Correct. She was seriously in need of one. Now if we can save Olympia all will be well. EDIT News article
Holy cow! $9 million and two years?!? When the USS Pampanito got a bottom job a couple of years ago, it cost much less than that and she was only gone a couple of months. 'Course, she was much smaller, and may have been in better shape. Glad she made it home OK. Carl
Anachronus, since you mentioned the Olympia, Here is the latest info I have found about her. Our club had made a trip to walk her decks back in 2010. Maybe we should try to get a number of the clubs to make the trip on over. Pete Richards and the South Carolina Olympia Committee have embarked on a remarkable project with significance not only for the nation but also for our hometown of Beaufort. You just don't get a second chance to preserve history in this manner with such an incredible artifact as the USS Olympia -- Adm. George Dewey's flagship. Admittedly, this is a big project in terms of Beaufort, and chances of raising the needed money from local coffers is remote. But -- and this is a big but -- there are major players on the national scene, along with a significant slice of American history at risk, and things could develop. By encouraging Pete Richards and his committee, we remain in the game to be the proud custodians of this important piece of history. A little bit of support from our community could have a big payoff. This is a unique and inspiring artifact of the Spanish American War, which relates directly to Port Royal and Beaufort. We might ask ourselves: Will the nation turn its back? Have a closer look at www.scolympia.org. Read more here: http://www.islandpacket.com/2011/12/16/1897636/save-battle-cruiser-olympia-for.html#storylink=cpy
Well said. I like the idea of keeping her in a dry-dock of the same vintage. Assuming she would survive the trip of course. Thanks for the information.
I know that we are gettin goff topic. But the Olympia is special to me. Not only have I walked her decks, but the last time I went to the Philippines, I sailed in manilla bay, saw the mast from one of the Spanish ships. ( I did the tour of Corregidor Island. The mast is used as a flag pole there. A number of photos have been taken of MacArthur and that flag pole.) On my trip to corregidor, the tour guide talked about the sea battle that took place, then I pulled out my photos of the Olympia and showed them to the tour guide. Oh Dear, having another 'what if' moment. .. To have a fully restored Olympia, sail into Manilla bay on the anniversary of when Commodore Dewey uttered his line: "You may fire when you are ready, Gridley". I would love to be there to see that!
After you win the $250mill Powerball and build a super cool battling pond you should have enough money to restore it yourself.
