I learned something about myself during a tour of the USS Torsk, a Tench-class submarine that saw a lot of action in the Pacific during World War II. I have become claustrophobic in my old age. There was only about 10 of us in the ship while I was touring, and that seemed overwhelming. I can’t imagine living in that ~311′ x 27′ space for six months with 80 other people. Thinking about it now, sitting at my desk, I’m beginning to hyperventilate.
Called the Galloping Ghost of the Japanese Coast, the Torsk is credited with making 10,600 dives and sinking three Japanese ships, including the last one to be torpedoed before peace was declared. It now sits in Baltimore Harbor, one of a quartet of museum ships that make up the Historic Ships of Baltimore.
I, at times, struggle with claustrophobia too. I was really anxious about getting into those pod things that take you to the top of the St. Louis Arch (they are so cramped and I am only 5’3″!), but in the end I was glad I went. I hope it is something that you can manage and doesn’t keep your from exploring!
I’m okay with it so far. Just a tiny bit of anxiety, but I can force myself to do things. Thanks for the warning about the St. Louis Arch pod, though. I’ll have to psych myself up for that one.
It does sound interesting though, and the website for the historic ships is good. Did you get to the visit the others?
I like ships but I’ve never been on a sub. Not sure I would either for the same reason. I don’t use lifts. I can get claustrophobic in the fresh air if there are lots of people milling around. I think things do get worse as we age though. My vertigo was very bad a couple of years back, although that seems to have calmed down. As a kid I would climb all over the place, playing on rooves, in trees, whatever. My misery parents changed the bedroom window so I couldn’t climb out and chopped off the tree branches so I couldn’t climb up.
I got to visit one more: the USS Constellation. There’ll be a post on it in the next day or so.
I avoid elevators myself. I tell myself that its because walking up stairs is better for me, but it’s really because I don’t want to be stuck in the tiny box pulled on a string. I agree that things are getting worse as I get older. I was fearless when I was young. Now I have all sorts of neuroses. Too funny, about your parents and the trees.
It does sound rather overwhelming. I’m of opinion it takes a special sort of person to serve on a sub. Eighty people? So many different personalities thrown together and confined in limited space (sounds like the Age of Sail) – I’m not claustrophobic but that would probably make me one.
I agree that it takes a very special person to serve on a sub. It’s not only being in that confined space, but also being underwater for months at a time.