UPDATE: After 10 months away, USS Nimitz on last leg of trip home

| Seen at sea | West Seattle news

(April 2020 photo by Don Brubeck)

6:37 AM: When USS Nimitz (CVN 68) last passed West Seattle, in April 2020, the aircraft carrier was headed out for training followed immediately by deployment. Later today, Nimitz and crew will pass by again, this time on their way home to Bremerton. The MarineTraffic.com tracker shows the carrier entering the Strait of Juan de Fuca around 3 am, and right now it’s about to pass Port Angeles, so it’s still hours away, but some local would-be shipwatchers asked for a heads-up, so here you go. The Nimitz stopped in San Diego last weekend before the final leg of the journey home.

6:48 AM: Josh Farley of the Kitsap Sun points out that the Nimitz is expected to stop at Indian Island</a> [map] before continuing on to Bremerton.

CarDriver March 4, 2021 (6:54 am)

Transit trivia. Carriers always go through Rich Passage right at high tide.

Chuck Jacobs March 4, 2021 (8:06 am)

Tides for Rich Passage today, (Mar 4) are:

02:05 h4.33 ft08:04 h11.91 ft15:02 h0.23 ft21:50 h9.84 ft

Chuck Jacobs March 4, 2021 (8:13 am)

Sorry, bad formatting.
- low tide: 2:05 am – 4.33 ft
- high tide: 8:04 am – 11.91 ft
- low tide: 3:02 pm – 0.23 ft
- high tide : 9:50 pm – 9.84 ft

Derek March 4, 2021 (8:54 am)

War ships…. I long for a world where these are no longer.

StopCuttingDownTrees March 4, 2021 (12:52 pm)

The brave men and women on those ships who sacrifice 10+ months at a time (plus years of service) are working hard every day and night to keep us safe from those who want to destroy us. No one hates war as much as warriors.
- Knelson March 4, 2021 (6:14 pm)
  
  Thank you for that. My son is on that ship and I have not seen him for 14 months! They were due back months ago but had to remain in the middle east for several delays. All of our servicemen and women deserve our thanks and respect.
Chuck Jacobs March 4, 2021 (1:18 pm)

Only the dead have seen the end of war.
Agree March 4, 2021 (9:26 pm)

+1

And also agree that our servicemen and women deserve our thanks and respect.

But, like Derek, I do hope as a world we can get to a place of peace where war ships are no longer needed.
Clinton D Mason March 5, 2021 (10:26 am)

As long as there are humans inhabiting the earth there will always be wars. People say money is the root of all evil it’s actually mankind.

Poc March 4, 2021 (12:34 pm)

Watching from West Seattle for its arrival into Bremerton. If anyone has updates to the location or arrival time, please share! Thank you.

Goose March 4, 2021 (1:23 pm)

stopped at Indian island to unload ordnance. Leaving Sunday morning for Bremerton arrival around 1:00 p.m.
- K March 4, 2021 (1:37 pm)
  
  OPSEC you trying to keep them from coming home?
- Angel March 4, 2021 (1:57 pm)
  
  @poc you shouldn’t be asking for this info and @goose you shouldn’t be providing info if you know it.
  - Goose March 4, 2021 (4:00 pm)
    
    Fact is, ship location is on multiple trackers. The arrival is also published information and all over the street here in Bremerton and Port Orchard. But you are correct that it should not be repeated.

Patriot March 4, 2021 (12:43 pm)

Than you sailors for all you sacrifice so we may be free to live in this magnificent country. It’s a shame so few do so much for so many and that the many have so little knowledge or interest in what the few do. Sailors, welcome home and may God bless you and your families.

CarDriver March 4, 2021 (2:28 pm)

Angel. What’s the concern?? It’s not like an Aircraft Carrier can move unseen. But a better point is a past story in WSB. A complaint was made about commenters on this blog talking about a ship moving. Turn’s out the movement information came from THE NAVY. Another point. Do you believe that NOBODY on the ship isn’t letting their family/friends know where they’re at and when they’ll be docked.

Diana solano March 4, 2021 (2:38 pm)

God bless you all. And thank you.

HMC March 4, 2021 (3:14 pm)

@Car Driver : the fact that you don’t see the problem shows how little you know about the way the navy operates.@Angel : Thank you. This information should never be requested or disclosed, even if it’s an assumption.

StopCuttingDownTrees March 4, 2021 (11:30 pm)

Our carriers have Phalanx CIWS and several other defenses that can destroy any incoming threat. They and our subs are the most-protected vehicles on the planet. Not to worry.

CarDriver March 4, 2021 (4:26 pm)

HMC. I don’t want to see harm done and i’m CERTAIN the military can keep things secret that it wants secret. I’m also certain that the navy wouldn’t keep a carrier(or any other ship/sub) in Bremerton if it was concerned with people seeing/photographing/commenting on its coming and goings.

WSB March 4, 2021 (5:45 pm)

This discussion has resurfaced on almost every report of a Navy ship coming/going. And as we always point out, there is no pretense at secrecy any more, hasn’t been for years. The ship is shown, by name, on commonly used public trackers, while it’s in range (I kept an eye on MT for days – it was too far off the coast while making its way up from San Diego but then appeared at the mouth of the Strait of Juan de Fuca very early this morning). It also has its own social-media pages posting updates, with photos, while they are under way. When Nimitz was about to arrive in San Diego last week, it hosted the Secretary of Defense and accompanying media (he even tweeted from on board). The Navy itself published reports while Nimitz and other vessels were in the middle of exercises on the other side of the globe:
https://www.c7f.navy.mil/Media/News/Display/Article/2279683/nimitz-strike-group-participates-in-cooperative-exercises-with-indian-navy/

-TR

Corinne Brautigam March 5, 2021 (6:12 am)

Thank You For Your Service from WW2/Korean War Navy Daughter. USS Mississinewa, AO-59, May 18, 1944-Nov. 20, 1944.Robert William Brautigam 1925-2015

wseaturtle March 5, 2021 (9:30 am)

Remember when they used to open the carriers to the public? That was fun!! A mighty ship you don’t want to mess with.

Welcome home Nimitz Sailors thank you for you awesome protection .God Bless especially to my son Chief Petty Officer Pynn . March 5, 2021 (10:52 am)

Welcome home Nimitz .Thank you for your service, especially my son Chief Petty Officer Pynn.God Bless you all .

Jon Hanna March 5, 2021 (3:18 pm)

If you want to know the cost of freedom, go to a VA hospital. People are clueless and think freedom is their God given right. I served aboard Nimitz for 3 years and went to the combat zone with her and got my anchors while serving aboard.

Sorry, comment time is over.