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Continuing on with our Morro Bay trip I have for you today some doors, and portals from the Morro Bay Maritime Museum. We stopped by the museum while walking back to our car after dinner one evening. We went specifically to see the DSRV-2, Avalon. The museum itself was closed but, the outdoor exhibits are open and one is free to see them and walk around the grounds.
Let’s start with the Door to the Museum-
There’s a mural on the street facing side of the building that depicts the Tug Boat Alma. Alma is famous for rescuing the survivors after a Japanese submarine fired on and sank the Union Oil tanker Montebello on December 23, 1941. The attack occurred 6 miles off shore. The Alma rushed out to search for survivors and picked up 2 lifeboats of full.
The tugboat is on display here as well. I didn’t get full shots of her though.
The boat you see in the background is a United States Coast Guard Surf Rescue Boat. These vessels were built between 1980-1990. These boats are self-bailing and self-righting and were designed for close-in rescue in moderate to heavy sea and surf conditions. This one was decommissioned in the early 2000’s.
DSRV-2 Avalon, DSRV is an acronym for Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle. The Avalon is one of only 2 DSRV’s. The door is really a hatch. I believe it’s located on top of the submersible inside that orange cover.
DSRV-2, Avalon
Here’s a photo of the signage that was in front of it. Scroll to the bottom of this post to read what the signage says.
There was a partial bit of tall ship too. I didn’t get a photo of the signage and have forgotten what it said. Sorry! I’m not sure if this is the Poop Deck or the Forecastle, but it has a canon door! Yes, I think it’s listing a bit.
Just in front of the partial tall ship is a display case housing several Lego builds of seafaring craft by Alex Nelson, age 13 at the time he constructed these.
Per the signage Alex says, ” He first build the Alma which he built from memory when he was 12 years old after visiting the Maritime Museum.
The hardest build was the Avalon. You can not purchase these sets. Alex created them himself.”
Image
There are a few other boats there that I didn’t get photos of. With any luck I’ll get to go back to see more of this museum.
Fun Facts:
“Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle
Launched in July 1972, the Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSVR) Avalon was the second of two identical submersibles. Both DSRV’s were built as a result of the tragic USS Thresher accident in April 1063. The loss of the nuclear submarine Thresher and all crew highlighted the need for the Navy to develop a dependable, rapid deployment, rescue system for downed submarines.
The DSRV vehicles offered a quick response, all-weather capable system for rescuing the crew of a submarine immobilized on the sea floor. Mystic and Avalon are the first submersibles that were designed to be readily transported by land, air, on or beneath the sea. They could operate independently of surface conditions or under ice for rapid response to an accident anywhere in the world with a maximum operating depth of 5000 feet.
After arriving at a rescue site, the DSRV Avalon could dive, locate and attach itself to a disabled submarine (DISSUB). At that point, the DISSUB’s access hatches would open and crew from the DISSUB could enter directly into the DSRV. The DSRV could then detach itself from the submarine and transfer the rescued personnel to the support ship, a specially modified submarine or a surface ship.
The DSRV Avalon was deactivated in 2000 and her sister ship Mystic by 2008. The next generation system, Submarine Rescue Diving and Recompression System (SRDRS), has replaced the DSRV system. Like the DSRV’s, the newer SRDS is based at the Naval Air Station Coronado Island, California, ready to respond in a matter of hours to a submarine emergency in any of the world’s oceans.”
~ Morro Bay Maritime Museum
This post is part of the weekly challenge Thursday Doors hosted by Dan Antion over at https://nofacilities.com/
Head on over there to see more doors from around the world or join the craze and add a door or two of your own. 😊
more to come…
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