Two funny memories on that.
1) In the late 80s, a college roommate went on spring break to some central american country. He said one day the JFK showed up and prowled off the coast. He said nothing made you want to behave more than the sight of an aircraft carrier.
2) in the mid-90s, I worked for a Korean/Japanese investment firm, about the 84th floor of One World Trade Center. I didn't rate a Hudson River window seat, but the (really nice) Korean friend next to me did. One day he elbowed me and said, "Hey look, an Aircraft carrier!" it was Fleet Week, May 1995. I took a glance and it wasn't a fleet carrier, just an assualt ship. I said, "Donald, chill, that's not an aircraft carrier." He didn't believe me, but we went back to work. After lunch, he kicked me during a phone call and pointed. The JFK was indeed passing by.
You haven't seen a carrier, until you are on the 86th floor of a building - or maybe in a fighter, COD, or whatever, and you look down and that thing is blotting out all around it, making even the Hudson River look small. Oh my.
She went up to anchor near the GW Bridge for the week. Just sat there and swung at anchor and was terrifying even from seven miles away. Awesome.