USS Enterprise

We had a wonderful opportunity that we couldn't pass up this last weekend. We got to go on a tour of the first nuclear aircraft carrier and the 2nd oldest ship in the Navy, the USS Enterprise. Being in the Army we have never had that kind of opportunity- that is before Rob got into this joint schooling. You have to know someone on the ships to take you on board. We didn't know anyone, but Rob asked one of the guys in the class. He knew someone who asked someone to do it for us. She was very accommodating and took us all over the carrier. In fact she took 2 1/2 hours to tour us around everywhere. Since they were about to put out to sea, everyone had been given the weekend off and so we got to see a lot more than normal, I think. When we were told about the tour, we were told "no camera's", so we didn't bring one on board. Everyone on board thought that was all silliness and kept saying "you should have brought your camera. That would have made a great picture!" Double Dern-it (as Max says!) Everyone got to "drive" the ship and sit in the Captain's chair. We got to eat cake in the Officer's Mess and run all over the flight deck. I had them show us the infirmary. We saw the anchor room and Joseph did the unthinkable and walked on the chain. We all tried to lift one of the links- they weigh 350 pounds each. Rob was the only one that could move it. We took a little rest on the Captain's private balcony and played with the charts and computers in the control room. The Lt. was very good to ask people who worked at each place to tell us about it, since she wasn't an expert at them all. This made the tour much more informative and interesting! Everyone had a great time. Joseph shook the Lt. hand at the end and said, "thank you for the cake!" Of course that was the best part of the whole tour for Joseph! She says she can now get us a tour on the newest aircraft carrier- the USS Bush. We are so excited!