<P> Nautilus spent most of her career assigned to SubRon Ten (Submarine Squadron Ten) at State Pier in New London, Connecticut . The squadron commander was stationed aboard USS Fulton, a submarine tender also stationed at State Pier . Nautilus and other submarines in the squadron made their home tied up alongside the tender, where they received preventive maintenance and, if necessary, repairs, from the well - equipped Fulton and her crew of machinists, millwrights, and other craftsmen . </P> <P> Nautilus operated in the Atlantic, conducting evaluation tests for ASW improvements, participating in NATO exercises and, during October 1962, in the naval quarantine of Cuba, until she headed east again for a two - month Mediterranean tour in August 1963 . On her return she joined in fleet exercises until entering the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard for her second overhaul 17 January 1964 . </P> <P> On 2 May 1966, Nautilus returned to her homeport to resume operations with the Atlantic Fleet, and at some point around that month, logged her 300,000 th nautical mile (560,000 km; 350,000 mi) underway . For the next year and a quarter she conducted special operations for ComSubLant and then in August 1967, returned to Portsmouth, for another year's stay . During an exercise in 1966 she collided with the aircraft carrier USS Essex on 10 November, while diving shallow . Following repairs in Portsmouth she conducted exercises off the southeastern seaboard . She returned to New London in December 1968 and operated as a unit of Submarine Squadron 10 for most of the remainder of her career . </P> <P> On 9 April 1979, Nautilus set out from Groton, Connecticut on her final voyage under the command of Richard A. Riddell . She reached Mare Island Naval Shipyard of Vallejo, California on 26 May 1979, her last day underway . She was decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 3 March 1980 . </P>

How did the nautilus cross the mediterranean sea within 48 hours