Largest ocean liner ever built in America, 100+ feet longer than the Titanic, being towed to its ocean graveyard

[Muse]

Retired in 1969 and docked in Philadelphia, never set up as many wanted to be toured by the curious, S. S. United States to join the Titanic, i.e. on the ocean bottom.

Paywall penetrating link expires in 14 days, i.e. March 5, 2025

Record-Setting Ocean Liner, a Titan of Its Time, Begins Its Final Voyage

The S.S. United States, the largest passenger ship ever built in America, left Philadelphia under tow on Wednesday, eventually to be sunk off the Gulf Coast.

www.nytimes.com

 

[HomerJS]

Can't the metal be melted down and recycled? Why add more trash to an already trashed ocean?

 

[purbeast0]

Can't the metal be melted down and recycled? Why add more trash to an already trashed ocean?

Sinking ships in the ocean create artificial reefs and their own ecosystems. It's far from adding trash to the ocean. It's beneficial to the ocean.

It will also probably become a SCUBA destination and generate some revenue as well.

 

[feralkid]

To be renamed the U.S. Democracy, just before it is sunk.

 

[iRONic]

And there we have it… the metaphor for this country and her fate under the felon in chief’s second term.

 

[K1052]

It's pretty much been this or the scrappers since her fittings were torn out and sold off in the 80s. Just too expensive to do anything else with.

 

[K1052]

Sinking ships in the ocean create artificial reefs and their own ecosystems. It's far from adding trash to the ocean. It's beneficial to the ocean.

It will also probably become a SCUBA destination and generate some revenue as well.

Top of the superstructure will be about 60ft deep so a good chunk of it should be accessible to divers.

 

[purbeast0]

Top of the superstructure will be about 60ft deep so a good chunk of it should be accessible to divers.

Divers go a lot deeper than 60ft though, so that depth isn't much. A lot of ship wrecks are down over 100ft. I'm not sure what the visibility is like where this is going to be sunk though.

The coolest one I saw sat at around 75ft of water and was sunk on purpose with holes blown out of the sides so you can swim through it.

USS Kittiwake - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I swam into it and up through the chimney or whatever that thing is called. That was pretty neat.

 

[K1052]

Divers go a lot deeper than 60ft though, so that depth isn't much. A lot of ship wrecks are down over 100ft. I'm not sure what the visibility is like where this is going to be sunk though.

The coolest one I saw sat at around 75ft of water and was sunk on purpose with holes blown out of the sides so you can swim through it.

USS Kittiwake - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I swam into it and up through the chimney or whatever that thing is called. That was pretty neat.

She's about 120 feet tall from keel to top of the superstructure and getting sunk in 180 feet of water.

I think her funnels are getting removed before they sink her.

 

[purbeast0]

She's about 120 feet tall from keel to top of the superstructure and getting sunk in 180 feet of water.

I think her funnels are getting removed before they sink her.

Yah that is pretty damn large. Experienced/advanced divers will enjoy that one for sure. The deepest you are "allowed" to go as a recreational diver is 120ft, once you get below that you get into the tech aspect of it.