MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) – The SS United States is now without its iconic smokestacks. The second funnel was removed on Friday, following the removal of the first funnel on Monday.
The Perdido Queen has been offering tours since its arrival earlier this year. And it’s a site unlike any other.
“Oh, it’s fantastic. Just the awe of seeing something this large in person. So many people are tied to the ship itself. They just feel a part of the ship. Whether they’ve even seen it before or been a part of it,” Captain Willie Jones said.
Captain Willie may have the best seat in the house now, but Pam, who works on the Perdido Queen, had the honor of taking a trip on the SS United States just years before it was decommissioned.
And she made memories that have lasted a lifetime.
“Just the activities that you can do because we were on the ship for 16 days, and they kept you as busy as you wanted to. The food was great. Just so many activities. And then we had the islands that we got off to see, then back on the ship and on to another one,” Pam said.
The structures will eventually be the centerpiece of the future SS United States Museum and visitor experience.
The rest of the ship will be sunk to become the world’s largest artificial reef. So, if you can see the ship before that happens, it’s highly recommended.
“It’s part of history. It’s the fastest ship and it holds a lot of records. It’s an engineering marvel. If they see it and really do some studying on it, they will be impressed with the equipment that it had for its time,” Pam said.
“Please do it. It’s something that you can’t see again, and you’ll never regret having come,” Jones said.
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