Jim says:
Yesterday, on a delightful sunny day of 79 degrees, moderate humidity and a wonderful breeze, Mary and I visited the Nuclear Submarine Nautilus and the Submarine Force Museum located on the Thames River at Groton, Connecticut.
A bit of my history. I spent my first year in the U.S. Navy stationed at the Submarine Base… 51 years ago! From about 1963-1966, I worked at General Dynamics – Electric Boat Division in Groton as a Radiographer…x-raying a number of submarines and their parts during their construction. I also worked on the Millstone #1 & #2 Nuclear Power Stations in nearby Waterford, Connecticut. I accumulated about 10 years of living in the New London-Groton area.
I took this photo off of the Nautilus Website.
Here are a number of photos I took yesterday…
The Nautilus at its permanent location as seen from the parking lot.
Diameters of submarines. The small one represents the USS Holland from 1900 and the large one an Ohio Class submarine of today.
The retired sail from the first Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile Submarine George Washington. I worked on this boat in the mid-1960′s.
Mary drives the boat in a simulated control room.
Mary looks through a periscope.
I took this photo through the periscope. I’m ready to fire a torpedo into the rear of my Bronco!
A model of the first submarine…David Bushnell’s Turtle.
A painting of the Nautilus departing the from Groton-New London into the Atlantic Ocean.
Admiral Hyman G. Rickover is known as the Father of the Nuclear Navy.
Mary on the deck of the Nautilus. The submarines depart under the bridge into the Atlantic Ocean.
Mary steps through a water-tight compartment hatchway.
The Groton Submarine Base as seen from the Nautilus.
Here’s the official Nautilus website link…
http://www.ussnautilus.org/
Here’s a Wikipedia informational link about Admiral Hyman G. Rickover…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyman_G._Rickover
Here’s a Wikipedia Informational link about Groton and General Dynamics Electric Boat…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groton,_Connecticut
To see the other 49 photos I took, click this link…
http://picasaweb.google.com/jimjrver/SubmarineMuseum080710#
Finally here’s a photo of a coffee-table book about the first 100 years of the United States Naval Submarine Service. The lady behind the counter told me it’s now out of print and knows of no more plans for further publication. I got it for only $25!
This book is 352 11×14 pages and weighs 6.5 pounds!
You can buy this book for only $61 on Amazon…
http://www.amazon.com/United-States-Submarines-David-Hinkle/dp/0883631032/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281262962&sr=1-1
It was a most enjoyable day for me reliving my past of 40+ years ago with Mary.
All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2010
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.panamaorbust.com
We Travel To Kensington, New Hampshire
July 25, 2010
Jim says:
On another very hot and humid day, we drove the motorhome and Bronco about 50 miles North to Kensington, New Hampshire. It’s located just a few miles into New Hampshire from Massachusetts and less than 10 miles from the Atlantic Ocean. This marks the northern-most planned travel location for the motorhome during our almost year-long trip.
We’re parked at American Legion Post #105. We really lucked out here as the only activity is Bingo on Tuesday night, plus we have an electrical hookup so we can run the air-conditioner all day.
Shortly after arriving we drove the about six miles to the town of East Kingston, New Hampshire where I lived in 1963-65. Then we drove to Exeter, New Hampshire about eight miles away where my son Jim was born in 1964.
We’ll explore the nearby area for the next couple of days.
Here are eight photos I took yesterday…
Our parking place at American Legion Post #105 in Kensington, New Hampshire.
A World War II personnel carrier at American Legion Post #105.
Downtown East Kingston, New Hampshire.
The only store in town is circa 1800.
The East Kingston railroad station.
The house I lived in at 124 Depot Road has been substantially remodeled.
Downtown Exeter, New Hampshire. My son Jim was born in this town in 1964.
An interesting story.
At 6:00 AM this morning it was 73 degrees with 95% humidity. The weather wimp (that’s me) says “TRIPLE YUK!”.
We will spend three nights here.
All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2009
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.panamaorbust.com
LAST DAY AT ROCKY NECK
July 21, 2010
Jim’s daughter-in-law, Wendy, with her sisters gathered at the beach. Her brother, not pictured, is also present. This camp out at Rocky Neck for the Coombe family has been a tradition for many years. Rocky Neck is approximately 20-30 minutes from home for everybody. Adults and the kids look forward to this yearly reunion. The kids are all cavorting in the sand or the shallow, sandy bottomed Atlantic. Great place for kids to swim. Since I’m a big kid, I enjoyed it too. Compared to the Pacific, the water is warm and friendly. It even seems less salty.
Two nine year old cousins, Shelby and Jaime, walked with me to the jetty. They showed me where the brook enters the ocean; helped me find pretty stones unique to the area; and where the ice cream truck hangs out.
I teased them that this was their favorite part of the beach.
Three of the cousins biked back to the campground with me. Meridith, the youngest, biked with her mom and dad since she can’t yet keep up with the older kids.
Shelby diverted me to an amphitheater where she posed for the camera with no prompting. I can see a budding actress here.
Before dinner, the kids played rousing games of volley ball with all comers.
Jim stayed away from the beach, nursing his bug bites and settled in with a good book. This is our last day at Rocky Neck, but the families traditionally stay from one to three weeks, depending on schedules.
We Get Acquainted With Katharine Hepburn…
July 15, 2010
Jim says:
Well, kinda sorta.
A few miles from where our motorhome is parked in my son’s yard is the Town of Old Saybrook. In this town there is the Katharine Hepburn Museum because for many years she lived here in her Atlantic Ocean waterfront home. Yesterday we visited her museum. It’s not all that large, yet tastefully done and a pleasant experience. After the museum we set out to find her home and find it we did.
Here’s a couple of photos that I took…
To see the other 10 photos I took, click this link…
http://picasaweb.google.com/jimjrver/KatharineHepburn#
Here’s a Wikipedia informational link about Katharine Hepburn…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katharine_Hepburn
She began her acting career at the Ivoryton Playhouse in 1931…the same town in which my son lives and where we are now parked. She died in 2003 at the age of 96. My very favorite role she played was in the movie African Queen with Humphrey Bogart.
All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2009
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.panamaorbust.com
Cape Cod – Day 1
June 19, 2010
Jim says:
With Mary feeling much better, yesterday we headed out on a day sight-seeing trip. Since the weather forecast was for sunny, in the mid-80′s and high humidity, I chose a route that I hoped would provide us with some ocean breezes to help stay a little cooler.
We departed our parking location at the VFW in Hyannis and headed east along the southern coast. Reaching the Atlantic Ocean on the eastern shore of Cape Cod, we turned north for a while and returned to our starting point on the Mid-Cape Highway, U.S. Route 6. Along the way we passed though towns with names like Yarmouth, Harwich, Chatham and Orleans. We enjoyed a nice seafood platter for lunch.
Arriving back at the VFW about 3:30 PM, it was hot! So we retreated to the air-conditioned VFW lounge and enjoyed a cool one. Luckily very near our motorhome parking spot we have some nice trees. We retired there in the shade with a nice breeze and read our books until about 8:00 PM. Other than being to hot for a while, it was another nice day.
Here’s four of the photos I took…
To see the other 34 photos I took, click this link…
http://picasaweb.google.com/jimjrver/CapeCodMA061810#
After being on Martha’s Vineyard for a week, Mary didn’t like all the traffic and people here on Cape Cod. “Just wait until the weekend”…I told her…”You ain’t seen nothing yet!”
All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2009
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.panamaorbust.com
RV Is Also Houseboat
June 18, 2010
Jim says:
Since we’re near/on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean, this might have come in handy…
If you enjoy both RVing and boating…this might be the rig for you! The video begins after a very brief commercial…
In other news…
Arriving from Martha’s Vineyard Mary was feeling a little under the weather, so yesterday we only did a little grocery shopping and then had a relaxing, do-nothing day. She’s feeling much better this morning, so today we’ll be out and about!
All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2009
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.panamaorbust.com
Jim says: Yesterday was another six-hour day at the museum and a most enjoyable day.
Here’s a few photos of some things I saw…
The entrance to the National Naval Aviation Museum
A World War I Fighter Pilot.
In World War I, carrier pigeons were used to send messages.
This was the first plane to cross the Atlantic Ocean in 1919.
The mascot of the Pensacola Naval Air Station.
President George H.W. Bush took his first solo flight as an Naval Aviation Pilot Cadet in this very airplane in November, 1942.
A Japanese World War II Fighter Plane.
A Russian MIG 15.
A World War II “Flying Tigers” paint job.
A painting of a World War II Japanese Aircraft Carrier under attack.
A painting of the legendary World War II plane of “Pappy” Boyington of the famous Black Sheep Squadron.
A 28 cylinder aircraft engine.
To see the other 213 photos I took, click this link…
http://picasaweb.google.com/jimjrver/NavalAirMuseumDay2040810#
Here’s the National Naval Aviation Museum official website link…
http://NavalAviationMuseum.org
Here’s a Wikipedia information link…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Museum_of_Naval_Aviation
Here’s a Facebook link…
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pensacola-FL/National-Naval-Aviation-Museum/71553655173
The first floor exhibits I saw today were…
* NC-4 Flying Boat,
* U.S. Coast Guard,
* P.O.W. Exhibit,
* World War I,
* Sunken Treasure, and
* U.S.S. Cabot Flight Deck
I got most of the first floor completed yesterday. So far, I’ve got 12 hours in the museum. I should be able to finish everything up today. I’m happy to report the crowds yesterday were 1/100th of what they were the day before yesterday. Also the children were much better behaved.
All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2010
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.panamaorbust.com
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