Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!att!cbnews!military
From: military@cbnews.ATT.COM (William B. Thacker)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Ships at Norfolk
Message-ID: <8535@cbnews.ATT.COM>
Date: 24 Jul 89 05:14:16 GMT
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 19
Approved: military@att.att.com



From: arpa!att!ncr-sd!ncrlnk!ncrcce!ncrcce.StPaul.NCR.COM!rogers  
Ed Hollinger asks about information on ships at Norfolk Naval Base.  This 
reply may be too late to help him but may interest others.  While traveling
in the area in June, I took a 2 hour sightseeing tour from "Harbor Cruises
at Wharton's Wharf" in Newport News, VA.  This trip brings you past the
ship yard and the naval base.  The new carrier "Abraham Lincoln" is being
fitted out in the ship yard.  Several subs were visible under construction
and at the nuke refueling dock (where there is an interesting barge used
to transport spent fuel).  You also get a nice look at the mothballed liner
"United States" (does it really have aircraft carrier engines originally
meant for the "Forrestal"?).  Of course lots of ships are to be seen at the 
base and the tour boat passes fairly close to them.  The tour guide's commentary
is pretty good - they keep track of which ships are in port and provide more
detailed technical information than you would expect.  I saw one sub in a 
floating drydock; the propeller was covered with a tarp for (I suppose) 
security reasons.   A worthwhile tour for those interested in naval matters
or for anyone looking for a nice excursion.