Cavalla Video post Hurricane

[Gil Bohannon]

Brian Flynn, Torsk Volunteer, sent me this link to footage of Cavalla and Stewart. Doesnt look good. In the video, scroll up to about 3:15 for the start of the coverage on Cavalla.

Gil

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/media?id=6390952

[Lance Dean]

Hmm link is invalid now. 

[Lance Dean]

OK, go here:

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/video

And choose: "Aerial View of Seawolf Park"

This is what it used to look like:



The Stewart is supposed to be on land.  The news people didn't know I guess.

edit:

New direct link:
http://webapp.abclocal.go.com/ktrk/video?id=6391229

[JTheotonio]

I wonder what they did to prepare both ships for Ike?  Cavalla seems not to have moved, but the video is so small it's hard to tell.  The park does not look good. The Stewart has certainly been moved off its supports.

[Lance Dean]

Well, it looks like the Stewart and Cavalla will need some help, physical and monetary.

An even better excuse to buy one of these shirts:
http://www.submarinemuseums.org/forum/index.php?topic=398.0

Assuming they will still be on sale.  Once the waters recede hopefully I'll hear from Gil Raynor about the shirt sales.

[JTheotonio]

FLASH-01: CASREP ON SEAWOLF PARK IN GALVESTON
Submitted by: Pat Householder Nat Cdr on 9/14/2008
---------------------------------------------------------
The force of Hurricane Ike did major damage at Seawolf Park. 
 
From arial shots, we can see the fence around the park is gone, the grounds flooded, the multi-ton Tautog Sail was moved (pivoted) about 40% if you consider the fulcrum point to be the fwd point of the sail, and the USS Stewart (DE) was undermined on the port side and is listing to port. 
 
The entry and storage buildings are also missing and the USS CARP barrel (alongside the Stewart) is askew.
 
Click the video link below, then advance it to approx the 3 min mark to see the video over views of Seawolf Park.  The announcer describes the Stewart as having washed ashore, but in fact it was planted in the soil as is Cavalla.
 
I sure hope they have good storm insurance, ‘cuz they are going to need it.
 
John McMichael and the Cavalla Assn may need to put a call out for help, both financial and/or physical.  I hope and expect that all subvets who are capable of doing so will answer that call, if it comes.
 
 
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/video?id=6391229

[Lance Dean]

I tried to make a before and after shot of the mess:

[Lance Dean]

Pat's gonna catch it for confusing "port" and "starboard".   

[Darrin]

That was one hell of a storm to move a Destoryer Escort OUT of the dirt and lean her over let alone pitching the USS TAUTOG's sail over to what appears to be on her port fairwater plane.. Damned shame to see that boat scrapped let alone her sail on her side (TAUTOG was in Submarine Squadron 1 when I was in Pearl in the early 90's) Good luck to Master Chief McMichaels and his crew on bringing both ships let alone the sail and a conning tower back into shape after that storm

Darrin

[Paul Farace]

I just hope the CAVALLA has some sort of watertight integrity...  the surge must have put thousands of tons of water over her deck! If the doors to the torpedo rooms were watertight and dogged and the hull penetrations were properly blanked (they cut out all of the air induction pipes years and years ago), then CAVALLA should be OK.  If not, and water is in the people tank, then John will have to use some powerful dewatering pumps and dehumidifiers.  Let's keep our fingers crossed (and with the prayers of the crew), that she's dry.

PF

Maybe, if the STEWART's hull is OK, they might float her again!

[Darrin]

To me IF Stewart's hull is still watertight then it would be easier and cheaper IMHO to dig around her and fill the hole in with water and reset her to where they want and then fill the dirt back in around her. But what the heck do I know

[Lance Dean]

To me IF Stewart's hull is still watertight then it would be easier and cheaper IMHO to dig around her and fill the hole in with water and reset her to where they want and then fill the dirt back in around her. But what the heck do I know

It would take one hell of a hole to float the boat I would think.

[Darrin]

There is an update on Ron's bbs and it shows that BOTH the Stewart and the Cavalla were picked up and moved although the Cavalla is pretty much back to where she was before.. and yes Cavalla is dry inside so they for the most part got lucky as hell in regards to the boat, the museum on the other hand is going to have a long way to go to rebuild after IKE

[Lance Dean]

[Lance Dean]

Received this just now from Jeffrey S. Nilsson, Executive Director of HNSA:

17 September 2008

URGENT                                                                                                 

EXECUTIVE  DIRECTOR  MEMORANDUM 28-08

Subj:    Seawolf Park

1.  This morning, 17 September 2008, I had a very informative telephone conversation with John McMichael, Executive Director of Seawolf  Park, Galveston, TX .  The Park took a pretty good hit from Hurricane Ike. Very briefly, John and Billie are safe and are not injured.  They rode the storm out in San Antonio with their RV. The storm tide was high and the water had the main deck of the Stewart awash. Both of the ships were lifted out of their earth enclosures and moved  a bit.  The Cavalla was buttoned up and suffered no internal damage or leakage and is in pretty good shape.  The Stewart, was also well buttoned up, however,  when the tide receded, the result  was  that  she now  has about a 15 degree list to starboard.   The out buildings and container that they were using for storage are gone.  John is in the process of assessing the total damage, and has his hands full, as you can well imagine.  He has asked me to pass on the above report and asks, that while he knows  you are all interested in their welfare and needs, to please not call  them.  There is no power to the island yet, but when it is restored, he promises to email images and a more complete report of  the storm damage.

2.  I have not had any communication with the USS Texas as of this time so, I am unable to report anything.  It may be some time before they have their power restored as well.

3.  Again, please heed John’s request  and do not call him as he is very busy at this time.
 

Jeffrey S. Nilsson

Executive Director