October 21 (UPI) — Florida Panhandle city officials predict that converting the once-attractive cruise ship SS United States into a sunken artificial reef will be a major boost to the region’s ecotourism industry. There is.
After years of legal battles over its future at Philadelphia’s Pier 82, where the ship has been docked since 1996, the ship was officially signed with Okaloosa County, Florida, more than a week ago on Saturday.
The county plans to sink a 990-foot vessel in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Destin as part of a years-long effort to increase the popularity of sport diving and fishing around artificial reefs.
When the project is completed next year, county tourism officials will tout it as “the world’s largest artificial reef” intended to “attract divers and anglers from around the world.”
By acquiring ownership of the famous ship from its longtime owner, the nonprofit organization SS United States Conservancy, the county has committed an estimated $10.1 million to the project, including the next step: towing the ship for 73 years. will be spent. Old ships from Philadelphia to Norfolk, Virginia,
There, they will “take the necessary procedures to deploy it as an artificial reef.” That’s expected to happen in the coming weeks.
As part of the effort, the conservation group also plans to develop an immersive experience that will combine a land-based museum with an artificial reef.
Exploring further artificial coral reefs
The SS U.S. plan is part of a long-term effort by the county to invest heavily in creating artificial reefs to attract not only anglers but also diving tourists.
Because coral reefs provide a source of biological replenishment for local marine vertebrate and invertebrate populations, they essentially act as magnets that attract fish, from grouper and sea bream to larger game fish such as tuna. Attracts seeds from all over.
Coral reefs may consist of debris, concrete, or sunken ships. For example, in 2023, Okaloosa County installed five shipwreck artificial reefs and also deployed hundreds of prefabricated concrete modules in collaboration with local and national partners.
According to county statistics, the Destin-Fort Walton area had 7.8 million visitors in 2023, generating $734 million in direct tourism spending.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida is one of the most aggressive states among the Gulf and Atlantic states with artificial reef programs, with 34 coastal counties as of May. There are 4,300 locations deployed offshore. The average depth is 67 feet, but they can dive up to 500 feet.
Among the sunken ships are the cargo ship Mercedes 1, which famously washed ashore along Palm Beach’s exclusive shores in 1984, and the former Navy ship, the largest artificial reef in history, which was intentionally sunk in 2006. Some ships are already undersea tourist attractions, such as the battleship USS Oriskany. U.S. Coastal Waters — 22.5 nautical miles southeast of Pensacola Pass, 212 feet deep.
“The reason we’re building these artificial reefs is because there are no reefs in the Gulf of Mexico region that we’re in,” Okaloosa County spokesman Nick Tomesek told UPI.
“If you remove the water, it would look like a desert. So these artificial reefs, if properly cleaned and environmentally safe, are placed at different depths and can protect this wonderful habitat. Create marine life.
He said this would be a “win-win-win” for both the environment, dive tourism and commercial and recreational fishing.
“The Destin and Fort Walton Beach destination areas benefit so much from these artificial reefs,” he said. “It was very exciting. There’s always a little bit of a crowd[when a new reef is rolled out]and divers and dive boats gather together so they can go as soon as they get to the bottom.”
“And this is the world’s largest artificial reef, so it will definitely turn heads.”
glorious history
That’s probably not only because of the “World’s Largest” tag, but also because of the storied history of the SS USA itself.
The ship, launched in 1951, still holds the transatlantic speed record, achieved on its maiden voyage using only two-thirds of its power, according to the SS United States Conservancy.
The ship was designed as a top-secret convertible personnel carrier and Cold War weapon, and is still considered the “pinnacle” of American postwar maritime engineering. It was officially abolished in 1969.
In its heyday in the 1950s and 1960s, before the advent of the jet age, the SS United States’ passenger list included Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John Kennedy and a young Bill Clinton.
Among the world-class celebrities who cross the Atlantic between 23 public rooms, 395 staterooms and 14 first class suites are Marlon Brando, Coco Chanel, Sean Connery, Duke Ellington, Salvador Dali, Walt Disney and Judy. Includes Garland, Cary Grant, Bob, and more. Hope, Marilyn Monroe, John Wayne.
During that time, the SS America was a familiar fixture in the British port of Southampton, drawing nearly 70,000 spectators when she arrived after her record-breaking maiden voyage on July 3, 1952. I did.
During that journey, RMS Queen Mary awarded her the coveted Blue Ribbon, which is awarded to the ship that plies the Atlantic Ocean at a record average speed. I did. The United States reached speeds of over 38 knots (44 mph).
However, despite its past glories and accomplishments, the SS America’s recent history has been fraught with difficulties. The sale to Okaloosa County was part of a legal settlement between a conservation organization led by the granddaughter of the ship’s designer, William Francis Gibbs, and Philadelphia pier operator Penn Warehousing.
The SS United States was ordered to vacate the pier under its terms after years of efforts by nonprofit groups to find a new home for the historic ship ultimately failed.
The group has been working on plans for several years to relocate to one of several piers along Manhattan’s West Side in New York City and convert it into a hotel as an anchor for a mixed-use project, but the eviction comes before that. I was disappointed. Plans may be finalized.
In its place, what will now be a submerged habitat and tourist attraction, will be home to a “state-of-the-art” land-based museum that will “fuse the latest technology” with the conservation organization’s extensive collection of original artifacts and artwork. . boat.
Artifacts collected include at least one detailed recreation of the ship’s iconic funnel, radar mast, and space using original materials.
“You will not be lost, you will not be forgotten, you will no longer be ignored and abused,” conservation director Thomas Watkins said a week ago, as he bid farewell to the ship. I can say that.”
“You will be rightly respected, cherished, and loved in your new home and new dimension. You will no longer sail the seas, but you will be surrounded and caressed by them.”
