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  4. SAIPAN, 2013

SEPTEMBER 30, 2013: READINESS plus COW TOWN BUNKER AND SPOTLIGHT CAVE SKYLIGHT

A trip out to one of our readiness ships, and then some hiking along the northern shore of Saipan.
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The U. S. military has several "readiness ships" stationed world wide and stuffed full of Humvees, tanks, and all sorts of heavy military equipment. They are ready to set sail at a moments notice in case of need to deliver the equipment to an area of hostilities. Saipan often has between 3 and 6 of these ships anchored just outside our lagoon (where I can see them out my front window). The fleet of ferries you see here provide the transport to and from the readiness ships.<br /> <br /> Glad you have chosen to come and join us! Feel free to leave comments (see the Add Comment button to your lower left {you may have to scroll down slightly to access it}).
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The U. S. military has several "readiness ships" stationed world wide and stuffed full of Humvees, tanks, and all sorts of heavy military equipment. They are ready to set sail at a moments notice in case of need to deliver the equipment to an area of hostilities. Saipan often has between 3 and 6 of these ships anchored just outside our lagoon (where I can see them out my front window). The fleet of ferries you see here provide the transport to and from the readiness ships.

Glad you have chosen to come and join us! Feel free to leave comments (see the Add Comment button to your lower left {you may have to scroll down slightly to access it}).

ferries

  • The U. S. military has several "readiness ships" stationed world wide and stuffed full of Humvees, tanks, and all sorts of heavy military equipment. They are ready to set sail at a moments notice in case of need to deliver the equipment to an area of hostilities. Saipan often has between 3 and 6 of these ships anchored just outside our lagoon (where I can see them out my front window). The fleet of ferries you see here provide the transport to and from the readiness ships.<br /> <br /> Glad you have chosen to come and join us! Feel free to leave comments (see the Add Comment button to your lower left {you may have to scroll down slightly to access it}).
  • I have wanted to tour one of the readiness ships since I first moved out here. I've met folks who work on them who have told me they would get me on, but then I never heard from them again. Thanks to Chris and Ryan here, I met some just a few days ago, and the Captain of the Charlton called me and invited me (and Chris and Ryan) out! Here Chris is making some last minute calls because the ferry boat captain wasn't so sure that he was supposed to take us out.
  • As you can see, all turned out great, and we were soon relaxing aboard the ferry on our way out of the Lagoon.
  • Managaha in the background.
  • Saipan in the background. You can also see a couple of the readiness ships anchored off shore. It's difficult to tell from this photo, but those ships are quite a ways off shore and are HUGE!
  • The ferry captain made me promise to not take photos as we approached the ship. Also, I was not allowed to take any photos from the hold. However, as you can see, I was able to get some shots from the deck. Here Chris and Ryan hold onto the anchor chain. These two are professional illusionists who put on an excellent show here on Saipan, where they escape from chains in a couple of their acts. I think this chain may give them a bit of a challenge, however.
  • Looking down the anchor tube.
  • I don't think I would be wanting to stand here while this chain was dropping anchor.
  • Beneath us are at least 5 decks, with a total "parking" area equivalent to that of 8 American football fields, totally loaded with vehicle after vehicle after vehicle -- and ready to be deployed at any time. The cranes you see can be used to lift items out of the hold, or can move a huge off-ramp into position so that the vehicles can be driven off.
  • Here is the ramp. Several tons of steel. The ramp as it is right now is so near the rated capacity of the cranes that another coat of paint would put it over the safe operating weight limit.
  • There are 2 sets of tandem cranes, one set visible in the background here and one partially visible to your right. Scott, here in the foreground (to your left) has (among other things) the responsibility of communicating with the crane operators whenever the ramp is deployed. If I understood correctly, the crane operators can't always see where things need to go, so Scott informs them by radio "Crane one to your left, Crane two raise higher," etc., etc. In some places there is about a foot of clearance in maneuvering this ramp and placing it into position.
  • In the bridge.
  • Untitled photo
  • Reminds me of all the old Navy war movies where the commanders and other decision makers gather around the chart table to plot out the plans of attack.
  • Back down on the platform (I'm not sure what it's called) to await the ferry.
  • Because the captain of the first ferry had asked me to not take photos approaching, I asked one of the ship staff if it was OK to take them here as we departed. Boarding the ship, and getting back onto the ferry for that matter, takes a bit of coordination, because the ferry is constantly raising and lowering alongside the ship. One has to time his steps just right. For instance, when boarding the ship, one has to wait until the ferry is at a HIGH point, then grab the ladder (it could cause considerable problem if one got onto the ladder at a low point and then the ferry rose and knocked the person off -- or worse). Not really that difficult, but just something I hadn't experienced before.
  • And here comes Captain Kathleen.
  • Goodbye Charlton!
  • Back at the ferry dock.
  • Then we took a little hike down to the Japanese bunker near Cow Town. Kathleen looked this place up in a book of hers, and I believe that the name is Parrotfish Lagoon. You can see the bunker behind Steven.
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