On a Wednesday night in November, the SS United States, a liner once prized for its speed and its strength, lingered on the surface of the Gulf of Mexico about 22 miles off Destin, Florida, long after crews had begun trying to send it to the bottom. Okaloosa County had hoped to lay the ship down as the centerpiece of what it hopes will be the world's largest artificial reef, a final chapter for a vessel that had outlasted decades of uncertainty. That it refused to sink so quickly feels, to those who fought to save it, like a fitting last word from a ship built to endure.
SS United States Defies Sinking Plans, Hangs Above Gulf Waters Before Reef Resting Place
She was designed to be unsinkable, and that has given our crews challenges
Mark
So the ship was supposed to sink Wednesday and it didn't?
Mimi
Right. As of 9:30 p.m. it was still above water after hours of effort, about 22 miles off Destin.
Mark
Why does that land so heavily with people there?
Mimi
Because the ship was famously built to be tough. Its designer, William Francis Gibbs, studied disasters like the Titanic and added safety improvements.
Luke
Careful, though. The county spokesperson joked about it being unsinkable. That's a quip, not an explanation of why it's floating.
Mimi
Fair. The reporting doesn't say why it held on, only that crews found it challenging.
Mark
What about the people who fought to save it?
Mimi
The conservancy spent years in legal and preservation fights. Warren Jones said it was a solid ship, and that the outcome may be a fitting end.
Luke
And how long until it's on the bottom?
Mimi
Officials say it's descending slowly and expected to reach the seafloor, but they can't say when.
Luke
So the reef isn't done. Right now we know it's sinking slowly, not that it has settled.
Mark
Hundreds of boats were out there?
Mimi
Yes, and spectators came from around the globe, including Bill Magee from New Jersey, who was a bit disappointed not to see it go under.
Der Puls
- Hours into the scuttling, the SS United States refused to sink and remained stubbornly afloat on the Gulf.
- Crews who had prepared for years, cutting large openings into the hull, found their plans held up by the ship's own design.
- Spectators and hundreds of boats gathered offshore, and as daylight faded many left without seeing the vessel vanish.
- Officials say the ship is slowly descending toward the seafloor, but no one knows when it will arrive or when the reef will be complete.
On a Wednesday night in November, the SS United States, a liner once prized for its speed and its strength, lingered on the surface of the Gulf of Mexico about 22 miles off Destin, Florida, long after crews had begun trying to send it to the bottom. Okaloosa County had hoped to lay the ship down as the centerpiece of what it hopes will be the world's largest artificial reef, a final chapter for a vessel that had outlasted decades of uncertainty. That it refused to sink so quickly feels, to those who fought to save it, like a fitting last word from a ship built to endure.
By 9:30 on Wednesday night, the SS United States was still floating on the Gulf. For hours, crews had been trying to send the historic ocean liner to the bottom, about 22 miles off Destin, on Florida's Panhandle, and the ship had not gone.
Okaloosa County is carrying out the sinking so the vessel can become the centerpiece of what officials describe as the world's largest artificial reef. The hull had been opened for the deployment, and years of planning had led to this night. Even so, the ship held on. Nick Tomecek, a county spokesperson, acknowledged the difficulty, noting that the ship was designed to be unsinkable.
The liner spent nearly three decades docked in Philadelphia before this final voyage. Its designer, William Francis Gibbs, had studied maritime disasters such as the Titanic and built the ship for strength. Among the spectators was Bill Magee of Delran, New Jersey, who had long admired the ship from Philadelphia's waterfront. Recalling Gibbs's reputation, he said, "And I guess we found that out today, didn't we?" As the light faded, he accepted he would likely not see her go under, and admitted to some disappointment.
For the SS United States Conservancy, which had spent years fighting to keep the ship afloat, the resistance carried meaning. Warren Jones said it was a solid ship and still is, and that the stubborn ending may be fitting. Officials say the vessel continues to descend slowly, but when it will reach the seafloor, and when the reef will be finished, remains unknown.
By 9:30 on Wednesday night, the SS United States was still on the surface of the Gulf. Crews had spent hours trying to send the historic ocean liner to the bottom, and the ship had not gone.
The effort was taking place about 22 miles off the coast of Destin, on Florida's Panhandle. Okaloosa County is carrying out the sinking, with the aim of turning the vessel into the centerpiece of what officials describe as the world's largest artificial reef. Large openings had been cut into the hull to prepare for the deployment, and the planning had gone on for years. Even so, the ship held on.
Nick Tomecek, a spokesperson for Okaloosa County, acknowledged the difficulty. The ship was designed to be unsinkable, he said, and that had given the crews some challenges during the day.
The liner spent nearly three decades docked at Pier 82 in Philadelphia before this final voyage. Its designer, William Francis Gibbs, studied earlier maritime disasters such as the Titanic and built safety improvements into the vessel. It became known for its strength and durability.
The event drew spectators from around the world, and hundreds of boats gathered offshore to watch. Among those who came was Bill Magee of Delran, New Jersey, who travelled from South Jersey to see a ship he had admired for years from Philadelphia's waterfront. He recalled Gibbs's reputation for the ship: you can't burn her, you can't catch her, and you can't sink her. "And I guess we found that out today, didn't we?" he said. As daylight faded, he realized he probably would not see the ship vanish beneath the water, and said he was a little disappointed that she hadn't gone down that day.
For the SS United States Conservancy, the ship's resistance carried a particular meaning. The organization spent years fighting legal and preservation battles to keep the liner afloat. Warren Jones of the conservancy said it was a solid ship and still is, and that the stubborn ending may be fitting in a way.
Officials said the vessel is continuing to descend slowly and is expected to reach the seafloor. When that will happen is not yet known, which leaves the timeline for the reef's completion open.
Bemerkenswerte Zitate
She was designed to be unsinkable, and that fact has definitely given our crews some challenges today.— Nick Tomecek, Okaloosa County spokesperson
It was a solid ship. It still is. It may be a fitting end in a way.— Warren Jones, SS United States Conservancy
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