Some Blog Site

After we spent a week at Maranatha, we stopped at a submarine museum on the way home. Rather than prolong the Maranatha recap, I decided to separate the sub trip into its own post.

Ladies and gentlemen, meet the USS Silversides:

Here is a photo of the whole thing:

Click the photo for full size

Before you get to the submarine itself, you go into the museum to buy tickets. But before you go into the museum, you pass by a play structure. This particular play structure happens to be the turret thingy from a gun boat or old submarine. The kids had fun playing with that.

They might have played longer, but it was a hot, humid day so we urged them into the museum.

Also outside the museum, they had a hedgehog.

The hedgehog being the anti-submarine device. It fires a couple dozen little mines that land in the water in a circular pattern and sink toward the sub. The spread-out pattern and lack of warning made it hard for subs to evade.

The museum was good. It gave an overview of WWII, since that was the time the sub was commissioned. It gave some insights as to the operations of submarines. It was interesting, but we spent more time on the sub itself, which is where we headed next.

Here is some of the family entering the sub. We all went on board. The older two kids liked it so much they went through it twice.

And here is what the control room looks like.

The best part about the whole thing was the warning sign at the entrance to the sub. I regret not getting a photo of it, but it said something to the effect of “This sub is still operational. Do not touch any controls or levers.”

Everyone had a good time there, then we got in the minivan and drove for an hour and a half – long enough for the younger ones to nap. Stopped for dinner at Culver’s, then drove another hour home.

Thus endeth the vacation.