What does the crew do in their spare time?
Typically, the submarine day is divided into 4 x 6-hour slots or watches. The majority of the submarine crew is divided into 2 watches, which will spend 6 hours “on-watch” followed by a period of 6 hours “off-watch”. This cycle is repeated for the entire time that the submarine is at sea. When “on-watch”, the crew will be actively operating their assigned equipment. When “off-watch” the crew will basically eat and sleep. Obviously reading, TV and studying for exams will also take up time. There are also limited facilities for keeping fit, with most submarines carrying an exercise bike, rowing machine and an assortment of free weights.
