This image was made in January 1974 right outside our R-4 repair division door. The area looks pretty quiet in this picture, but it was a little tricky to walk along in the middle of the night with all white lights out and the ship rolling on the sea.

Fortunately, I never experienced real rough seas. The best technique I found was to get a flashlight with a red lens so you could see a little where you were going. White lights were forbidden because they could affect the night vision of lookouts posted at strategic points on the ship to supplement radar in watching for other vessels. In spite of our slow 12 knot travel speed, we would normally change course if the path of another ship would take it within 1-2 miles of the Gilmore while on the open sea.