Video: S.S. United States Tow Passes Florida After Clearing Rough Seas
Liner aficionados are enjoying images and videos coming in as the s.s. United States continues her tow from Philadelphia to Mobile, Alabama. For the first time in a generation, they are seeing the liner at sea and despite years without maintenance, she is still casting her famous profile.
The nearly 1,000-foot liner encountered some difficult weather conditions off the Virginia coast over the weekend which forced the tug, Vinik 6, to “hove to” to wait out the worst of the weather conditions. The captain of the vessel, Mike Vinik is posting comments and doing media interviews describing the tow as the experience of a lifetime.
Vinik told Fox 10 TV News in Mobile that they had encountered 45 mph winds and 14-foot seas on Saturday. He said the liner had gone into the wind forcing them to slow the tow. The ship is attached with an anchor chain and approximately 1,800 feet astern of the tug. At one-point, Vinik said they however were nearly alongside with the liner having turned sideways to the tug.
Once the weather abated, Vinik reports there were making speeds of between six and seven knots and sometimes up to eight knots. The tow plan projected speeds of five to six knots. Vinik maneuvered the tow to avoid the strongest elements of the Gulf Stream to aid the tow, but reports as they got south the weather has consistently improved.
At one point they encountered a unique phenomenon, “sea smoke.” The air temperatures were in the 30s or 40s Fahrenheit while sea temperatures were 80 to 85 degrees as they entered the Gulf Stream region. The liner also had “escorts” of a sort, including a whale and great white shark.
The tow is progressing ahead of schedule with the ship off passing central Florida midday on Tuesday, February 25. Vinik said in his interview they would reach the Florida Straits late tonight or early tomorrow morning. Fox 10 is reporting the liner could reach Mobile on March 5.
Vinik reports that they will position the liner into Mobile and handoff to local tugs to dock the ship. Previous reports said it will be backed up the Mobile River to the remediation facility. Work will continue removing contaminants and residual oil to prepare for the reefing.
Fans of the famous liner, which still hold the title as the fastest to cross the Atlantic, are for now enjoying the final look at its profile. Once it arrives in Mobile, the funnels, radar mast, and cargo kingposts will all be removed. They also plan to remove all the windows and portholes before the hull is reefed near Destin, Florida in 2026.