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Remediation finished on SS United States, awaits federal approval before sinking in NWFL MOBILE, Ala. -- The remediation is now complete on the 74-year-old historic ocean liner SS United States.Docked in Mobile, the ship is set to become the world's

SS UNITED STATES: A team from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution will be among the first in the water after the SS United States is deployed as an artificial reef off the coast of Destin-Fort Walton Beach, launching a long-term study to track how an entirely new ecosystem takes shape from the moment the 990-foot vessel reaches the seafloor.

The research project, led by WHOI scientist Dr. Kirstin Meyer-Kaiser, represents what she describes as a once-in-a-career opportunity. There are roughly 3 million shipwrecks worldwide, but scientists almost never get to study one from the very beginning.

“Every time a ship sinks, it is a brand new habitat falling out of the sky,” Meyer-Kaiser said. “Usually when we do research on those, we find them years, decades, maybe even centuries after they have arrived on the sea floor. So in order to understand how what we observe took shape, there’s a lot of interpolation, there’s a lot of guesswork.”

The SS United States deployment changes that. Meyer-Kaiser and her team will establish what she calls a true baseline, not the ecosystem as they found it, but the ecosystem as it began.

“This is going to be the first time that anyone’s gonna be able to do that at this scale for such a large vessel, to be there right from day one when it’s sinking,” she said. “It’s an incredible opportunity.”

Full interview: https://getthecoast.com/from-day-one-woods-hole-oceanographic-institution-launching-long-term-study-on-ss-united-states-artificial-reef-ecosystem/

If you’ve been waiting for a legit excuse to stab something underwater, lionfish season has entered the chat. The ECO is where ocean heroes are made and tall tales get even taller. Register here for the Emerald Coast Open: https://emeraldcoastopen.com/register/

FYI: Okaloosa Island Pier Cleanup has been rescheduled. Reference FB link: https://www.facebook.com/events/877189045196178/?active_tab=discussion

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Okaloosa County says the SS United States is now expected to be deployed in early May >> https://www.fox10tv.com/2026/03/18/ss-united-states-deployment-pushed-early-may/

The 97-foot prop ship from Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest has been sunk off Florida’s Emerald Coast and transformed into a brand-new artificial reef. Sitting in 75 feet of water near Panama City Beach, the wreck is already becoming a home for marine life, and a pretty epic playground for divers.

Even better, local welding students added pirate-style details like a captain’s wheel, treasure chest, and a proper Jolly Roger to bring the whole scene to life underwater. 🏴‍☠️

A movie prop turned reef habitat and dive site? That’s a pretty cool second act.

Hit the link below to read the full story.

http://padi.co/0xah97kr

🖊 Melissa Smith
📸 Visit Panama City Beach

We are pleased to announce and congratulate all of our 2025 Photo Contest Winners in each Category! From Florida, to St Lucia, to Cozumel, and everywhere in between, our members took only photos, and left only bubbles!