The other day, I was looking through some uncatalogued pictures from our 2013 visit to the USS Hornet in Alameda, California. I’ve never done anything with them, so I thought it would be a good idea to show some of them here.*

The Hornet is an Essex-class carrier that was built in 1943 and saw a lot of wartime action and several modernizing refits before being decommissioned in 1970. In addition to its war service, the ship was also used to recover the Apollo 11 and Apollo 12 astronauts in 1969. The ship was opened as a museum ship in 1998.

Sun, August 29th

Afternoon Walk: 7.19 miles. More uphill sprints, but no canine companions this time, unfortunately.

Mon, August 30th

• Morning Walk: 3.28 miles.
• (Morning) Captains of Crush Gripper (Trainer, 100 lbs.):
  • (Set 1): Left = 4 mm x 5 reps, Right = Closed x 3 + 2 reps
  • (Set 2): Left = 4 mm x 5 reps, Right = 2mm x 5 reps
  • (Set 3): Left = 4 mm x 5 reps, Right = 2mm x 5 reps
  • (Set 4): Left = 4 mm x 5 reps, Right = 2mm x 5 reps
• Finger Extensions (band): 8 lbs. x 4 sets x 10 reps
• (Afternoon) Recumbent Bike: 30 Minutes, Manual Program, Level 5. RPM’s: 70+

Tues, August 31st

• Morning Walk: 3.28 miles.
• Afternoon Walk-Jog: 5.02 miles.

Wed, September 1st

• Morning Walk: 3.26 miles.
• (Afternoon Workout) Warmed up with dynamic stretching, indian clubs, and steel mace
• (Superset) Ring Rows (~45°): 10 reps x 4 sets x 8 reps +
  • Set #1: Dead Bugs (2-ct): 20 reps
  • Set #2: Crunches: 35 reps
  • Set #3: Bicep Curls (ez-curl bar): 31 lbs. x 15 reps
  • Set #4: BB Deadlift: 135 lbs. x 6 reps
• (Week 5 of 12) Deadlifts: 169 lbs. x 4 sets x 3 reps

Thur, September 2nd

• Morning Walk: 3.28 miles.
• Afternoon Workout: warmed up with calisthenics and dynamic stretching
• (Super Set) Standing Leg Curls (ea. leg): 22.5 lbs. x 4 sets x 10 reps +
  • Set #1: Squats: 20 reps
  • Set #2: Standing Calf Raises: 20 reps
  • Set #3: Sumo Squat and Kick (4-ct): 10 reps
  • Set #4: Dead Bugs (2-ct): 21 reps
• (Super Set) Snap Kick Exercise (ea. leg): 4 sets x 10 reps +
  • Set #1: BB Squats: 45 lbs. x 8 reps
  • Set #2: Full Squats: 10 reps
  • Set #3: BB Squats: 45 lbs. x 8 reps
  • Set #4: Hindu Squats: 20 reps
• Finished the workout with Cossack Squats (2-ct, partials): 10 reps, Seated Dorsiflexion (both feet): 30 lbs. x 15 reps, Walking Lunges: 12 reps. Did some post-workout static stretching.

There were a number of aircraft on the deck and inside the ship as well. My favorite was this TMB 3-E Avenger built by Grumman for use as a torpedo bomber.

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Fri, September 3rd

• Afternoon Workout: Warmed up with indian clubs, and dynamic stretching
• BB Military Press: 50 lbs. x 12 reps, 52.5 lbs. x 3 sets x 8 reps
• BB Bench Press: 65 lbs. x 8 reps, 75 lbs. x 8 reps, 85 lbs. x 8 reps, 95 lbs. x 8 reps
• (Superset) DB Lateral Raises: 8 lbs. x 2 sets x 12 reps, 10 lbs. x 2 sets x 12 reps +
  • Set #1: Standing Side Crunches (2-ct): 16 reps
  • Set #2: Wrist Rolling (cable): 12.5 lbs. x twice rolling all the way out and back. I used both pronated and mixed grips, then rolled half the cable with supinated grip.
  • Set #3: Dead Bugs (2-ct): 21 reps
  • Set #4: Supine Leg Windmills: 50 revolutions each way
• (Superset) Tricep Pushdowns (v-handle): 35 lbs. x 12 reps, 40 lbs. x 10, 12 reps, 45 lbs. x 8 reps +
  • Set #1: Incline Push-ups (4th step): 8 reps
  • Set #2: Light Spring Bar: 8 reps (pronated) + 8 reps (supinated) + 4 reps (overhead, pronated and then supinated). Those last few supinated overhead reps were hard.
  • Set #3: Face Pulls: 20 lbs. x 12 reps
  • Set #4: Cat Litter Fitness Bag Pick-up and Drop (4-ct): 8 reps\
• Finished off the workout with a set of reverse tricep pushdowns (d-handle, ea. arm): 12.5 lbs. x 8 reps
• Captains of Crush Gripper (Trainer, 100 lbs.):
  • (Set 1): Left = 2 mm x 5 reps, Right = Closed x 3 + 2 reps
  • (Set 2): Left = 2 mm x 4 + 1 reps, Right = 2mm x 6 reps
  • (Set 3): Left = 2 mm x 2 + 3 reps, Right = 2mm x 6 reps
  • (Set 4): Left = 2 mm x 2 + 3 reps, Right = 2mm x 6 reps
• Finger Extensions (band): 8 lbs. x 4 sets x 10 reps

The Hornet has all sorts of different services for the crew, as you’d imagine, including laundry, food service, recreation, and of course various dental and medical services. I remember, at the time, thinking that this medical room had quite a nice collection of surgery books.

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Sat, September 4th

Morning Walk: 3.66 miles. Mostly on pavement but some particularly good hills. We had a nice day going to a coin store, where we spent about two hours talking about coins and many other things, and then had some nice sandwiches at a local, independent grocer in the area with a nice deli counter. We at our lunch at the beach down in Santa Cruz. All in all, a relaxing day.

The picture below seems a nice way to end this post. It is a view from the Hornet of distant San Francisco with the span of the Bay Bridge leading to Treasure Island on the right. Click on the picture to see the larger version, which I think shows the darkening bay to better advantage. Who knows what hideous and delightful secrets the eldritch waters contain?

Weekly Weigh-in: We bought a scale but it hasn’t arrived in the mail yet. I’ve continued to eat according to my maintenance plan so as far as I can tell my total loss remains at 28.6 lbs.

* If you like ships, I put up some pictures back in 2020 of our visit to the liberty ship, SS Jeremiah O’Brien in San Francisco, CA. I guess 2013 was a good year for us, nautically-speaking.