What dangles when you angle? What slides when you dive? How many ladders can they fit in one sub, and must I climb all of them? This and many other questions were answered Friday when a group of 8 bloggers were invited aboard the U.S. Navy’s nuclear submarine U.S.S. Hampton for an all-day distinguished visitor cruise.

The bloggers included Smarterware’s Gina Trapani (@ginatrapani), NBC San Diego tech correspondent and Mashable associate editor Jenn Van Grove (@jbruin), Mitch Wagner (@mitchwagner), Angie Swartz (@aaswartz), Chris Cantore (@chriscantore), Scott Kingery (@techlifeweb), Rob Marlbrough (@DowntownRob), and me, Peggy Gartin (@thepegisin). The visit was arranged by Submarine Squadron 11’s public affairs officer Lt. Denise Garcia and led by the squadron’s commander, Commodore Brett Genoble. Waiting to greet us were the boat’s commanding officer Commander Bill Houston and his crew of 134.

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I recently got a most startling email: the U.S. Navy would like me to come aboard one of their submarines and blog about the experience.

Lt. Denise Garcia, public affairs officer for Submarine Squadron 11 based at Naval Base Point Loma, invited me and 7 other bloggers to an all-day embark aboard one of their Los Angeles-class fast attack submarines on January 15.

“You’ll be one of the first bloggers the San Diego-based sub community has hosted (I think you may be one of the first for the entire submarine community as well). The sub community prides itself on its silent service, but there’s much to talk about too. I think you’ll find the day aboard fascinating.”

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