SS United States

Key Points:

• The planned sinking of the SS United States artificial reef off Okaloosa County, Florida, has been moved up to Wednesday due to worsening weather forecasts on Thursday.
• The ship was towed out of Mobile after extensive preparations, including removal of hazardous materials and preservation of key artifacts, with the sinking site about 22 nautical miles southwest of Destin and Fort Walton Beach.
• Weather forecasts predict calmer conditions on Wednesday with light winds and low seas, while Thursday is expected to have stronger winds and higher seas, prompting the schedule change for safety reasons.
• A send-off ceremony for the sinking has been canceled, but a live viewing party with a feed of the event will be held at AJ’s Seafood and Oyster Bar in Destin, with the live stream available at thessus.com.
• The U.S. Coast Guard will enforce a one-nautical-mile exclusion zone around the sinking site, and unauthorized vessels may face penalties; safety measures are in place due to expected high interest and vessel traffic.