Ron J
Active member
Last Saturday, April 13, I had made plans to meet a very good friend, Captain Robertson Dinsmore, at his home in Falmouth, and attend the Woods Hole Historical Museums, 9Th Biennial, Model Boat Show. There are 7 exhibit locations around the Town, so you know, there is community participation, and is important to the Town folk. The visit had multiple purposes for me, first to visit the Captain, had not seen him since last year sometime. Two, Captain Dinsmore was presenting me with two of his personal Coast Guard Uniforms, which I collect. Three, Attend the Model Boat Show, with Captain D. and help him if needed, he had 8 different models of various Coast Guard Vessels. Most he had served on!
As it turned out, I became a Participant, with Volunteer Badge and all, for the Show. I have a pretty good knowledge of Coast Guard, CG vessels, and CG Lightships. But I sincerely confess, my knowledge of the subject matter, is the size of a BB rolling down a ten lane highway, compared to Captain D. ! He lived it, Coast Guard, WWII, Weather Patrol, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, and more.... An encyclopedia of knowledge...He is incredible.
During a break between visitors, Capt. D. brought me for a mini tour of the dock behind the WHOI building... This is the location for ALVIN....I had no idea.
Alvin , the deep-sea Submersible, which Bob Ballard found and dove to the TITANIC, amongst other important landmarks in deep sea oceanography. There at the dock, was the WHOI's research vessel, Atlantis. She is 274 ft in length, and one of the newest research vessels. Atlantis is Alvin's transportation and lifeline. I thought it pretty unique to be on that dock... Once I had a few photo's, we entered the rear of the building, which is no doubt an extremely large Shop. Then there it was.. a sign stating, Restricted to Alvin Personnel only... with a couple of peep holes cut in the doors it was mounted too. Of course We peeped through, but you could not distinguish too much... That is where, Alvin is being totally upgraded...I was able to photograph the original sphere, stored outback.. The New Sphere will be able to withstand a lot more pressure, and submerge deeper.
What the Public knows of Alvin, it is a deep sea submersible, with the characteristics of a small Submarine. What you do not see, is Alvin is actually a large Sphere, enclosed in a case or mechanism, enabling lights, camera's and other mechanical devices to be mounted for research and retrieving.. So the sphere you are viewing is the old Alvin, which is the actual personnel carrier. It has been in use since 1964, located a lost Hydrogen Bomb in 1966, and surveying the Titanic in 1986. The U.S. Navy owns Alvin, and the WHOI operates it. If interested search http://www.whoi.edu/main/alvin/upgrade Great Program for sure...
Rj
As it turned out, I became a Participant, with Volunteer Badge and all, for the Show. I have a pretty good knowledge of Coast Guard, CG vessels, and CG Lightships. But I sincerely confess, my knowledge of the subject matter, is the size of a BB rolling down a ten lane highway, compared to Captain D. ! He lived it, Coast Guard, WWII, Weather Patrol, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, and more.... An encyclopedia of knowledge...He is incredible.
During a break between visitors, Capt. D. brought me for a mini tour of the dock behind the WHOI building... This is the location for ALVIN....I had no idea.
Alvin , the deep-sea Submersible, which Bob Ballard found and dove to the TITANIC, amongst other important landmarks in deep sea oceanography. There at the dock, was the WHOI's research vessel, Atlantis. She is 274 ft in length, and one of the newest research vessels. Atlantis is Alvin's transportation and lifeline. I thought it pretty unique to be on that dock... Once I had a few photo's, we entered the rear of the building, which is no doubt an extremely large Shop. Then there it was.. a sign stating, Restricted to Alvin Personnel only... with a couple of peep holes cut in the doors it was mounted too. Of course We peeped through, but you could not distinguish too much... That is where, Alvin is being totally upgraded...I was able to photograph the original sphere, stored outback.. The New Sphere will be able to withstand a lot more pressure, and submerge deeper.
What the Public knows of Alvin, it is a deep sea submersible, with the characteristics of a small Submarine. What you do not see, is Alvin is actually a large Sphere, enclosed in a case or mechanism, enabling lights, camera's and other mechanical devices to be mounted for research and retrieving.. So the sphere you are viewing is the old Alvin, which is the actual personnel carrier. It has been in use since 1964, located a lost Hydrogen Bomb in 1966, and surveying the Titanic in 1986. The U.S. Navy owns Alvin, and the WHOI operates it. If interested search http://www.whoi.edu/main/alvin/upgrade Great Program for sure...
Rj
