It’s already obvious that the people who crew the UK’s nuclear submarines are made of different stuff.
The patrol can be a claustrophobic, gruelling and isolating job – not to mention the monumental responsibility of manning ballistic missiles.
But imagine, alongside all of that, staying under the waves of the Atlantic for more than six months in one go.
According to naval news site Navy Lookout, one Vanguard-class submarine arrived back home earlier this week after a record-breaking 204 days out at sea.
When your work is that crucial, it’s unlikely you’ve got much time to ponder what you’re missing while you have so little contact from the outside world.
We thought we’d help out the submariners with a quick round-up of the major things that happened while they were away.
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Oasis reunion
Not long after the sub went underwater – possibly as soon as two days after – Noel and Liam Gallagher announced they were bringing the band back together for a tour in 2025.
We’d encourage any Oasis fans who were on board to check TicketMaster for spares, but they maybe shouldn’t hold their breath.
Return of the McRib
This will be a tough one to take for fast food fanatics who also happen to be employed by the Royal Navy’s nuclear sub division.
In October, McDonald’s brought the McRib back to the UK for the first time in nine years – but it was available for a limited time only.
Wicked press tour
There are plenty of movies for the crew to catch up on – Oscar winner Anora, Bafta winner Conclave, and new sequels from Wallace & Gromit and Paddington.
But sadly, they won’t get another chance to follow the madcap press tour for Wicked as it happened. Maybe we should hold space for them in tribute.
US election
The Vanguard crew are believed to have left around a month after Joe Biden dropped out of the US presidential race and endorsed Kamala Harris to take over.
Of course, as a defence unit they’re probably aware of how the election turned out.
But they return to a very different world, with Donald Trump two months into his second term in office and once again acting like the world’s main character. More on that later.
Gavin and Stacey finale
This became the most-watched scripted episode of television for 23 years when it was broadcast on Christmas Day last year.
Two pieces of good news for submariners disappointed to have missed out, though: it’s still available on BBC iPlayer, and they’ll also have avoided any spoilers.
Trump’s White House bust-up with Zelensky
The world watched through its fingers on February 28 when Volodymyr Zelensky travelled to the White House for his first in-person meeting with Donald Trump.
What happened next shook the transatlantic alliance that has held firm since the end of the Second World War. We’re still dealing with the aftershocks.
Magpies win Carabao Cup
If any Geordies were onboard the Vanguard sub, they’ll be thrilled to learn Newcastle United FC won their first domestic trophy in 70 years just a day before their return.
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And even better, they haven’t missed the opportunity to celebrate. The club issued fans a ‘save-the-date’ for March 29, which presumably will take the form of an almighty Toon party.
Most of Keir Starmer’s time in office
One of the first people the crew members met when they left their sub was Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who travelled up to Scotland with Defence Secretary John Healey to greet them.
Oddly enough, the PM’s approval ratings are roughly where they were when the crew are thought to have left – though they took a significant dip in the middle, due to controversial policies like means-testing the winter fuel payment and introducing inheritance tax on farms.
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