CDR E.D. Morrow, Whale proceeded to the Mediterranean in June 1981, stopping on her way at Cartagena, Spain, which proved to be her only liberty port on this deployment. Whale spent the next six months in the Mediterranean Sea, taking part in the US Navy's defiance of Libyan president Mohammar Khadaffi's "Line of Death" in the Gulf of Sidra. Whale made periodic up-keeps at the submarine tender , in La Maddelena, Sardinia. Early 1982, found Whale back home in Groton, making frequent short training workup runs, honing the crew's proficiency to a fine tune. In May 1982, Whale proceeded on an Atlantic deployment, (pollywogs among the crew becoming "Bluenoses" on the way), and later a stop in Faslane, Scotland. Whale earned the Battle "E" for efficiency after this deployment. Early 1983, Whale had a new skipper, Captain James E. Welsch. Mid 1983, Whale was suddenly given a double barrel patrol – a North Atlantic deployment immediately followed by an abbreviated Mediterranean patrol. This was due to being unable to handle her commitments. This deployment, dubbed the "Nor-Med Run", was quite active, with port visits in Holy Loch, Scotland, Toulon, France, and La Spezia and La Maddalena, Italy. Whale left La Maddalena, on Christmas Day 1983, and returned to Groton, in January 1984. 1984 was spent doing up keep, refit, drilling, and short training deployments, most notably spending a week in St Croix, Virgin Islands. In January 1985, Whale again went on patrol to the Mediterranean, with stops in Holy Loch, Scotland, Brest, France, La Maddalena, Italy, as well as Rotterdam, Netherlands, prior to Whale being temporarily reassigned to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, at Bremerton, Washington, for an overhaul period starting in November 1985. While undergoing overhaul in 1986, Whale crew members formed a unit softball team, which competed in and won the Northwestern Pacific Softball Championship. For a crew of roughly 120 to compete against much larger ships and commands, this was quite an accomplishment. 1988–1995 January 1988, Whale was in Bremerton, completing its overhaul. She went through sea trials and left Washington, in May 1988, for her to return to her home port at Groton, under the command of Commander J. W. Francis. Whale crossed the equator on 17 June 1988, and transited the Panama Canal, on 19 June 1988, finally returning to Groton, as an operational unit of Submarine Squadron 10. Whales next major deployment was to the