That Sinking Feeling

Episode 7 of That Sinking Feeling tells the story of a nuclear submarine that sank just north of San Francisco, and the ramifications of a son purposefully peeing on the floor of a grade school bathroom.

The Kungsholm was a passenger ship that went aground in the Caribbean. My Dad salvaged her while more than 450 guests stayed aboard. In this episode we talk about the way every inconvenience is just a misunderstood adventure.

The Betty L was a 420-foot barge built especially for a sewer project for the City of San Francisco’s Clean Water Project. Only a week after going into service she was grounded on the beach. My father’s proposed solution involved quick action. Which could have been wrong, but in the end saved the barge. This episode is about ADHD medication.

The Igara was an Italian ore ship that partially sank in the South China Sea. Her bow sunk below the waves while her stern section remained entirely visible. My Dad used explosives to cut her in half, sacrificing the bow to save the valuable stern.

The H-3 was a submarine that ran aground in heavy fog along the Northern Coast of California in 1916. It’s not a ship my Dad salvaged, but it’s one of his favorite stories for the incredibly unique salvage plan used by a local lumber company. This episode is about taking a step back and looking out for unusual solutions. For parents of a kid with ADHD, suggestions from the more neurotypical world tend not to work. The narrative in this episode is about being willing to stand up in the face of advice from someone who just doesn’t get it.