Your Arrival, and the On-Board Program

Photo by Steven Jenner
 

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WHEN YOU GET THERE .....

Parking
Parking space is very limited. For this reason, please plan to carpool. The National Marine Museum Association can accommodate up to eight vehicles (cars or vans) on the pier. Parking on the pier is permitted only at our closing time to the public -- closing time varies by season, so call for instructions on when to arrive. Upon arrival, follow the instructions of our staff who will direct you where to park. Space is tight, so care must be taken when driving on the pier not to hit any fixtures such as exhibit signs, benches, trash cans, etc. Drivers will be fully responsible for any damage caused by their vehicles. Cars are to be kept locked when not in use. We do not allow any busses to park on the pier. All cars must be removed from the pier by 0900 the following morning.

Check-In
After you park your cars, send your group leader to the Pampanito office (next to the Submarine) to fill out the required paperwork. The Pampanito staff will require copies of your group's 'Certificate of Insurance' as well as an approved 'Local Tour Permit' indicating the tour is officially sanctioned by your Council. The National Marine Museum Association holds 'Certificates of Insurance' for many Councils in Northern California. Call to see if they have your Council's. Adults attending the overnight stay will also be required to sign a 'Hold Harmless' form when they arrive.

Rules of Conduct
To ensure a safe and pleasant visit, all participants in the overnight stay aboard the historic World War II submarine USS Pampanito are expected to abide by the Pampanito Rules. The group leader should read these rules to the entire group at one time.

Safety Briefing
To ensure your safety during your visit, it is manditory that you to review this Safety Briefing with ALL members of your group. These safety guidelines cover all aspects of Safe Conduct, Safety Equipment, Fire Emergency Procedures, and Emergengy Phone Numbers.

Plan of the Day
Prior to your campout, your group leader should devise a "Plan of the Day" to make the best use of your time. This is a plan which provides a general framework for the evening's activities. As with the best laid plans, sometimes things will not happen exactly as scheduled, so there is room for flexibility in this plan to accommodate the special circumstances which may arise with each group. From time to time, the Pampanito staff may also find it necessary to alter the time and sequence of activities. The key word is "flexibility."

The Preliminary Program
After getting signed in, await your group leader's instructions about unloading the vehicles. The Pampanito staff will then conduct a short program about what submarines are, and how they work. Next, you will have both a guided and/or self-guided tour. The self-guided taped audio tour is narrated by famed submariner Edward L. Beach, Capt. USN, (Ret.) Finally, you will devise a plan to load your gear on the Pampanito.

Your Bunks
Bunks are available for sleeping in the After Battery Compartment (Crew's Quarters) and the Forward Battery Compartment (Officers' Quarters). There are thirty-six (36) bunks in the Crew's Quarters and twelve (12) bunks in the Officers' Quarters. If additional sleeping space is needed, you may use the deck space in the Forward Torpedo Room. Do not use any of the bunks in either the Forward or After Torpedo Rooms, as they are not safe for use! Bunk assignments should be made prior to your Campout by your group leader to avoid any confusion or disagreements when you arrive. In the Crew's Quarters, bunks are in three tiers, so make assignments by listing names for top, middle and bottom. Officers' Quarter's berthing is slightly different, but can be assigned in similar fashion. We dedicate the Officers bunks to those performing the night watch. When each watch ends, this will make it easier for them to wake up the next watch officer and crew.

Please remember, each member of the group is responsible for bringing their own sleeping bag or other bedding material like pillows. The Pampanito staff can not provide any blankets or pillows.

At least one adult supervisor must sleep in the Crew's Quarters to oversee the group members berthed there.

For groups with male and female campers, you may wish to designate either the Crew's Quarters or the Officers' Quarters for use by one sex only.

Submarine Movies!
A television monitor and VCR are available in the forward Torpedo Room for viewing any of a large selection of submarine movies and documentaries. An excellent selection is the video documentary "The Silent Service," an episode of the A & E Television Network's Brute Force series. This hour-long video provides an excellent history of America's submarines in World War II, and features some interesting footage of the USS Pampanito in drydock in 1993. Later in the evening, if time permits, you may select a feature length submarine movie or another submarine documentary to watch. The staff has copies of just about every submarine movie ever filmed!

Submarine Qualification and Patch
During the course of your visit, each camper will complete a submarine qualification worksheet to earn a special certificate from the USS Pampanito. There are two versions of this qualification, one for younger crew members, and one for older. We typically assign one of the officers (parents) the responsibility of coordinating this effort.

A Pampanito Crew patch can also be purchased from the Pamapnito staff for $3.00 each. We award this patch to all crew members (with the Submarine Qualification certificate.)

Meals and Snacks
Each group is responsible for arranging for their meals (dinner & breakfast). Because of time limitations, you may wish to arrange to eat prior to your arrival in the evening and after your departure in the morning. If you cannot eat beforehand, be advised that there is no cooking allowed on board the submarine.

You are allowed to bring prepared foods on board the submarine. When selecting foods to bring, consider ease of clean up as you will be responsible for any spills. If you bring food, you will also need to provide your own paper plates, cups, flatware, towels, etc. There is no refrigeration available, so be sure to bring a cooler for perishables. Do not bring portable gas stoves, barbecue grills, etc.

Eating space is available in the mess deck of the submarine where there are four tables with bench seats. However, as was the case on board all World War II submarines, eating space is limited. Therefore, if your group is large, you may want to plan on eating in shifts (just as real submariners did).

The Pampanito staff will provide a 30-cup hot water urn for use in preparing hot beverages. We will also supply instant coffee, tea and cocoa for your group--if you don't see it already out in the crew's mess area, just ask.

Please advise any group members who will be arriving late that they may want to eat before arrival as we will not have any special in/out privileges for individuals once our pier gate is locked.

    Suggestions for meals:

    • Dinner - Bring submarine sandwiches or order pizza for delivery, juice, soda pop.

    • TV Snacks - Cookies, milk.

    • Breakfast - Muffins, sweet rolls, juice

Food Note:There is a Safeway market at the Northpoint Centre about 3 blocks away. There are a number of fast-food restaurants within easy walking distance (McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, Benvenuti's Pizza, etc.) as well as regular sit-down restaurants

Other Attractions In The Area
The USS Pampanito is located at the heart of Fisherman's Wharf. There are a number of world-famous attractions within easy walking distance which you may wish to visit while in the vicinity. Among these are:

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