In 1952, the SS United States made headlines for how quickly it crossed the Atlantic. On Wednesday, 11 November, its final journey took it to the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico. The former passenger liner was deliberately sunk off Destin, Florida, to create the world’s largest artificial reef.
SS United States in Philadelphia, 2017 / Brian W. Schaller / Wikimedia Commons
From crossing the Atlantic to resting off Florida
The roughly 300-metre ship set a transatlantic speed record on its maiden voyage in July 1952. It carried passengers across the Atlantic for 17 years before retiring in 1969. For nearly three decades, it sat moored on Philadelphia’s Delaware River while efforts to preserve it continued.
Florida’s Okaloosa County bought the ship in 2024 with plans to turn it into a reef. Before the sinking, crews cut openings into the hull so water could flow in and the ship could settle upright. It took several hours for the liner to disappear beneath the surface.
What comes next for the wreck?
The ship now rests about 55 metres below the surface, with its upper decks around 17 metres down. The county hopes the wreck will draw divers to this stretch of Florida’s Gulf Coast and provide habitat for fish such as red snapper, grouper and amberjack.
There are plans to tell the ship’s story on land, too. The SS United States Conservancy and Okaloosa County are working on a museum near the departure points for future dive trips. For visitors who’d rather stay ashore, it would offer a way to get to know the ship that once carried passengers across the Atlantic and now lies just off the Florida coast.
Source (The Guardian)
Follow us on social media for more travel news, inspiration, and guides. You can also tag us to be featured.
Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Spotify
ALSO READ:
Matthew Beers and Nele Laing crowned 2026 Nedbank Gravel Burn champions
