Category Archives: Sea Stories

A lawn grows in the desert

Posted on October 9, 2012 by Jim

I bought a rain gauge for my garden a month ago and finally got enough rain to measure: almost two-tenths of an inch. That’s a big deal because Albuquerque averages only 9.4 inches of precipitation a year – compared to … Continue reading →

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The desert Navy

Posted on September 25, 2012 by Jim

I started my Navy career in Albuquerque, New Mexico. People do a doubletake when I tell them that. When I graduated from Officer Candidate School in Newport, RI, the Navy apparently had a bunch of shore billets to fill.  A … Continue reading →

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A flying fish story

Posted on September 1, 2012 by Jim

Flying fish were a common sight when my Navy ship was in the South China Sea. The fish don’t fly so much as glide:  They propel themselves out of the water to escape predators, spread wing-like dorsal fins and glide … Continue reading →

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Psychological warfare

Posted on July 13, 2012 by Jim

Another sea story… My two cruises to Vietnam on a Navy minesweeper consisted of uneventful coastal patrol, boarding and searching fishing junks as part of Operation Market Time to prevent the North Vietnamese from shipping arms and supplies to the … Continue reading →

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Keeping up appearances

Posted on June 17, 2012 by Jim

Another in my series of sea stories that are mostly true. Tradition is important in the Navy, from uniforms to shipboard protocol. The design of the double-breasted dress blue officers’ uniform has not changed significantly in a century or so. … Continue reading →

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Thank you for your service

Posted on May 27, 2012 by Jim

Being a veteran is trendy in New Mexico. When I wear my U.S. Navy Retired ballcap, people walk up to me on the street and thank me for my service. That surprises me every time because veterans of my generation … Continue reading →

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Getting in touch with my inner sailor

Posted on May 22, 2012 by Jim

Nearly all my 25-year career in the Navy, mostly in the reserves, was spent behind a desk. But just as every member of the Army and Marines is a rifleman at heart, every Navyman is a sailor. So it was … Continue reading →

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Anyone for a Mediterranean cruise?

Posted on January 21, 2012 by Jim

I’ve been watching the unfolding story of the Costa Concordia cruise ship disaster and the growing list of ways in which the captain and others screwed up. I have a little experience in things nautical even though I spent more … Continue reading →

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