Big E Tiger Cruise - Day 2

Sorry for delay in getting to this, but my sailor's only internet after we returned was his phone & not good typing on it.

Awake at 4:15 am to get packed up breakfast & try to catch the 1st shuttle out. 5:15 am the 1st shuttle filled up fast missed it, but got the second one about 5 minutes later.  The people organizing this did an excellent job.  For future Tigers, have you sailor get you the list of hotels on their list to be able to take advantage of the free shuttle service, it was a 15 passenger van, but you go right through security straight to the ship.  Great job from those Sailors.  This is what we drive up to:

Big E in the morning.JPG.  Get through security check.  Now on the tent to wait on my sailor.  After a text message, he comes out to get me.  Words cannot explain the happiness I had getting a bear hug from my sailor, Heath.  It has been a year since we had seen each other. We stood there for a while then off to registration.  Met his DVO - Ms. Olsen.  Everything in tact got my lanyard and name badge then off to the Big E.  We go straight to his berthing to put my luggage up then off to the photo lab.  Heath at Desk.JPG

Heath is a Mass Communication  Specialist PO3.  I have a new respect for his work.  More on this later, but what these sailors do is just as important as a plane mechanic, or engine guys.  They document the history & activites during the deployment.  They are pretty much are allowed to go almost to all locations & get to see alot of the ship. I get introduced to some the sailors in the lab then off to start exploring the ship.  We were not planned to depart until 12:45 pm, so we had about 7 hours to kill.  I got there early just to be with my sailor.

We go back up to the hanger bay to see more tigers checking in:Tiger check-in.JPG

We go up two levels to take this photo, looking towards the bow of the ship: Hanger bay1.JPG.  Pictures are encouraged, bring it & keep it on you at all times.  The size of this ship is just unbelievable.  I know it is the largest ship in the Navy, but still it is huge, especially walking so much of it. After this, my son just starts walking, I just follow like a puppy,  1st place he takes me is here:Chapel.JPG.  Very nice stained glass, notice the carrier in the glass. 

We go out to the flight deck, sun is starting to come up:Deck1.JPG  We walk the whole flight deck looking at planes, it was not fully loaded, the Prowlers had already left, the carrier just had about 15-20 airplanes & Helicopters on board.  Heath got a call, I think from his mom back home:Heath on Deck.JPG.  Plenty to see on the flight deck, morning weather was perfect. We continue to walk around and taking pictures of the other ships in port.  I was just awe struck being there taking the pictures. Two of the other ships were going out the same time on there Tiger Cruise -  USS James E. Williams & the USS Nitze.  We spent some time together with them on Friday & Saturday. But we all had our own schedule of events.