Legendary ocean liner the S.S. United States will begin its journey down to Mobile this week before heading to Florida to become the world’s largest artificial reef.
The liner is scheduled to be towed out of the Philadelphia pier where it currently resides at midday on Thursday, according to the SS United States Conservancy.
“While the SS United States’ journey from Philadelphia is a complex process and is subject to many factors, the ship is currently scheduled to be towed off from Pier 82 mid-day on November 14th and then remain temporarily at nearby Pier 80,” reads a post on the group’s Facebook.
“There, she will await the tidal cycle and depart on her journey south very early in the morning on Friday, November 15th.”
The current tentative schedule of events for the move is as follows, according to the conservancy:
– Nov. 14, 2024: Tugboats will secure themselves to the S.S. United States during high tide and begin maneuvering the vessel to the north side of the slip and secure her at Pier 80.
– Nov. 15, 2024: Tugboats will begin maneuvering the S.S. United States into the Delaware River pre-dawn, in preparation for low tide. When the ship is passing under the various bridges (Walt Whitman Bridge (I-76), Commodore Barry Bridge (U.S. 322), and the Delaware Memorial Bridge (I-295)) along its route, the Department of Transportation will be coordinating bridge closures.
After its journey south, which is predicted to last two weeks, the ship will dock in Mobile for a year to undergo preparations for its final move to the Destin-Fort Walton Beach area.
Anyone interested in watching the ship’s journey can track it using this link created by Destin-Fort Walton Beach.
Some of the vessel’s transformations in Mobile will include removing materials that are dangerous to sea life and poking holes in its hull to ensure it will land upright at the bottom of the Gulf, according to the conservancy.
Though the ship was originally supposed to dock in Norfolk, Va., after leaving Philadelphia, Florida officials recently decided to dock it in Mobile due to space and availability, as AL.com reported.
This decision was also cheaper and more convenient due to Mobile’s proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, according to a previous release from the Okaloosa County Commission.
Originally designed as a top-secret, convertible troop carrier during the Cold War in 1951, the S.S. United States has been hailed as America’s Greatest Ocean Liner.
In its two decades of service, the vessel transported presidents, famous actors, heads of state, tourists, members of the armed forces, and immigrants before it was retired in 1969.
Notable passengers included four U.S. Presidents (Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John Kennedy, and a young Bill Clinton), Judy Garland, Cary Grant, Bob Hope, Marilyn Monroe, and John Wayne.
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Publish date : 2024-11-10 21:47:00
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