Submarine

Hello there. My name is Submarine. For a very long time, people only knew the top of the ocean. They saw it as a big, blue blanket that they could splash in and sail on. They loved the sound of the waves and the salty smell of the air. But they could only guess what was hiding underneath. They imagined a secret world filled with colorful fish that shimmered like jewels, tall seaweed forests that swayed in the water, and mysterious caves where amazing creatures might live. They dreamed of a way to peek beneath the surface, to swim with the dolphins and see the gardens of coral on the ocean floor. A very clever person a long, long time ago thought, 'What if we could build a boat that swims under the water instead of on top of it?'. That’s when my story began.

My very first ancestor was a bit funny-looking, but very brave. He was built a long, long time ago, in the year 1620, by a man named Cornelius Drebbel. He wasn't made of strong metal like I am today. He was a wooden boat covered all over in greased leather to keep the water out. Imagine that. Men would sit inside and use long oars to row him forward, right under the surface of the river. He was the first to take a gulp of water and dive down. Many years later, another one of my relatives was born. His name was the Turtle, and he was invented by David Bushnell. He looked just like a giant floating acorn, and only one person could squeeze inside. He was clever, but still very small. Then, a man named John P. Holland gave me a big upgrade. He built my ancestor, the Holland VI. I was finally made of strong metal and had a special engine that let me swim farther and faster than ever before. I could stay underwater for much longer, peeking at the world with my special window, called a periscope. I felt so proud on April 11th, 1900, when I became the very first submarine to join the United States Navy. I was a real underwater explorer, ready for big adventures.

Today, I look very different from my ancestors. I am sleek and strong, with powerful lights that can cut through the darkest parts of the ocean. I don't just explore anymore; I have a very important job helping scientists. I carry them down, down, down to the bottom of the sea, to a world that no human could visit on their own. Together, we discover new creatures that glow in the dark and explore volcanoes that bubble deep beneath the waves. We learn about the ocean's health and how to protect all the amazing animals that live there. I am like a special window into a hidden universe. I help people see that our world is full of wonders, with so much more left to discover. So next time you see the big blue ocean, remember me, swimming below, ready for the next amazing discovery.