SSN 680 Plan of the Day
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- Brad Williamson
This digital world of ours shrinks every day. For those of us that sailed the Bates in the days before computers, or in my case, when computers were just becoming accessible to individuals, the world has really changed. (For those of you that feel really old with that statement, remember that email between servers was not possible by the general public until 1993!)
In some ways, that's a little frightening, but in others, it can be a huge strength. For one, it makes locating old friends and shipmates quite a bit easier.
This site is only one of many reconnection opportunities that exist, and while wandering around Facebook this morning in search of a lost shipmate, I found a couple more connections worth noting.
SSN-680 is a Facebook group that currently has 57 members, including many old shipmates and a batch of photos I hadn't seen. If you have a Facebook account, stop by for a visit and join Colleen Dougherty's group. If you don't have a Facebook account, you may as well sign up. It's free, and one of many tools valuable for reconnecting with friends.
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- Brad Williamson
For those of you eagerly awaiting developments on the site, our latest and greatest is the introduction of the Tracking Party. Yes, I know what a pain that was back in the days, but this is supposed to be the exact opposite.
Ever wonder which of your shipmates lived close by. Ever wonder who might be close enough to arrange small get-togethers, see a ball game, have lunch, raise a glass together. The Tracking Party is intended to make that easier.
Go to the Quarters >> Tracking Party. The page will generate a map with markers for each of your registered shipmates.
Mouse over the marker to see the name of the shipmate at that location. Click the marker to see their photo, city and state, and to get driving directions.
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- Brad Williamson
I'm trying to find the photographers on board the Bates over the years - not necessarily the ship's photographers, though I did my time there, but anybody that has accumulated the hundreds of photos that would have been taken by someone pursuing a love of photography.
I estimate that I have somewhere around 5 or 6 thousand photos - most of which I'm still scanning from the original transparencies, but all of those where taken between 1981 and 1985. That gives the website a decidedly early 80's look, which isn't really an accurate portrayal of the nearly 30 years of service the Bates put in.
I need your images - electronically, of course. You can keep the originals. All of the photos throughout the site with the exception of the Crew's Gallery, Archives, and Misc. Photos, came through my camera. We have plenty of room for all thirty years worth. Each of those slide shows at the top of the page take 10 images, and many are still duplicates because I'm leaving room for all the other years.
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- Brad Williamson
Congratulations, Vern Owens, on being the 200th registered member on ssn-680.org!
Welcome Aboard!
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- Brad Williamson
Smooth sailing for the most part, air in the banks, s__t in the tanks, ahead one-third, going that-away.
- 191 registered users! Bravo zulu to all those tracking down old shipmates. The Missing Shipmate List shrinks every day.
- REGROUPEX 09 plans continue. We are currently debating renting a suite to have a room to hang out in vs. using one of the banquet/reception rooms.
- Sea Stories continue to accumulate - just like the boat, it's getting pretty deep!
- Photos continue to trickle in to the Crew Gallery. You can post yours if you have them.
- Added a few photos of downtown Perth and the mall to the Photos>>Liberty Ports>>Perth-Rockingham W Australia - 1983 article.
