Finding myself in the path of a Submarine that was not “there” a minute ago.

[Rough Magic]

I had a simular experience entering San Diego at about 2am a few years back. I was on the helm, clear night, watching for other sailboats returning from the N2E race. We were all going to the customs dock at Shelter Island. One minute there was nothing, the next a dark something, that grew into a big dark something coming up fast. As the sub base was on the port side, we steered to starboard side of the channel. At night, distance is really had to judge, but she passed close, but safely. We never saw any lights, though they use a flashing single yellow light. Unforgettable.

[SVOddity]

Lol guys, my channel just exploded, getting blips on my phone and view count stuck. what did ya all do ? I'm gonna have to hide from the world now. I'm gonna have the Dutch embassador complain to Boris that they were not close and they did pop smoke, from a pack of lucky strike they passed around the conning tower.

[SouthernPride]

Kings bay, Georgia, USA
More subs in and out of there than whales on migration. Sometimes you will 2 a day. We are considered collateral damage... Lol

[SVOddity]

Originally Posted by S/V Alchemy

That was interesting and got posted to my Facebook page. Join the Navy and see the world. Join the RYA and the world surfaces in front of you.

Lol youre to blame then. But yeah it was kinda surreal the whole experience. Not something you have happen everyday. We were on the lookout for the Carrier the whole time. Instead we got a sub lol

I like that slogan, RYA for ever!

[SVOddity]

Originally Posted by SouthernPride

Kings bay, Georgia, USA
More subs in and out of there than whales on migration. Sometimes you will 2 a day. We are considered collateral damage... Lol

No one said a Peep. We did know we were in the channel but c'mon there was no traffic in sight anywhere and if there was an active exclusion zone the escorts could have said something. We almost lost a bucket and a fender

[CFS Klopas]

Originally Posted by taxwizz

Subs think that they own the world and everyone better know that they are around and get out of the way.

My understanding of submariners is that they take pride in surface ships NOT knowing where they are. A yacht detecting a submarine should be a court martial offemse!

[SVOddity]

Originally Posted by Rough Magic

I had a simular experience entering San Diego at about 2am a few years back. I was on the helm, clear night, watching for other sailboats returning from the N2E race. We were all going to the customs dock at Shelter Island. One minute there was nothing, the next a dark something, that grew into a big dark something coming up fast. As the sub base was on the port side, we steered to starboard side of the channel. At night, distance is really had to judge, but she passed close, but safely. We never saw any lights, though they use a flashing single yellow light. Unforgettable.

Yeah it's freaky and surreal I'm glad I had my phone on me, I ALWAYS keep it in my bag when sailing. The Images do NOT do it justice.

[hellosailor]

Maybe in today's Navy, you know with triplicate paperwork having to be filed to explain the expenditure of any "munitions" or other costly stuff...(hmmm)....at least that one had the courtesy and skill to take a look around before popping the whole boat up.

Many years ago, I saw (an obviously conventional) submarine heading north under the Brooklyn Bridge. First and last one I ever saw actually under power in NY harbor. But in those days the bridge still had signs posted warning that you would be arrested and prosecuted if you tried to take any photos of the Navy Yard, too.

Unicorns.

[SVOddity]

Yah it's a bit like seeing a Unicorn. I have seen most mammals in the sea, fish that are common, boats of every kind, even a lunatic far out at sea on a crocodile floatie that I had to tow. But seeing the sub kind of beats it all. I'm just sorry I missed the surface manoeuvre. I would have loved to have seen it.
I got bragging rights today at the marina I’m at. I had this old geezer come up to me and say, he was sad, I now can beat his fishing stories hands down. Lol

[boatman1]

1976, sailing into Charleston, SC after an all nighter from Cape Fear, probably five miles from the inlet, dawn and out of the corner of my right eye a big black mofo going like a bat outta hell. No flare, no smoke: one minute just me, awfully tired afrer an all nighter(no self steering in those pauper days), next moment a big fast nuke maybe two hundred yards on my starboard quarter. Three or four guys on the conning tower waving "good morning": me wondering if it was a dream. They are sinister objects.:

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by john61ct

Crewing eights in a regatta on the Thames in Connecticut, nuclear subs from Groton used to surface right under us all the time.

Kept the coxswain on her toes!

Having been on submarine duty out of Groton knowing that it took hours to get out to the dive point, I call BULL!

IMO

[SVOddity]

Originally Posted by boatman1

1976, sailing into Charleston, SC after an all nighter from Cape Fear, probably five miles from the inlet, dawn and out of the corner of my right eye a big black mofo going like a bat outta hell. No flare, no smoke: one minute just me, awfully tired afrer an all nighter(no self steering in those pauper days), next moment a big fast nuke maybe two hundred yards on my starboard quarter. Three or four guys on the conning tower waving "good morning": me wondering if it was a dream. They are sinister objects.:

I second that. They do indeed seem rather sinister. And yeah I been there tired to a point youre no longer sure if youre alucinating.

[Bundyon]

Haha, I could just picture the Skipper & Watchkeepers in the Control room of that Boat, they would have seen you on Periscope & Sonar before they blew their tanks & surfaced. The Skipper would have had a good chuckle & probably told his control room; "We will give these Yachties a little wake up call Lol"
The Dutch Submariners I have met over the years have had a good sense of humour. As a matter of fact Submariners the world over have a damn good sense of humour until it get's serious!!
I can't vouch for the Dutch Navy's protocol, but I do know that in the Aussie Submarine arm, we never had an escort in or out of Sydney Harbour. If we sailed out of Sydney Harbour on the weekends we would sometimes strike the 18'footers out sailing, sometimes we had to push them off our tanks, as they would be yelling ; "Power gives way to Sail!!" Yeah, like we could manouvre out of your way dickhead!
Many funny incidents over my 20 years in Boats, We surfaced reasonably close to the Sydney Coast once very close to a small runabout with their crew enjoying a fish and a beer. Our Skipper reckons they Shat themselves, beers going everywhere. Gave us all a good laugh down in the Control room. The guy's in the runabout couldn't get get out of the area quick enough.
DBF.

[alansmith]

In the Navy there are two types of ships. There are submarines. The others are targets.

[SVOddity]

I must admit it was rather funny, that they snuck up on ME ???. C'mon no one does. I'll have to buy them a beer next time.
Dutch Navy v Small sailboat = we ALMOST won.

By far that was the most complete day of sailing I ever had. I have been in some “seas”. We had snow, we had rain, we had wind, we had sun, and we actually had a load of fun sailing and NOTHING broke and we had food snacks and coffee. Then we topped it with a Submarine in our tail.