As you may recall, OEN was granted permission to board and tour the derelict former ocean liner S.S. United States during our visit to Philadelphia this past August. TOUR PHOTOS HERE Well, we’re both happy and sad to report that a resolution for the ship has finally been reached. This past Saturday ownership of the long-docked vessel was transferred from the S.S. United States Conservatory to Okaloosa County, Florida in an onboard ceremony. While everyone had hoped that a golden knight with deep pockets would spend the hundreds of millions of dollars necessary to rescue the ship and perhaps turn it into a hotel like the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California, that never happened. Okaloosa County will sink the ship off the coast of Destin and Fort Walton Beach in the Florida panhandle to be used as the world’s largest artificial reef and diving site.So we’re happy that a resolution for this 1951-built ship has been reached and happy it will become an amazing tourist draw. We’re happy the ship’s final resolution won’t be at the breakers in India. We’re also happy there will be a land-based museum constructed for the ship with many artifacts. The ship will depart Philadelphia any day now for Norfolk where it will be extensively cleaned and made safe for sinking. It will be at least a year before it can be towed one last time to its final resting place in the Gulf of Mexico off the Okaloosa County coastline. (Photos 1-2: S.S. United States Conservatory Photos 3-4: Orlando Entertainment News)
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