Skipjack Class submarines are short, wide and for their day, very fast. However, they didn't like being on the surface especially in a heavy sea. During three separate naval exercises held annually with countries of Central and South America [UNITAS XIX, XII and XV] the USS Scamp (SSN-588) operated with units of the US and other navies as the task force transited and exercised their way around South America. As part of the deployment the boat made three transits around Cape Horn from east to west. Because of the heavy shipping traffic the transits were made on the surface. The first part of the transit was generally smooth but as the Pacific drew closer the rolling seas grew higher and the boat rolled more. The artist made the transit in 1981. This painting depicts the boat on the surface clearing the Horn and a squally storm in the high seas. We were a most happy crew when we reached the dive point and could head for the quieter depths of the Pacific Ocean.
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