Here she comes....Vandenberg!!!
- Thread starter finneganswake
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
Jayamusement
Registered
I've been waiting years for this.
Less then 600 mile too go and cruising at 7.6 kts 
obsession600
Registered
OMG
I can't wait!
:banana: :jumping:
I can't wait!
:banana: :jumping:
Slow going. She had winds of 25-30 kts gusting to 40, 12' seas. She is towing fine, but only making 2.1 kts.
Safe dives
trtldvr
Florida Keys Safe Diving Initiative
Safe dives
trtldvr
Florida Keys Safe Diving Initiative
mike_s
Contributor
heres a news article
520-foot 'Vandenberg' en route to Key West for scuttling
Posted - Sunday, April 12, 2009 03:15 PM EDT
The USS Vandenberg is finally headed to Key West and the last steps in a 13-year process to create the newest artificial reef in the Florida Keys.
Sunday, tugboats eased the 520-foot retired Air Force missile tracking ship down the Elizabeth River into Chesapeake Bay. From there, a single 90-foot tugboat, the Elsbeth III, led the 66-year-old vessel on its final Atlantic coastal voyage, from a Virginia shipyard to the Keys.
The 1,100-mile voyage to Key West, undertaken at about 6 mph, should take eight days, according to Capt. Latham Smith, owner of Smith Towing.
Following the Vandenberg's arrival in Key West, at least a month will be required to complete necessary work before the ship can be sunk six miles south of the island in about 140 feet of water.
Project organizers anticipate the scuttling should take place between May 20 and June 1.
The $8.6 million project was fraught with significant funding delays and increases, but local, state and federal agencies committed money and First State Bank of the Florida Keys rescued the venture last December.
It bid $1.35 million to purchase the ship after it was put up for auction on the steps of the federal courthouse in Norfolk, Va., after Reefmakers, director of the project, couldn't pay its bills for cleaning and storage to a Norfolk shipyard. The bank subsequently transferred the ship's title to the city of Key West.
The ship was in Virginia so pollutants such as asbestos could be removed.
Tugboats ease the former Air Force missile tracking ship 'Vandenberg' through a railroad bridge in Norfolk, Va., on Sunday on its way to Key West.
520-foot 'Vandenberg' en route to Key West for scuttling
Posted - Sunday, April 12, 2009 03:15 PM EDT
The USS Vandenberg is finally headed to Key West and the last steps in a 13-year process to create the newest artificial reef in the Florida Keys.
Sunday, tugboats eased the 520-foot retired Air Force missile tracking ship down the Elizabeth River into Chesapeake Bay. From there, a single 90-foot tugboat, the Elsbeth III, led the 66-year-old vessel on its final Atlantic coastal voyage, from a Virginia shipyard to the Keys.
The 1,100-mile voyage to Key West, undertaken at about 6 mph, should take eight days, according to Capt. Latham Smith, owner of Smith Towing.
Following the Vandenberg's arrival in Key West, at least a month will be required to complete necessary work before the ship can be sunk six miles south of the island in about 140 feet of water.
Project organizers anticipate the scuttling should take place between May 20 and June 1.
The $8.6 million project was fraught with significant funding delays and increases, but local, state and federal agencies committed money and First State Bank of the Florida Keys rescued the venture last December.
It bid $1.35 million to purchase the ship after it was put up for auction on the steps of the federal courthouse in Norfolk, Va., after Reefmakers, director of the project, couldn't pay its bills for cleaning and storage to a Norfolk shipyard. The bank subsequently transferred the ship's title to the city of Key West.
The ship was in Virginia so pollutants such as asbestos could be removed.
Tugboats ease the former Air Force missile tracking ship 'Vandenberg' through a railroad bridge in Norfolk, Va., on Sunday on its way to Key West.
Don't hold me to it. But I think. Once the divers clear it I would think 24 to 48 hours. That is my 2 cents.
Last edited:
mike_s
Contributor
24 to 48 hours is a good guess.
After they sink it, they'll basically have to do this.
1.) Dive on it to make sure it didn't flip.
2.) those dive(s) will also be a safety check to make sure that there isn't anything dangerous that happened during the scuttling, like hatches that were secured came loose, any loose debris, that all the explosvie charges went off as expected, etc.
3.) Install mooring buoy's
4.) Not sure if any agency will have to do any checks or not, such as the FWC. (Florida doesn't own this wreck like they do the Oriskany. Key West got title/ownership of the boat transfered to the city).
Figure 24 hours. The clearance dives are being done by public safety divers from various agancies, Monroe County Sheriff's Office Key West PD & FD, Key Largo Fire Dept Water Rescue as well as a few other diving Diving Gods. Once we clear it, a few dignitaries that are dive certified will get their photo ops and have guided dives.
As far as the mooring bouys at one time the plan was to attach them before sinking and design them to be self deploying. I don't know if this has been worked out or not. I can forsee problems with this, but if it is figured out would be pretty cool.
I am meeting with the gentleman in charge of planning the clearance this afternoon. (In Key West afternoon meeting = Happy Hour).
I will try to keep you all posted.
Safe Dives
trtldvr
www.divealive.org
As far as the mooring bouys at one time the plan was to attach them before sinking and design them to be self deploying. I don't know if this has been worked out or not. I can forsee problems with this, but if it is figured out would be pretty cool.
I am meeting with the gentleman in charge of planning the clearance this afternoon. (In Key West afternoon meeting = Happy Hour).
I will try to keep you all posted.
Safe Dives
trtldvr
www.divealive.org
Similar threads
- Sticky
