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"I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude." -- Henry David Thoreau

435--Key West: Shipwreckers greet The Vandenberg @ CherieSpotting     Apr 23 2009 - 15:46 PST cherie writes: The Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg is a ship with an interesting past and a unique future. At 522-ft long, The Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg is about to become the world’s second longest artificial reef. (Note: the longest artificial reef is the 888-ft former USS Oriskany, a decommissioned aircraft carrier that now rests at the bottom of the sea near Pensacola, Fl.) On April 22, the massive Vandenberg was tugged into Key West Harbor and greeted by hundreds of fans waving Conch Republic flags. Supporters of The Vandenberg (who call themselves “shipwreckers”) have endured ten long years of hassles, meetings and permits. But the shipwreckers dedication is about to pay off. In May 2009, The Vandenberg will be sunk in the waters off of Key West. While explosives will be involved, the sinking won’t be dramatic. Engineers hope she will slowly sink into her new home on the ocean floor in 140-ft of water. Click on each picture to see it full size. read comments (0) | write comment| views: 13406    | rated: 0.0    printer-friendly version   Cherie watches as The Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenburg arrives in Key Went. At 522-ft, The Vandenberg will be the world's second largest artificial reef when she is sunk next month (May 2009) a few miles from Key West. Cherie stands on one of the 4 anchors that will assure that The Vandenberg remains secure to the seafloor. The first glimpse of The Vandenberg as she is towed into Key West Harbor on April 22, 2009. The Vandenberg. The Vandenberg. Detail. A view from above. The Vandenberg is in Key West Harbor. Waiting for the ship to come in. The Vandenberg is slowly pushed and pulled into place. Tugging along. You know it's a big ship when you have to move the fenders with a crane. Those fenders make a big splash. Tug, tug, tug. Cheers from the Mohawk. The Vandenberg. Push, pull, push, pull. Men at the dock. Easy does it. Tug detail. Anyone have any rust remover? The Vandenberg. Three crewmen. Watching the ship come in. Inching towards the dock. The last few feet of a very long journey. Closer. Men at work. Shipwrecker. Ready to throw the lines. The crowd on The Mohawk cheers. That's a lot of line. Drop me a line? Pull. The Vandenberg at Key West Harbor. You have one month to see her before she is sunk. That line is thicker than his arms. Securing The Vandenberg. Who is the guy with the socks? Docking The Vandenberg in Key West. Snugging up The Vandenberg. The end of a very long journey. Future artificial reef. Pull harder. Give me another wrap. Safety first. The Vandenberg in Key West Harbor. Nice lines. Broken chain. Greg with The Vandenberg. Cherie with Admiral Finnbar. Cherie on The Vandenberg's future anchors.