Bob Granchie
Wow! What a weekend we had in Buffalo. It was really awesome – three huge ships floating on water and not sinking into the lake. Totally amazing: makes me wonder how the heck those large vessels stay afloat, since whenever I get in the water I sink like a rock. Whatever the reason, I’m glad they did stay afloat ‘cause we had a great time spending all night Saturday and most of the next morning investigating just about every nook and cranny there was aboard those ships.
I knew that you would love to hear about the adventure, so I actually kept a diary of the trip just so I wouldn’t forget anything. So without further ado, here are the Pack and Troop exploits at the Buffalo Naval Park campout of 2010.
We started the day at about 11:15 a.m .with a loaded up, 15-passenger rental van. There were only about 10 of us, but we needed the extra room for our gear and our traveling snacks. (The latter, needless to say, took up most of the room.) Our first stop was at a Burger King. But contrary to what you’re probably thinking, we didn’t stop for more food. We actually stopped to pick up another Scout and his dad, then we got more food. (No, I’m just kidding.)
The first legitimate “pause for the cause” came about two hours later when we pulled into a truck stop. Here we filled up the van’s tank and emptied ours. While we were there we bought a whole bunch of merchandise. (Some edible, some not.) My son, Bobby G., found a great deal on some Polo shirts for $2 each and a “cool” vented camouflage safari hat for another $1.50. A few of the others ended up buying some more snack items, as well as some liquid refreshments. Once we were refueled (car and cargo) we continued on our way to the naval yard.
Roy Evan (left) and his son, John Evan, explore one of the ships on the Troop’s weekend adventure in Buffalo.
At about 3:30 we arrived at our destination and proceeded to check in while we waited for the rest of the Pack and Troop to join us since many of them left separately throughout the day. Then at 1630 hours (4:30 p.m. for you non-naval folks) we were led to our sleeping quarters (also known as the berthing area). All 65 of us. In this section of the ship, you’ll find your bunk bed, or as the sailors call it, your rack. Four high with about a 24 inches of separation from one another: nose to derrière. My first thoughts were methane gas rises, so I better get the lowest bunk and I better turn in early before the “chain saw gang” starts their musical nocturnal serenade.
After we settled into our bunks, we were instructed to participate in a fire drill. Not sure why because everything, and I do mean everything, was made out of steel. Even the heads (toilets) were made of steel. (I bethcha that had to be fun during the winter campaigns.) After the fire drill, it was off to the galley (cafeteria). The group was treated to chicken nuggets (also known as seagull fingers) and mashed potatoes, which were actually quite tasty. After dinner we had the chance to explore all three ships at our leisure. Then at 2000 hours there were three movies available to watch. For the little cadets there was “The Incredibles” and for the older sailors there was “The Hunt for Red October” and the Navy documentary about “The Sullivans.” As for my son and I, we just went exploring some more, traversing the many levels of the USS Little Rock, then proceeding from aft to stern on each one. Bobby even located an old ice-cream-making machine. Getting to personally see the medical rooms, the dental rooms and even the brigs was very interesting. Seeing firsthand the barber shops, the post offices and the cramped living quarters made me see the lifestyles of these sailors in a whole different light. It really must have been pretty tough at times.
But even with the lack of space and the less-than-hospitable living conditions, I remember my dad never really complaining about his life aboard a ship. Nor did any of the other World War II and Korean sailors I’ve known. I guess they just made the most of it and enjoyed each other’s company. I suppose when you sleep with a buddy on a rack that’s two-feet above your nose, slop food out of a small galley three times a day and literally work side-by-side for six to 12 months in such a confined area, you get used to each other and some of the other terrible things in the world just don’t matter as much. Perhaps there is a lesson to be learned here. Things aren’t really all that bad, so make the most out of what you have and you’ll enjoy life all the more. Either that or it’s “We’re hundreds of miles out to sea, in the middle of nowhere, so who the heck is going to listen to our complaints anyway?”
That’s about it for day one. I’ll get back with you next week on day two. Hope you all have a great week and are enjoying all that leftover Halloween candy. Try not to eat too much of it. Remember candy does have a long shelf life … so long as it’s on the shelf and out of view. Till next time then, as always, take care and God bless.
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