Vulcan (AR 5) - Naval Cruise Book

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I MUST GO DOWN TO THE SEAS AGAIN TO THE LONELY SEA AND THE SKY AND ALL I ASK IS A TALL SHIP AND A STAR TO STEER HER BY AND THE WHEEL’S KICK AND THE WINDS SONG AND THE WHITE SAILS SHAKING AND A GREY MIST ON THE SEA’S FACE AND A GREY DAWN BREAKING . .. I MUST GO DOWN TO THE SEAS AGAIN TO THE VAGRANT GYPSY LIFE. TO THE GULL’S WAY AND THE WHALE’S WAY WHERE THE WINDS LIKE A WETTED KNIFE AND ALL I ASK IS A MERRY YARN FROM A LAUGHING FELLOW ROVER. AND A QUIET SLEEP AND A SWEET DREAM WHEN THE LONG TRICK’S OVER ... “SEA FEVER JOHN MASFIELD

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ACROSS THE POND During our transit to the Med VULCAN daily routine switched from a comfortable five section duty week to the daily routine of the “underway blues.” Our journey across the Atlantic Ocean gave us some underway training time and also a break to celebrate the 45th birthday of VULCAN. Fantail picnics gave us some relief from our day to day obligations. On 27 Jun 86 VULCAN entered the “pillars of Hercules” otherwise known as the straits of Gibraltar. Here lies the cradle of western civilization and also the home of the mighty U.S. Sixth Fleet.

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