The Bermuda Triangle and A Nuclear Submarine

This is a first-hand account of a supposed submariner.

(Background story)
I'm taking this class in college that touches on the scientific basis for ETs, UFOs, Big Foot, the Bermuda Triangle, and all those other fun things.

It's actually a very good class, but today in class we were discussing strange events and ways to detect strange objects under water using SONAR.

(The actual story)
The professor recanted a story to the class about one of his students who claimed to have been on a nuclear submarine in the Bermuda Triangle running war games. They were doing their thing with their systems and running through procedures when they spotted (with SONAR) and object moving at around 70 knots under water and doing circles around the nuclear submarine.(This was believed to have happened in the Bermuda Triangle)

The main purpose to this exercise was simply to practice so they simply tried tailing the object and obviously failed at that velocity. At some point the object came to a complete halt above the ocean floor and everything went silent. Without warning the object began moving rapidly and then all emergency warnings in the submarine went off and the nuclear power plant to the submarine shut down, all systems went to a full instant shutdown(wasn't even an emergency shutdown, it was like cutting the power cord to a computer) and they switched to emergency back-up battery power. Between going offline and then to back-up power, the object disappeared.

This event took place more than a decade ago. I was wondering with this description of the event of the time frame, if it were possible to find the class of submarine and which submarine it actually was.

The student could not divulge the name of the Submarine because of being sworn into secrecy.

Any help? Or was the student making something up?

Apparently after the incident, the entire crew was taken into interrogation by men in casual wear and then were later all reassigned to different boats not knowing where the other was going.

Shattered OUT...

The only submarine case I have heard about regarding the Bermuda Triangle was the Nuclea Submarine USS Scorpion in 1968 with the loss of 99 crew members. I have not heard your report before.

Good post Shattered, i remember reading about this or something similar a while ago.However sounds a bit like the plot for The Abyss in regards to the sub involvement with a USO.
You would also think that having an entire crew interviewed and then re-assigned would be something quite a few navy people would remember and speak about..these things tend to stay in navy "lore"

Originally posted by ShatteredSkies
...Apparently after the incident, the entire crew was taken into interrogation by men in casual wear and then were later all reassigned to different boats not knowing where the other was going.

Shattered OUT...

I just saw a show on the history channel about Underwater UFOs (USOs I think they were called). Anyway, there were some people on there from the carrier Franklin D Roosevelt. They said the SAME thing. That everyone who saw the underwater UFO was transferred to different ships.

(Edit for clarity: The show was recorded on my TiVo, so it was probably from several weeks ago.)

[edit on 16-9-2008 by sir_chancealot]

EDIT to say that I dont think these videos are related or refer to the Topic in hand.

[edit on 16-9-2008 by StarTraveller]

reply to post by ShatteredSkies


A few technical details of the "shutdown" make me very skeptical of this story. If there's even an ounce of truth to this, the story has either been retold so many times that the details have been blurred or the submariner didn't spend any time in the engine room.

From the way our professor told us the story, he explained to us that the student in question expressed the fact that in order to shut down all systems on a Nuclear Sub (while at dock no less), would take several days, if merely to swap out the plutonium fuel rods in the reactor. It takes system checks upon back-up system checks of each individual system before anyone can even start shutting things down and when they do start shutting things down it is a very complicated process.

That's what adds the whole fervor to the story. Everything simply "shutdown" instantly after all emergency alerts started going off and they resumed operation in emergency back-up power.

This is just what I heard in the classroom. The story went from the student's mouth to my professor's ears and then from my professor's mouth to my ears so the story shouldn't have lost too much detail and information.

Just trying to see if any of this sounds familiar to anyone else.

Shattered OUT...

reply to post by ShatteredSkies


A couple things. US naval reactors have never been fueled by plutonium.

A reactor can be "shutdown," that is, the control rods inserted fully, in milliseconds as a safety system. However, loss of all electric systems in a nuclear submarine cannot possibly occur "instantly" It's a physical impossibility. Think of it this way, power comes from large turbines spinning at thousands of rpm. If you shut one down, it spins down until the output power frequency or voltage drops below a preset level at which point the main breakers for turbine output open up. However, there are other systems online which keep more vital systems such as reactor safety equipment online. A nuclear submarine cannot instantly go "dead electric."

Originally posted by StarTraveller
The only submarine case I have heard about regarding the Bermuda Triangle was the Nuclea Submarine USS Scorpion in 1968 with the loss of 99 crew members. I have not heard your report before.

The Scorpion was lost (and found) 400 miles southwest of the Azores. About 2,000 miles from Bermuda.

www.txoilgas.com...

Ok, let me see if I can't set some things straight.

The plutonium thing was my addition, my teacher never said the word "plutonium" when describing the story, I made an assumption not knowing more about nuclear reactors on submarines. So don't hold it as a "factor" when discrediting the story.

Like I said that's what adds the whole mysterious aspect to the story, since neither you nor I were there it's a little hard to be saying what's impossible and what's not.

A submersible object approached a submarine and started performing supposed impossible maneuvers around it and now we're going to say that a full shutdown of all power to the submarine is impossible? If that were so, why are there emergency battery generators?

When I cut the power cord to my computer, everything shuts down immediately, however if the computer was running hot enough, some fans are still turning despite it being off. I'd imagine something similar with the turbines that produce power in the submarine. The turbines may still be spinning, but power is not being captured and transmitted to the crank shaft that turns the propeller because all the other systems are well... off.

I can only do my best to reproduce the story the way I've heard it and I've definitely mixed up a few of my facts. I'm trying to see if anyone has any corroborating stories.

Shattered OUT...

Hello Shattered,

Good to see your posts once again.

I do not think this would have been a boomer some 10 years ago. More likely it was a 688 class boat.

That is ..unless it was a boat going through the sound course set up somewhere down there ...but that is not a normal patrol area so to speak.

I'm with Oxillini on this one. It would be impossible for a boat to have all its systems shut down totally. There are so many back up systems onboard. Not all of them are electrical by the way....but the loss of electrical or rerouting of electrical systems in an emergency would be critical. No doubt.

Mind you now..the SCRAM of the reactor would be a serious problem as one would lose the ability and power to get forward or backward motion due to steam loss. So too with steam for the steam generators for electrical power. A boat needs to quickly find a way to the surface in a situation like this...if at all possible. Once there, the diesel generator can take over. Until then you are on batteries....and you use only critical systems to conserve battery power.
Lots of mandatory training is done to cover these scenarios. Part of a crews qualifications. A must!!

While I don't ordinarily like to recommend movies in lieu of real life scenarios..or situations....If you have ever seen this German or Foreign made movie.."Das Boot" or "The Boat" I highly recommend it. Mind you it is about a diesel boat in WW2 but even the sailors on the 688 class Nuclear Boats I was working on at the time, stated it was better than all the Hollywood type U Boat movies they had seen to that date.

Oxillini has it correct in stating that they cannot go dead electric instantly. That is not to say if that scenario occurred as you described ..it would not be serious. Not at all. " ANY " change in the status of a boat..surface or sub surface is a flag for someone. Someone is responsible for and monitoring it 24/7.

Speaking of computers..I am giving some thought to a survival scenerio around here ...from the survival forum.. to the thought of a ruggedized form of a laptop with a solar charging set up..for communications for after a hurricane or such. I already have two way radios with long and short ranges..but just thinking of other comm. set ups.
Some tell me that these ruggedized computer setups out in the field are doing ok. I dont think this laptop I am using would be sufficiently rugged.
Anyway...begining to explore and considering training myself in this type of set up for future use..in emergencys. Just like the crews on the boats.

Thanks,
Orangetom

Yeah, I seemed to remember you asking Paddyinf(was it you?) about how rugged laptops handle on the field.

Anyways, it's quite possible (in my opinion) that the student in question changed a few details about the story. Perhaps he simplified the events to "everything went dead silent" because the average person wouldn't understand the workings of a Nuclear Submarine and it's sub-systems? And maybe perhaps he said what he did because he had been in fact sworn to secrecy and certain information he could not divulge.

The event itself still stands though. Did something like this actually happen and if so, have there been others?

Shattered OUT...

gotta agree with both Orangetom and Oxillini (sp),

From a physics standpoint I think it would be impossible to stop all voltage flow, all mechanical systems, and god knows what else they have on those boats (even then) all at once.

Plus wouldn't these boats be awfully well shielded (I would imagine they are) from EMP pulses? Or anything similar to that.

Doubt the guy if he were a real submariner would talk about any of what happened if anything on that boat.

but I do wonder if these guys ever "see" things out there in the ocean that could be whales or even cooler maybe giant squid. not sure why they would but always wanted to ask. see any weird stuff in them boats? I mean those creatures are out there. they have got to have some way to spot them or identify them so as to not confuse them with actual threats out there. Also, I know this is more captain nemo than anything else, but do subs sometimes come into dock with weird markings from confused sea creatures like giant squid getting curious and latching onto the hull for a moment. maybe deep sea fish stuck in ports and torpedo doors. things like that.

I suggest you read up on Methane hydrates, if you haven't already. They may contain some information relevant to the Bermuda triangle?

no link?...better do a web search then

Have heard about this and its a very interesting subject. Something thats definatly relevant to the Bermuda Triangle.

Will see what I can fine about it.

EDIT:

found this: Methane Hydrates

and also:

Methane Hydrates & The Bermuda

Saw an experiment on TV many moons ago and was suprised by the results


[edit on 17-9-2008 by StarTraveller]

Originally posted by BASSPLYR
gotta agree with both Orangetom and Oxillini (sp),

but I do wonder if these guys ever "see" things out there in the ocean that could be whales or even cooler maybe giant squid. not sure why they would but always wanted to ask. see any weird stuff in them boats? I mean those creatures are out there. they have got to have some way to spot them or identify them so as to not confuse them with actual threats out there. Also, I know this is more captain nemo than anything else, but do subs sometimes come into dock with weird markings from confused sea creatures like giant squid getting curious and latching onto the hull for a moment. maybe deep sea fish stuck in ports and torpedo doors. things like that.

If you ever have a lot of time on your hands, buy a sonarman a beer and ask him about weird sea creature sounds. They'll talk your ear off. Fish may get sucked into pump inlets, but the grates over those plus the impellers on the pumps mean they're generally ejected in several small pieces.

Originally posted by BASSPLYR
From a physics standpoint I think it would be impossible to stop all voltage flow, all mechanical systems, and god knows what else they have on those boats (even then) all at once.

Is is possible, given the way this USO behaved, that it may have had technology that we are not aware of?

There are hundreds of reports of UFOs shutting down electrical systems.

did you no there are the same amount of accidents in other oceons just as the bermuda triangle

the triangle is nothing mystical or special

Shattered,

Submariners will talk on occasion and some of the things they will tell you can be quite startling and sometimes bring one up quite short. Oxillini is correct again on this. All unofficially of course.

They are sworn to secrecy on certain details but at times you can get them to tell you things you don't see or hear in our heavily controlled media. But my experience with them is that when you trespass on certain information's and details they will cut you off, clam up, or both.

I remember being on the USS Norfolk in the engine room while she was under construction and some sailors talking about the Med Cruises. One of them blurted out. " Heck no!! Is not looking forward to going back there. The last time I was out there someone shot a torpedo at us!!" " It came out of no where...no warning." That was all he would say about it. I did not press him as to the specifics of what they were doing while out there as after that ..he clammed up. Make whatever you want of it but those stories bring one up short when you hear them with your own ears.
This is why I would agree with you in that some of the specifics of this students story might be changed or vague.

I have often asked myself since being involved in this occupation as to what Jacques Cousteau and his team has discovered on the ocean bed or through sonar scans for which they cannot publicly mention or bring to note. You know definitely that the little Yellow Submarine they operated can go to considerable depths..along with their mixed gas diving equipment. What have they seen or experienced for which the public cannot be allowed to know??

I recall watching a program on the History or perhaps the Discovery channel to the effect that someone had done experiments with models in a tank and bubbling gas beneath the model surface ship. It was quite startling to see that sufficient gas volume could in fact sink a ship. I would imagine that such an occurrence is rare but would happen rapidly and without any notice..or prediction.

Also if memory serves correctly there are several sites a round the globe with reputations like the Bermuda Triangle. The Bermuda Triangle just happens to have a significant reputation in the West. I believe this is to which Dark_Ace is alluding.

BASSPLYR,

I have seen numerous boats come into this yard for various levels of repairs, overhauls, and even decommissionings. I have seen no such scars or damage from creatures so to speak. Lots of damage from seawater erosion products and also underwater collisions with mountains.
I was particularly startled, at first, to note how quickly sea water erosion can take its toll on a boat ..in as short as one year time or even less. Zinc anodes worn down to the straps...cracked paint...rust etc. etc. And I know the boats went out brand new and in good shape just a year before. Thus adding credence to the concept that mother nature can be a real ...B-tch!!

Thanks to all for their posts,
Orangetom

Nuclearpaul,

You're right I don't know if that USO could stop everything on that sub. maybe they were using scalar wave tech? if such a thing existed. The jury's still out on that one for me. really out on that one.
But I still really really doubt that it would be possible. there is a lot going on, a lot of contingencies that USO would have to address to fully shut down everything on that boat.

There was a show (think it got canceled) called UFO hunters. they did a special on USO, one segment focused on the channel islands off of los angeles. they see USO a lot. One of the boats I regularly go out fishing on had their captain (a guy I've talked to before, usually about fishing) Interviewed by the show for a few minutes, because he's seen USO's there off catalina, and claims that he has even seen one metered by his sonar once or something. The other local captains sorta poke fun at him for it. but people do see USO's out there frequently. But...the military does conduct a lot of testing on "stuff" out in those very same waters. usually a little more north of catalina. so the captain could have seen a human invention not a non human machine.

Oxillini,

The only sonarmen I get to drink beers with are the captains of various fishing boats that I go out on. they only talk about metering sandbass or "hey everybody I see a bonita off the port bow get some squid on them lines!" The largest sea creature I've seen on sonar was a mako. maybe some bluefin. By the way anybody here live in LA? I caught some bonita and blue fin out at the cortez bank two days ago. way more tuna than I can eat. free fresh tuna if ya guys want. not the blue fin though I only caught one and it's mine.

Orangetom,

I saw that same discovery channel show about the methane and how it can sink boats. It was alarming how fast they could sink. But the amount of gas was almost impossible in volume to be realistic. although I believe it was the same program (there are a couple they've shown so I'm hoping it was the same one you watched) where they showed an oil derek sinking in two minutes or so in the caspian maybe black sea from methane gas. they also had some footage taken from divers in the caspian sea who found themselves suddenly in a methane eruption. lucky for them they were only in about 50 feet of water, but the underwater camera footage looked like they were in a jacuzzi with the bubbles on. the best they could do until it was over was walk along the bottom. It looked terrifying.

The ocean must really take it's toll on those boats, especially when they spend so much time deep down. I still wish that an occasional sub has some strange markings on it from squid suckers or something. a mysterious prehistoric looking giant tooth stuck in it or something. But I guess cookiecutter sharks are the only thing that attaches it's self to subs. maybe a pissed off marlin mark or something. just speculating.

I agree with you guys about mr. cousteau on company. they, like bob ballard must have been sworn to secrecy on a bunch of things. especially when they visit the med.
plus I wonder what else fish wise (not govt. property wise) what they had seen or had gotten a glimpse of. he claims that he's seen white sharks up to 34 feet long, and I doubt he would have confused a basking shark. So I believe him.

I know little about what those subs really do in the med. I've got plenty of ideas though especially during the cold war. I know the soviets put out tons of SOSUS and captor mine like arrays at the gibralters and around the sicilian area. We had a lot of interest in what they were doing there keeping tabs on them. That torpedo. Could it have been a soviet sub telling people to back off. Could it have been a failed scorpion like attack? could it have been a captor mine like torpedo that they triggered even by accident. Must be terrifying to have a torpedo come out of nowhere. must be like walking through the woods knowing that there is a sniper out there somewhere. I wouldn't be looking forward to going back either. I deal with slimy reptiles of the hominid form in my career, glad I don't have to deal with torpedoes and military ordinance.

Any input on the "Bloop" that has a few threads here at ATS? Weird sea creature, maybe something techtonic, or maybe just active sonar pinging as if it were a biological or techtonic sound. Not saying subs can actively ping sonar like that just speculating. what are your opinions of the "Bloop" I'd post a link to the ATS thread but I still haven't even figured out how to quote let alone attach links.