Water, water everywhere . . .

5-9-2015

I grew up in central Massachusetts.   My backyard was an urban lake (Indian lake in Worcester).   Winters were spent iceskating, summers swimming and boating.   Water, water everywhere . . .   I now live in the Bay area of Northern California.   In case you haven’t heard, we are in year four of an historic drought   –   apparently the worst in 1,200 years.   Gov. Brown has been trying to stay ahead of the curve on this problem, and now we have moved from “voluntary conservation” to “mandatory conservation.”   There are plans for more water tunnels and desalination plants, among other things.

“Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink…” Remember reading Samuel Coleridge’s Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner ?   The Boston, as did the other navy ships, made their own “fresh” water by evaporative desalination tanks on board.

From the Welcome Aboard booklet:

The men were encouraged, whenever possible, to wash their uniforms in salt water.                           Bob Knight (from Baked Beans, Vol. 1):   “Much of our laundry was done by tying our uniforms into a ball and throwing it on a line over the sides.   You’d have to be sure it was secure, otherwise your uniform was out to sea!   After a while you’d pull it up and dry it on the deck.”

steve