It was indeed long after the seventh day. After all, humans had to learn how to design and build a diesel-powered submarine. But God had prepared for their arrival. Hidden in some special humans is, and always has been, the Smokeboat gene. It will never be found in all the DNA maps ever made, but it exists, and it will stay there until smokeboats return when they are needed.

God implanted this gene to appear in only a few individuals of each generation. He knew this was a delayed creation. Some may say He didn’t want to take the blame at that time, but in reality, He understood the world wasn’t ready back then.

With this gene, God assured the desire to do something few can: live inside a war machine that moves and fights under the sea.

He gave us the courage to ignore the dangers of the seas around us without being reckless idiots.

He gave us the ability to train ourselves and each other so that we trust each other to do the right thing and avoid mistakes.

He gave us the ability to see through the useless things about a shipmate and understand their true core. The important core of whether a mate has what it takes to be there through the good and the bad.

He gave us some of the finest shipmates who ever sailed the seven seas. Mates who will stick by you and be there when needed.

He gave us friendships to last our entire lives.

He gave us the ability to laugh and have fun even when life wasn’t funny and was hard work.

He gave us some of the best times of our young lives.

He gave us the right to bitch and complain about our boat. Included was the right to punch out any outsider who said anything insulting about the same boat.

Finally, He gave us the ability to remember only the best parts of this all these years later.

It wasn’t a bad deal, all things considered.

Maybe God was never a smokeboat sailor Himself but he sure knew what it took to be one.