Life Beneath the Waves: A Glimpse Inside a Nuclear Submarine

Right now, while around 650,000 to 700,000 people are flying thousands of feet above the Earth in airplanes, thousands of others are deep below the ocean’s surface in submarines. A nuclear submarine is one of the most expensive weapons in the world. Its greatest strength lies in its silence. It spends most of its life underwater, hidden from sight. Yet, inside this powerful weapon, the most delicate element is its crew. So, let’s take a glimpse into the life of those who live inside this metal capsule.

Not everyone can qualify to serve on a submarine. Navies have strict requirements, including rigorous psychological tests. Spending long periods inside a metal tube underwater is no easy feat. A single mistake can endanger everyone’s lives, so strong nerves are essential. A mission is usually planned for about a month at a time. The longest publicly known record for staying submerged without surfacing is eleven months, held by an American submarine. (At any given time, the US has about sixty to seventy submarines deployed in global waters.) Spending long stretches without sunlight in such confined quarters takes a toll on the mind.

How long can a nuclear submarine stay underwater? That depends solely on how much food it carries. Its reactors are fueled once for its entire lifespan. Air and water are regenerated onboard, so food—the fuel for its crew—is the only limiting factor for how long it can stay submerged.

The crew’s time is divided into three eight-hour shifts: eight hours on duty, eight hours of personal time (for exercise, reading, or playing games), and eight hours of sleep. Living space is extremely limited, with coffin-like bunks separated by thin curtains. Privacy is nearly non-existent. Someone is always sleeping, so loud noises, shouting, or slamming doors are strictly prohibited. Usually, the number of crew members exceeds the number of bunks, so bunks are shared—one sailor sleeps during a shift, and the same bunk is used by another in the next shift.

Space issues don’t stop at bunks—showers and toilets are limited too. For a crew of over a hundred, there are typically only two showers, and showers are limited to three minutes or less. (The submarine filters seawater for bathing.) There’s only one laundry area—clean clothes are a luxury here. Toilets must be used carefully as waste is collected in special tanks and released at appropriate times. For recreation, there are cards, board games, and video games, which help build strong friendships among the crew.

The largest portion of a submarine is taken up by its engine room (half the vessel), followed by the kitchen. Good, varied food is essential to keep the crew’s morale up during stressful weeks underwater. Fresh food is available at first, then they switch to preserved, canned supplies. There is no internet connection on a submarine, and contact with the outside world is only possible when the submarine surfaces—which happens rarely. Surfacing makes the submarine easier to detect, so it stays silent. This means the crew goes weeks or months without any contact with family or friends. The friendships formed among the crew are deep and often last a lifetime. Some unspoken rules are followed: no one discusses controversial topics—politics are never brought up. Life onboard has its own traditions and ways. Certain military disciplines are relaxed, like daily shaving, but these rules return once the crew is back on land.

Submarine life is not for everyone. Without fresh air or sunlight, thousands of people are right now sailing beneath the world’s oceans, confined inside these metal capsules, hidden but always vigilant.