Storyboard - Muskegon, Michigan / USS SIlversides - 7/24/2011

Ahhhh, yes, wonderful Muskegon, Michigan, the furthest northern destination during our recent trip to the north. Like many of its larger coastal neighbors, Muskegeon is a city ruled mostly by water and the pictures from that day reflect a bit of aquatic ennui with the whole wave-tossed shoreline concept. The primary photographic survivors from that day are from the USS Silversides, struck from the Naval register in 1969 and serving as a tourist attraction in Chicago in the 80s and currently residing in Muskegeon.

Anyway, enough random background and on with the photos.

The "bloody sea birds" as Monty Python might say are almost too accustomed to the presence of humans. They sit quietly and wait for you to take their pictures despite the quite real possibility that their souls are being stolen in the process.

From Muskegon, MI 7-24-2011

OK, so I apparently lied a little bit. All these pictures aren't from the Silversides. After watching the sun set at "Captain Jack's", local salty purveyor of fine spirits of a distilled and generally happy nature, we wandered out into the inky darkness to see what we could possibly find to look at. As it turns out, dockside night photographic opportunities are far from shabby. The U.S. Coast Guard completely failed to kick us out of their domain during our visit.

From Muskegon, MI 7-24-2011

The southern lighthouse, taken at 13s exposure, makes an eerie subject. Just wish I'd bothered to actually drag my tripod out rather than having to snap ridiculous pictures with the camera resting on the ground.

From Muskegon, MI 7-24-2011

Ah yes, and now it's the light of day and the Silversides. I won't bore you with stats. If you want them, that's what Wikipedia is for.

From Muskegon, MI 7-24-2011

I like this one only because of the bubbly green glass of the light in the extreme foreground. It's an odd contrast.

From Muskegon, MI 7-24-2011

Texturally interesting, I suppose. Not quite enough to inspire me to a massive stint of photographing just for visual tactility.

From Muskegon, MI 7-24-2011

Leaving the glorious light of day, we enter the depressing bowels of the beast. I just stepped through the hatch and I have a sense of foreboding.

From Muskegon, MI 7-24-2011

I love the play of shadows on the various curved surfaces.

From Muskegon, MI 7-24-2011

Some sense of the close quarters aboard ship. I'm fairly certain I would not want to wake up to such a view, especially given that the torpedo tubes would be literally at my feet and I'd be a very short trip from bunk to open sea in a loud WHOOSHING sound.

From Muskegon, MI 7-24-2011

This is the point where one realizes that the lighting on board, despite requiring 1/10 of a second shutter speeds, is probably many times brighter than it would be when the ship is in service. This dull red beacon probably gives some indication of the real lighting circumstances.

From Muskegon, MI 7-24-2011

Yes, the S is missing but I SWEAR it wasn't me.

From Muskegon, MI 7-24-2011

I wonder if the windings on the wheel are standard issue or an addition of the crew?

From Muskegon, MI 7-24-2011

Must admit to being fairly struck by these copper conduits leading who knows where.

From Muskegon, MI 7-24-2011

All in all, the place makes one feel more than a bit claustrophobic and the iron grates over most of the exits don't do much to assuage that feeling.

From Muskegon, MI 7-24-2011

Controls so simple that even the military can't screw them up. Stop. Start. Run. Easy enough.

From Muskegon, MI 7-24-2011

Alright, well that's enough of that. You get the idea. The day did serve to teach me that Laura is a huge fan of the submariners and I was not denied some fairly unique photographic opportunities. 'twas a day carved from the bleached bones of naughty angels, to coin a phrase.