Visited the USS Wisconsin today

[Psycodiver]

Was on vacation with my son and wife at Virginia Beach and on our way home we decided to hit up the USS Wisconsin on the way out, unfortunately it started raining right before I got there (on top of that I forgot to pack my good camera so I was stuck with cell phone pictures). That said comparing the USS North Carolina to the USS Wisconsin and their both really different experiences, the NC is pure battleship was the Wisky has a really nice naval museum that is centered around not just the Navy but civilian navy also. The Wisky has less to see, they are still working on the ship apparently and recently opened up the engine area to the public while the NC you can go nearly anywhere. Also the Wisky is sooo much bigger feeling than the NC. This is starting to be a yearly thing for us, last year we visited the NC, this year the Wisky, next year we plan to go to my home state NJ for vacation so might as well stop by and see the NJ in Camden. Heres a couple pictures and the rest out in this album:

 

[Captain_Dorja]

I used to live really close to there, and also when I was going to Maine Maritime Academy, the Training Ship State of Maine made a port call in Norfolk, and we tied up right next to Wisconsin at Nauticus. Nauticus is pretty cool for sure. Part of why there isn't as much available aboard Wisconsin herself, as far as spaces open to the public, is because the ship was still required to be left unmodified until pretty recently. When I was aboard her in 2008, she was already decommissioned and had been for like 20 years or something, and she was struck from the naval register, and I don't think she was even in any reserve state anymore either, but was still required to be unmodified and able to be reactivated. When I was there, only the main deck was open. Everything else was secured. It was a bit disappointing, but oh well.

[Doomlock]

I have visited WisKy, she is quite the experience. I highly enjoyed my time aboard the old girl, she still has such a power to her, despite her being inactive.

 

Great pictures! 

[Kitsunelegend]

If you do go and visit the USS NJ, make sure to also visit the USS Olympia and USS Becuna right across the river. (And check out the Independence seaport museum as well!) They both need help, especially the Olympia and are an AWESOME experience! =D

 

Also, hopefully next year in June I'll be able to visit the NJ myself. I got to go aboard the Olympia just this past June, and it was one hell of a time! ^-^

[Yoshiblue]

Never would have thought a shell would have been as a heavy as a type 1 beetle.  

[AquaSquirrel]

I've been twice, I was on a school trip to see her ages ago then went back last summer when they started to open more of the ship up.

Incredible machinery, I've always wanted to see the NC as well but that's a drive I haven't had time to make yet.