Submarines (2/2)

USS Blenny reef
World War II - USS Blenny SS-324 - 312 ft, 1,810 tons, 8 knots submerged

Everyone knows what a submarine is - a ship that can go underwater. Hardly needs any explanation. Unless you're in the US Navy. By the Navy definition, only their modern, nuclear-powered boats ( all submarines are called "boats" ) are true submarines, designed to operate beneath the surface almost indefinitely. Anything else is merely a "submersible", tied to the surface by the need for fuel and air. Whatever.

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Shipwreck USS Salmon
Model of the Salmon in the 1970s.
Type:
shipwreck, Sailfish class submarine, U.S. Navy
Built:
1956, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth NH, USA
Specs:
( 350 x 25 ft ) 2530 tons, no crew
Sunk:
Saturday June 5, 1993 - "artificial reef"
GPS:
39°42.2' -72°18.2' (US Navy 2004)
Depth:
360 ft


Submarines

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Diamondback Terrapin

There are few marine reptiles and even fewer in the cold North Atlantic. While it would be possible for a salt-water crocodile to swim up from the Caribbean, there is no record of one ever having done so. Nor are there any of the sea-snakes that are famous in the South Pacific. The only marine reptiles that are encountered in our waters are sea turtles.

The one exception to this is the little Diamondback Terrapin, Malaclemys terrapin. (right) This small turtle ( about 6 inches ) is found only in salt marsh environments. Adults are very strong swimmers and have even been noted in the ocean surf, although I don't think they venture offshore.