Preview
  • Surface at the Pole

  • The Extraordinary Voyages of the USS Skate
  • By: James Calvert
  • Narrated by: Tom Perkins
  • Length: 7 hrs and 31 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (40 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Surface at the Pole

By: James Calvert
Narrated by: Tom Perkins
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $17.19

Buy for $17.19

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

On 17 March 1959, the USS Skate became the first submarine to surface at the North Pole.

Under the guidance of James Calvert this nuclear submarine had navigated through polar ice packs, braved atrociously cold conditions, and broken through layers of thick ice to arrive at their destination; the northernmost point of the world.

This mission, however, was not just about completing a seemingly impossibly feat of Arctic exploration. It also had huge implications for military strategy during the height of the Cold War. Now that submarines were able to travel under and break through the ice, it gave the US military the capability of being avoid detection under the ice while being able to launch their Polaris missiles from points far closer to the Soviet Union.

James Calvert's remarkable account of his two voyages to the Arctic with the USS Skate provides vivid insight into life in a nuclear submarine and how these men were able to complete this treacherous mission.

Public Domain (P)2020 Tantor
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

What listeners say about Surface at the Pole

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    32
  • 4 Stars
    5
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    33
  • 4 Stars
    3
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    31
  • 4 Stars
    5
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    1

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Disappointed

Narrator was not enjoyable. Not as well written as his book about the USS Jack

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Re: A Great True Story and my review

Speeding up to 1.2 makes this narrator much better.

I’m listening now, I’m review later.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A great read!

The audio quality of this book is worlds better than the book about the USS Jack. Don’t listen to other reviews, the narrator is great. I loved the story of the USS Skate and wish there were more like it!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

a great true story

I've become an avid reader of US Navy submarine history and the boats that have sailed. While i was familiar with the USS Nautilus, i did not know about the USS Skate, the third nuclear submarine built. i enjoyed the Captain's telling of her adventure with the crew in the waters of the North Pole. The reader tends to be a bit slow... but that's easily corrected in the Audible app as you can speed it up. if you love true tales from US submarine history, you'll love this book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A well written look at history in the making

An easy listening account of the early days of Arctic operations by submarines. Riveting and well worth your time.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great moments in Submarine history.

Well told story of our recent past that pioneered today’ ICEX’s and our ability to forge a place in the unknown parts of our world.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!