The historic SS United States sits in waiting as crews begin the process to intentionally sink her. 
Captain Jim Westbrook greets passengers aboard the American Spirit before the charter boat embarked on its journey to view the SSUS. 
A passenger aboard the American Spirit looks on as the boat nears the SSUS’ sinking site. 
Hundreds of boats gathered to watch the SSUS sink. 
The U.S. Coast Guard and state troopers circle boats watching the sinking. Multiple law enforcement agencies were present to make sure the sinking was safe for spectators. 
Spectators aboard private boats fish to pass time as they await the SSUS’ sinking. 
Members of the SSUS Conservancy wore hats, pins and shirts to raise awareness for the organization’s efforts and the SSUS’ history. 
A member of the SSUS Conservancy wears a shirt commemorating the vessel’s history. 
An American Spirit crew member, Suzie Westbrook uses binoculars for a closer look at the SSUS. 
Spectators start to give up and return their boats to shore — but a few hold out, getting closer to the SSUS in hopes of witnessing history. 
A member of the SSUS Conservancy, the agency responsible for the artificial reef and museum project, wears a button inviting spectators to converse with him about the future museum. 
What spectators aboard the American Spirit could see before the captain decided to head back to shore. Spectators waited hours, but ultimately left before the ship could sink.
The SS United States descended into Gulf waters around 9 p.m. on November 11, marking the historic moment Destin became home to the world’s largest artificial reef.
The 990-foot-long vessel boasts a rich history with over 800 trips across the Atlantic Ocean. First launched in 1851, the SSUS was the world’s fastest ocean liner and has carried passengers like Marilyn Monroe, Walt Disney, Judy Garland and four different presidents.
Now, as she sits in her final resting place about 20 nautical miles off the coast of Destin, a new kind of crew will move in.
According to Okaloosa County, the SSUS was close to being sold for scrap metal when they secured an agreement to purchase her for $1 million and convert the vessel into an artificial reef for wildlife to inhabit and divers to enjoy.
“Artificial reefs provide a much-needed habitat for marine life,” Okaloosa County Public Information Officer Nick Tomecek told Mid Bay News in October. “And because of the size of the SS United States, you’re going to have fish, like your bottom fish, grouper, your snapper; but you’re also going to have your more pelagic species like your marlin, sailfish, all that stuff. So, the size of the vessel is going to accommodate a lot of different species, which is great for the marine life.”
The legendary vessel will also become a dive site — and likely a coveted one, with its record-breaking status as the world’s largest artificial reef.
“It’ll be at 60 feet in depth, so beginner divers can do that,” Tomecek said. “The bottom of the vessel is going to be resting at about 180 feet, so more advanced divers can dive the entire ship.”
On the day of her sinking, the SSUS proved she would not go down without a fight.
Originally scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. and take around 45 minutes, the sinking process could not begin until around 4:30. Once she began to take on water, it took several hours for the SSUS to complete her final voyage to the bottom of the ocean.
Tomecek said its rare to sink a ship this large, so there wasn’t much data for the county to look at to determine the most efficient way to sink the SSUS.
“She was designed to be unsinkable, and that fact has definitely given our crews some challenges today,” Tomecek told media spectators aboard the American Spirit, a charter ship.
Despite her sturdy construction and iron will, the SSUS reached her watery grave just before 10 p.m. Though only divers will see the physical ship, her legacy will remain in Okaloosa County with the construction of a museum.
According to the SS United States Conservancy, “The future museum will celebrate more than the world’s fastest and most powerful ocean liner. It will explore a broad sweep of American history, style, technical prowess, culture, and vision. It will reveal what was extraordinary about the SS United States and her namesake nation.”
