Living in the Deep: What They Don’t Tell You About Submarine Service

#36: No Telling Time Without Asking

Time doesn’t flow normally on a submarine, with artificial lighting and rotating 18-hour shifts, day and night blur into one murky concept. There are no windows, no sunlight, and no natural cues. Submariners often lose track of what hour—or even what day—it is.

Asking “What time is it?” is as common as breathing, and it is often answered with shrugs or guesses. For some, Sunday might feel like Wednesday, and dinnertime may occur at 3 a.m. Time bends around necessity. Sleep, work, and meals revolve not around clocks but operational rhythms.

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