This was certainly my longest underway, and also my first opportunity to really start learning and qualifying for my job. I got most of the way through 3M and CSOSS quals (needed for doing maintenance, or being useful to my division), and finished a couple basic ones. I got to launch my first bathythermograph, as well as be the one to throw the emitter body over the side... while the XO watched. Did some training another day on the torpedo tubes, and I gave the Sonar ranges brief to the wardroom a couple times. The first time, I felt like my heart was in my throat, but my LPO who came with said I sounded fine. Also, near the end of the cruise, I was finally able to complete my M9 pistol shoot on the flight deck; I qualified, and it was a ton of fun.
In the later part of it I was able to experience "rough seas" for the first time. Once when the waves were up to at least 14 feet, and the wind up to 55mph, I stuck my head outside the port break and observed exactly what heavy seas look, sound and feel like. I was mesmerized by the angry ocean. I just stared... it's exactly like you see in the movies... except it's a real, live, dangerous, frothing, swelling, churning, raging sea, and your life depends upon staying on-board. Down in Sonar, we experienced mini earthquakes as the dome came up out of the water and crashed back down. And on the bridge once for evening prayer, although the outside world was completely dark, I observed white water submerging our bow and splashing on the bridge's windshield. What's neat, was that my husband shared Psalm 89:9 with me in his letter that night (we wrote each other letters over Facebook messages every day), which says: "You rule the raging of the sea. When the waves arise, you still them." I certainly included that with my evening prayer that night. I thought it incredibly cool that it used the same word that first came to mind when I watched.
I saw whales! Not sure exactly what kind, but I think they may have been Fin whales. There were three adults and one calf... and more than once an adult breached, completely out of the water. That was the day I went topside to observe a small boat operation and Man Overboard line-handling. Once we had a real Man Overboard scare... someone saw a life-vest out on the ocean by itself, so we ran the drill like it was real and investigated. I was also able to observe an UNREP (or underway replenishment) from the bridge wings. BM1 didn't want me in harms way, so he sent me up there to watch. I was able to observe what the officers do for safe navigation, and it was pretty interesting. There were also a couple of times where I observed pods of dolphins that seemed to come out of nowhere. They were very noisy on our Sonar... most STGs find them very annoying. There was one time we got to see a surfaced submarine when we were down near Florida... and on the way home we were very near the aircraft carrier USS Eisenhower. I went topside to see them with my own eyes both times... and both times they were very small, far away, and I was nearly blinded with the bright sunshine.This was my first real chance to serve the ship by giving the Evening Prayer every night at 2155, just before Taps. There were two days where I skipped, but otherwise, I climbed the 4 ladders up to the bridge every night, usually with my note cards or my Bible in hand to read a few verses and pray some encouraging words. At first I was very timid of entering the bridge, besides speaking to the entire crew on a microphone. Took me a couple nights to learn to put it right up to my lips... the BMs on watch were very helpful... holding red flashlights for me so I could read, making sure it started on time, and telling me all about the helm on the days I was early. Once I got used to it though, it was a real joy. I had to pick out verses every day, but I knew they would be blessing someone, somehow. And people did randomly encourage me in it.
And weekend Holiday Routine was very fun. It began with pizza and ice cream on Saturday night, then a couple rounds of Bingo to follow it up. My very first game I won a substantial gift card! What fun! I had to run back aft to a space I had never been before to pick it up, but I managed to find it and claim it. They played the game by broadcasting the numbers over the ship's site TV. And Sunday morning was the real plus, if you didn't have the first watch. Two Sundays of the three I was able to sleep in and attend - and co-lead the ship's Divine Service. We had four people total each time, but the one long-time member who came said numbers would swell on deployment. We sang Christmas hymns, prayed, had a devotional and got to know each other better. A refreshing time for sure.
Sonar started out in 3 section duty (5 hours on, 10 hours off), but about half-way, we had another person qualified Sonar Supervisor, so it turned into 4 section (5 hours on, 15 hours off). I was switched to section 4, and our new supervisor was super motivated, so we did a lot of training. I wrote a lot in the Sonar Log, which indicated our location and status every watch at turnover.
For relaxation, I watched a few movies and read 570 pages in a compilation of short mystery stories by Dorthy L Sayers (Lord Peter Wimsey stories). There were a few times that I was able to get brief naps in the Sonar equipment room between watches, and that helped tremendously. And for PT, I worked out a few times on the bicycle just outside the female berthing... although very hot in that little space, it's also very convenient, being just steps away from the shower and my rack.
It's very refreshing to pull back in and get a little time away from the constant humming of the ship.
