Books keep boredom at bay for US crew spending months at sea

Life on board the USS Theodore Roosevelt can be challenging for the crew, who typically spend up to five months at sea.

Although the 97,000-tonne vessel has all the modern conveniences you would expect to help keep a modern fighting force sane at sea, nothing quite beats the comforts of home.

Several fully equipped gyms are available around the clock, with kitchens serving up 18,150 meals, 23 hours a day.

Talent shows and sporting contests are the more traditional forms of navy entertainment, while reliable internet access allows crew to keep in touch with loved ones at home.

Petty Officer Third Class Victoria Foley, from Napa in California, joined the navy three years ago, and is one of 969 women in the ship’s crew.

“My day starts around 6am when I go and grab some coffee and breakfast,” said PO Foley, 23. “I’ll check the internet and my emails before I start work.

“I’ll have an early morning muster, a face-to-face with my superiors to find out what my particular routine will be for that day, or any new informa- tion on the operation we need to be made aware of.

“My role is mass communication specialist, so I’ll be taking photos, and writing or helping to put together the onboard magazine.

“I’ll typically burn through four to five books in a couple of weeks to pass the time as it can get quite boring. I’m studying as well, learning about the ship we are on and the different jobs on board.” PO Foley is working towards an enlisted service warfare specialist qualification. It could take weeks or months, depending on how long she can work on it in between her daily duties. She works out for about an hour a day in the ship’s gym, and said payphones and internet access made life at sea more bearable.

“Out of all the places we’ve been to in the region, Dubai really stands out as a special place to visit,” PO Foley said. “The culture and the buildings like the Burj Khalifa are beautiful. It’s definitely somewhere we look forward to visiting.”