Thanks for the insightful observations about Pearl, haven't been there yet, want to go so bad I can taste it. Someday ...
This one?
"South Carolina, a 1165-ton (burden) iron screw steamship built at Boston, Massachusetts in 1860, was purchased by the Navy in May 1861 for Civil War service. She was commissioned later in that month as USS South Carolina and assigned to the Gulf Blockading Squadron. "
Despite the traditional ribbing that takes place between skimmers and bubbleheads, I will confess that more than once I wished I had the good sense to limit my adventures to ships that don't deliberately sink.
At least you guys have a fighting chance if you take a hit. For submarines, it's usually one hit/one kill.
And if your ship sinks, you can always jump off and grab a raft. For submariners, out in the deep blue ocean where it's all too easy to sink below crush depth, the only thing a Stenke hood is good for is protecting your face as you bend over and kiss your sweet arse goodbye.
On the bright, side, the food was great and when we were at depth we didn't have to worry about bobbing around like a cork in the storms. I loved the quiet, smooth ride and the way the boat banked when we turned, like a big underwater airplane.
And getting to wear those loose-fitting poopie suits and our own private tennyrunners was fairly cool, too (multicolored Converse high-tops were quite the fashion in those days). And the A/C was always cranked, which was nice, although the air stank of amine -- one of the most persistent and God-awful smells on Earth, how I miss it so.