The USS Nimitz travels past Lummi Island in June 2014. Photo by David Bailey
“The USS Nimitz, CVN 68 ( 68th carrier) , is the first in the Nimitz Class of nuclear powered super aircraft carriers. It has two nuclear reactors that drive four enormous propellers. It can travel at least 32 knots per hour, but the actual maximum speed is a secret that we mortals can never know. Besides driving the ship, the nuclear reactors provide all other power needed including distilling 400,000 gallons of fresh water ever day from sea water, plus all the rest of the considerable electric power required to operate a city of 6,000 and make an enormous amount of high pressure steam for the catapults. It can travel the world for several years without refueling its Plutonium fuel, but of course it does carry a lot of fuel for its airplanes. Its ships’ company is comprised of about 3,000 sailors whose job is to operate the ship. When it is deployed for battle it also has an air wing consisting of another 3,000 men and women for a total of about 6,000 plus all of its airplanes. As you saw the ship pass by here, the air wing had been removed, so it carried only half of its normal crew, and you noticed that there were no airplanes on the flight deck. All of its airplanes had been flown off while still at sea in the Pacific Ocean, and the rest of the air wing’s 3000 people and mountains of airplane related material were removed while tied up to the pier at either San Diego or Everett Naval Shipyards. Its trip to Vancouver was solely for diplomatic goodwill, and it is not an effective fighting machine without its air wing. But you would not want to approach it with evil intent – its CWIZ gatling guns would turn you into hamburger meat with its 20 millimeter depleted uranium slugs designed to take down approaching supersonic missiles.” as told by Paul Davis – an very interesting bit of info. Thanks Paul and thanks David for the photo.