Cruise to the ss United States / USS Olympia
On August 8, 2009, I went to Philadelphia to join some other ocean-liner enthusiasts on a 1902 tugboat “cruise” to see the ss United States. I tried to get close to her in 2007 from land and was flatly denied access to the pier. The good news is that they can’t keep you out of the berth if you’re on a boat! Here are some photos from the day.
Click on the photo if you want a larger version.
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- The tug Jupiter. Built in 1902, she attended the launch of the USS New Jersey in 1942 and the ns Savannah in 1959.
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- The Philadelphia skyline.
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- There was a pretty good crowd of about 35 United States fans on board.
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- The funnels of the fastest ocean liner ever built as seen from Penn’s Landing.
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- The ss United States is docked very close to the old United States Lines terminal in Philly. Note the arrow pointing to the original sign.
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- Despite her years of neglect, she is still an awe-inspiring sight.
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- “Danger. Keep Clear Propellers.”
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- She still draws about 26 feet, and her Plimsoll Mark is clearly visible.
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- Is this part of her extensive cathodic protection system? If so, it has worked well because her hull has less pitting than the n/s Savannah even though United States is over a decade older.
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- Numerous port holes have been shot out in senseless acts of vandalism.
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- Flaking paint on her starboard side.
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- Entrance doors on Prom deck.
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- Her famous mast.
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- How would you like to be this close to her at 35 knots??
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- She has great lines, huh?
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- One of the largest funnels ever installed aboard a liner.
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- Her name is still proudly emblazoned on her bow.
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- Brian Hawley and the “Big U.”
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- A final view as we leave the slip. Note her tumble home. Not many passenger ships that have this feature are around anymore.
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- The battleship New Jersey is docked across from Penn’s Landing in Camden, NJ.
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- The “E” on her second stack is a sign of her wartime efficiency award.
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- Docked at Penn’s Landing is the USS Olympia. Commissioned in 1895, she served as Admiral Dewey’s flagship during the Spanish-American War. It was from her decks that Admiral Dewey spoke the immortal words: “You may fire when ready, Gridley.” In 1921 she brought back from France the remains of the “unknown soldier” for burial in Arlington Cemetery.
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- The starting platform of the USS Olympia. Entering her engine room is as close as we will ever come to being in the engine room of a 19th Century Cunarder like the Campania (although Campania’s engines were much larger!).
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- The tops of the Olympia’s cylinders, which were all sheathed in wood.
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- Olympia’s piston rod.
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- These are some of Olympia’s eccentric straps. They are a circular disk (eccentric sheave) solidly fixed to a rotating axle with its centre offset from that of the axle (hence the word “eccentric,” out of the centre). Much larger versions have been recovered from Titanic.
