Picture the scene now at Todd Pacific Shipyards. The Bremerton-based USS Rainier is a ship out of water, literally up on blocks in dry dock. It's uninhabitable, so about half of the 430 men and women who make up the ship's crew commute between here and Bremerton each day, rising as early as 3 a.m. The remaining half, who don't have families locally, live on a berthing barge near the ship. The Rainier is normally their home, but home is a complete mess these days.
Sailors have to negotiate around all manner of cables, hoses, piping and machinery.
ATMs and similar equipment are shut down and covered up to avoid damage. And there's that noise - an ongoing symphony of grinding, hissing, pounding, rushing and whirring. Hard hats and safety glasses are a must. And normal jobs are disrupted, though in many cases those everyday tasks still need to be done. Several sailors quickly agree they'll be glad when the nine-week maintenance period ends just before Thanksgiving.