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Historic ship completes first leg of journey to become world's largest artificial reef

Historic ship completes first leg of journey to become world's largest artificial reef

Independent03-03-2025

The historic, aging ocean liner that a Florida county plans to turn into the world's largest artificial reef has completed the first leg of its final voyage.
The SS United States, a 1,000-foot (305-meter) vessel that shattered the trans- Atlantic speed record on its maiden voyage in 1952, arrived early Monday in Mobile, Alabama, nearly two weeks after departing from south Philadelphia's Delaware River.
The ship was due to arrive at a repair facility in Mobile later Monday. Crews will spend about six months cleaning and preparing the ship before it is eventually sunk off Florida's Gulf Coast.
The 1,800-mile (2,897-kilometer) move south started on Feb. 19, about four months after a years-old rent dispute was resolved between the conservancy that oversees the ship and its landlord. Plans to move the vessel last November were delayed over U.S. Coast Guard concerns about whether the ship was stable enough to make the trip.
Officials in Okaloosa County on Florida's coastal Panhandle hope the ship will become a barnacle-encrusted standout among the county's more than 500 artificial reefs and a signature diving attraction that could generate millions of dollars annually in local tourism spending for scuba shops, charter fishing boats and hotels.
Officials have said the deal to buy the ship could eventually cost more than $10 million.
The SS United States was once considered a beacon of American engineering, doubling as a military vessel that could carry thousands of troops. Its maiden voyage broke the trans-Atlantic speed record in both directions when it reached an average speed of 36 knots, or just over 41 mph (66 kph), The Associated Press reported from aboard the ship. The ship crossed the Atlantic Ocean in three days, 10 hours and 40 minutes, besting the RMS Queen Mary's time by 10 hours. To this day, the SS United States holds the trans-Atlantic speed record for an ocean liner.
The SS United States became a reserve ship in 1969 and later bounced between various private owners who hoped to redevelop it. They eventually found their plans too expensive or poorly timed, leaving the vessel looming for years on south Philadelphia's Delaware River waterfront.

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I'm a Brit who went to summer camp in America – it was like living a 1990's Hollywood film and you can do it too
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time8 hours ago

  • Scottish Sun

I'm a Brit who went to summer camp in America – it was like living a 1990's Hollywood film and you can do it too

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6 facts you need to know about the Dubai Metro Blue Line
6 facts you need to know about the Dubai Metro Blue Line

Time Out Dubai

time12 hours ago

  • Time Out Dubai

6 facts you need to know about the Dubai Metro Blue Line

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American is amazed over beautiful 16th century village but one thing 'jars' him
American is amazed over beautiful 16th century village but one thing 'jars' him

Daily Mirror

time19 hours ago

  • Daily Mirror

American is amazed over beautiful 16th century village but one thing 'jars' him

A beautiful Cotswolds village has left one American amazed by its historic charm - but his attention was quickly snatched away by one small dose of reality An American has shared his frustration over one specific thing about an old British village - and it's left people stunned. One thing about Britain is that we're spoilt with quaint and beautiful countryside - which is why it makes it so appealing for tourists to visit. Rich in history, as well as picturesque views, it's no wonder people want to come and visit the charming villages in real life. But one man has revealed his gripe with a beautiful 16th century village in the Cotswold s. ‌ YouTuber Tyler Rumple was watching a video on some of the most beautiful places to visit in the Cotswolds. The village, which Tyler says looks like it's from "back in time" is Castle Combe nestled in the South Cotswolds in Wiltshire, which left him in awe. ‌ Castle Combe has been named as one of the most beautiful villages in the UK and the American native said the village looks as if it's come out of a "child's fairy tale book" with the quintessentially British roads and houses. Clearly blown away, Tyler said: "This doesn't look real to me, it looks like a movie set. I would see this kind of thing in a movie and it doesn't exist in real life. This is one of the incredible things about the UK in general is that you guys even have this old historical preserved buildings and architecture." However as impressed he was by the ancient "fairy tale" village, he couldn't get over the lack of parking available for visitors. The video he was watching touched on the parking situation when visiting the village. The footage stated visitors would need to park in the car park at the top of the village, or they could try their luck with a few roadside spaces closer towards the centre. Help us improve our content by completing the survey below. We'd love to hear from you! ‌ Tyler said: "This really jars you out of the fairy tale a little bit. It's this beautiful village from the 1600's which is another cool thing about the UK as the history is old. You have been around a long time whereas the United States we haven't existed all that long as a country so we tend to not have old cool stuff like this. "But talking about the parking lot, that honestly jarred me out of this experience in the moment." However he wasn't unimpressed for too long as he later claimed: "I wasn't aware places like this existed, like houses with grass on top and houses with vines up the walls and scenic villages with big wooden doors with metal handles, that's awesome." One YouTube viewer commented on Tyler's video defending the roads and said: "About our roads - we still use roads that were built before cars, transport was wagons or horses." While another added: "'How do you navigate these thin, narrow roads' - with skill and attention to driving. That's how. Our narrow roads were built when horses and carts were the main form of transport not gas guzzling monsters."

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