Journey
The Nautilus was doomed with bad luck and mechanical problems from the very beginning. Even before the christening of the ship, the quartermaster, Willard Grimmer was swept overboard in the New York Harbor and drowned. In spite of this tragedy, the plans for the expedition went forward. After the christening on March 24, 1931, the Nautilus underwent yet more modification, and took a test run up the Hudson to Yonkers, eventually making its way to New London, Connecticut, where she underwent a series of test dives. Finally, on the morning of June 4, 1931, the Nautilus left the United States and set out on its trans-Atlantic Crossing. The following week, the starboard engine broke down and the port engine soon followed. Finally, on June 14, 1931, the Nautilus sent an SOS and later that day they were taken undertow by the battleship USS Wyoming. On June 22, 1931, they arrived in Ireland, and then were taken by tug to England for repairs. On July 28, 1931, they were finally underway again, and arrived in Bergen, Norway on August 5, 1931, where they took on the scientific party.
