> By: Mike http://googlesightseeing.com/2005/04/11/warships/#comment-12894 Mike Wed, 26 Apr 2006 00:41:28 +0000 http://www.googlesightseeing.com/2005/04/11/warships/#comment-12894 I think the USS Mauna Kea is probably the middle ship out of the group of nine furthest to the south. I don't think they do tours, but I understand people (in boats) do fish around there. I think the USS Mauna Kea is probably the middle ship out of the group of nine furthest to the south.

I don’t think they do tours, but I understand people (in boats) do fish around there.

]]> By: David http://googlesightseeing.com/2005/04/11/warships/#comment-10369 David Tue, 14 Mar 2006 05:05:47 +0000 http://www.googlesightseeing.com/2005/04/11/warships/#comment-10369 I wonder which ship is the USS Mauna Kea? I guess you can't go visit any of these ships?? I wonder if there is any service to take you out to look at them? My Dad served on this ship and I always thought it would be cool to see it in person...... I wonder which ship is the USS Mauna Kea? I guess you can’t go visit any of these ships?? I wonder if there is any service to take you out to look at them? My Dad served on this ship and I always thought it would be cool to see it in person……

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