That Sinking Feeling: Adventures in ADHD and Ship Salvage is about my son’s ADHD seen through the lens of my Dad’s ship salvage career. It’s peppered with stories and insights from interviews with parents whose kids have ADHD and from individuals who have ADHD themselves. Episode Seven: Field Trips and Sunken Ships is a bonus episode. The ship discussed in the episode is the USS Guitarro (SSN-665), a Sturgeon-class submarine.
Read the Episode 7 Transcript
The salvage job in Episode Seven features the Mare Island Naval Shipyard. I thought a map might be of interest to listeners! This is a map of the larger San Francisco Bay Area. The large bay seen here is San Pablo Bay. Mare Island sits just North East of San Francisco (which is just south of Sausalito). The Guitarro sank in the Napa River which runs between Mare Island and the City of Vallejo.
The Guitarro entering the Napa River, 27 July 1968 at Mare Island. USN photo
The Guitarro on the bottom of the Napa River. Only her sail was visible above the water. The sail of a submarine is the tower-like structure on the topside of the sub. Above the water’s surface, the sail serves as an observation platform. It’s also where sailors enter and exit the sub. Under water, the sail acts as a vertical stabilizer. USN photo
The lack of fatalities gave comedians carte blanche to poke fun at the sinking. Humor columnist Dick West wondered if President Nixon might “order that all nuclear subs in naval shipyards be equipped with water wings.”
The TV show, Laugh-in, roasted the shipyard with their “Flying Fickle Finger of Fate” award. The Guitarro bit begins at the 28:40 minute mark.
During my visit to the Mare Island Brewing Company we spoke with one of the brewery’s founders about the Mud Puppy Brown Ale and
the Guitarro. Although the cans I’m holding say Mud Puppy Brown Ale, they sadly are filled with water. Maybe it’ll be in rotation during my next visit.
In the end credits I mentioned that my father included a chapter on the Guitarro in his 1970 book, U.S. Navy Ship Salvage Manual. Volume II: Submarine Salvage. You can read a PDF of the book online. The Guitarro job is chapter I (as in the 9th letter of the alphabet) and is towards the very end of the book.
Music Credits:
D-AC
Music by Moby
Autumn Relaxing Piano MusicCold October Soft Piano Music
Music by Clavier, from Pixabay
Inspirational Documentary Cinematic Piano
Music by Onoychenko_music, from Pixabay
Sad Scene Piano Music
Music by WELC0MEИ0, from Pixabay
Inspirational Documentary Cinematic Piano
Music by Onoychenko_music, from Pixabay
AMBIENT PIANO x RELAXING
Music by blackpybeats, from Pixabay
FlintHealing Is Messy
Orchestral Questions
Say Thanks to Brother
Modern Orchestra Santa Rita
It’s Always Something
Music by Jacob Bloomfield-Misrach