# I'm at sea. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 13, 2002, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-at-sea/103421 "2002-04-13T10:02:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Stentor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d2c977/32.png) [@Stentor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stentor)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2002, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-at-sea/103421/1 "2002-04-13T10:02:30Z")
After boot camp, and a year of additional technical training, not to mention a month in the yards, I’m finally haze gray and underway. Anyone else out there been to sea? ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2002, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-at-sea/103421/2 "2002-04-13T11:11:36Z")
For some reason, this thread title brought to mind a scene from _Overboard_, where Grant is staring bug-eyed straight ahead, and saying, “We’re at sea, and I’m a god at sea.” ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2002, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-at-sea/103421/3 "2002-04-13T11:16:45Z")
I did 7 days on the USS Pelileu in February (from Pearl Harbor to Camp Pendleton, CA). I must admit it had it’s drawbacks but overall it was the experience of a lifetime. Of course, this is from a civilians point of view, I could imagine liking it alot less if I was one of those Marines that had been there for 7 months. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2002, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-at-sea/103421/4 "2002-04-13T11:56:29Z")
Spent 4 years in the Navy in the late 70’s. Went to sea for exactly 20 days, we went to Matzalan and Acupulco. One of the advantages of being stationed on a submarine tender. Kind of wish I could have seen more of the world. You are going to learn to eat powdered eggs, canned milk, and mystery meat patties. Have fun!!! ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2002, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-at-sea/103421/5 "2002-04-13T16:23:05Z")
I spent 3 years on a destroyer based in Norfolk VA. Enjoyed being underway; was less pleased with life on a ship that’s not moving. But definitely a worthwhile experience overall. One specific regret concerns a hobby I took up much later – birdwatching. What an idiot I was to have all sorts of chances to see pelagic (= far from land) birds, and to have paid exactly zero attention to them. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2002, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-at-sea/103421/6 "2002-04-13T23:53:34Z")
I’ve worked on a freighter on the Great Lakes. Nice scenery thanks to the frequent stops. ---
**Author:** ![Geobabe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/geobabe/32/3908_2.png) [@Geobabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geobabe)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2002, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-at-sea/103421/7 "2002-04-14T01:20:01Z")
Did 3-1/2 years aboard the USS Cape Cod (AD-43)–a ship that is, sadly, decommissioned now. Did two Westpacs, along with various shorter underway periods. Every now and then, I get nostalgic for Navy life. Some of the best and worst times of my life. The downside of having been stationed on a tender was that during deployments, you spend a lot of time sitting in one place so as to be available for services. The first Westpac included four months in port in Yokosuka, Japan and the second, 3 months anchored 11 miles off the coats of Muscat, Oman. But we did manage to squeeze in some port visits here and there. Beppu, Japan; Pusan, Korea; Pattaya Beach, Thailand (Oh BOY, did I have some good times there!), Singapore, Hong Kong, The Philippines (I almost cried when they shut down Subic), Hawaii…fun times. I also loved watching sunsets at sea. Nothing in between you and the horizon, it’s really beautiful. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2002, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-at-sea/103421/8 "2002-04-15T02:11:47Z")
One month aboard the USS John Rogers, DD-983, and seven aboard the mighty might USS Saipan, LHA-2, with several thousand of my closest friends. For a ground pounding Jarhead like I was, it was an experience. Enjoy the absolutely black nights, the huge moon, the sunsets, and the sight of land every once in a while. You’ll remember it forever.