[swdw]

That picture is reputed to be of the USS Chopper which underwnet an excessive angle with an emergency surface and came close to sinking

Here's the deep dive report

http://www.usschopper.com/Chopper Deep Dive Report.htm

Here was my comment on this tpe of surfacing on another forum

This looks like a super rollercoaster ride from the outside, so most people think it's really cool.

What they don't tell you in most of these is that such angles are dangerous because if the boat doesn't settle properly, she'll sink with little or no chance of recovery.

There's an angle called the "critical angle" at which the air starts to bubble out of the ballast tanks and water starts to flow back in.

At this point it's a race between the exchange rate and how fast you surface. If the boat loses momentum and doesn't break the surface high enough to flatten out, it will slip back into the water with little or no chance of recovery. There's usually only enough hi pressure air for ONE complete blow of the ballast tanks. Then you have to pray the LP blower can keep up with the exchange rate while you try to reduce your angle as you slip deeper.

When you break the surface like this, all the air in the forward group equalizes to atmospheric, so if you slip deep enough, you start taking on water again, and if you're past critical angle the LP ballast blow may not keep up with the inrush of water into the forward group.

One thing on the Chopper's side was the after group was not already blown until the last few seconds and this gave her the ability to recover when she slipped below the surface after breaking at such a steep angle.

Different navies have almost lost boats because of this. It's not fun being at such a steep angle hoping you'll surface correctly, especially in deep water. Thankfully the Chopper survived a 1000ft depth excursion with a hull never designed to go that deep.

When this happens the old saying of there's no atheists in foxholes applies . . . at this point almost everyone on the boat starts to pray for the boat to recover, some silently, some out loud. And when she does they all whisper a thanks to the man upstairs and the people who built her.

Sorry for being a wet blanket, but "been there done that", never wanted to try it again.