JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The "dangerous maneuver" of moving the USS Orleck 1,000 yards down the St. Johns River has been delayed.
As of Monday evening, the ship was very nearly in place. Crews tell First Coast News they are waiting for high tide, around 9 p.m., high tides will help move the ship closer to its permanent home.
Officials tell First Coast News the ship is dragging on the bottom, slowing down the journey. But the ship is not stuck.
When it reaches its destination, the Orleck will dock near the Jacksonville Fire Museum, at Pier 1.
The President of Jacksonville Historic Naval Ship Association Daniel Bean says getting the Orleck to Jacksonville in the first place was 12 years in the making.
"Bringing it here was really the monumental effort and monumental achievement," Bean said. "So she’s been here a year. She’s been extremely successful.”
More than 35,000 visitors, 5,000 students, 3 weddings, and more than 50 private events have taken place on the USS Orleck in a year. Let’s do it all over again at pier 1, but not so fast.
“Anytime you move a navy warship with 400 feet of steel, it is not a quick process," said Bean. "So there’s a ton of variables that go into it. You got to have the tides right. You got to have the sun right. You got to have the current correct.”
Three tug boats and a dockmaster are in charge of the move. The ship’s engines are cold, as Bean said, so it can’t maneuver itself.
“It’s a dangerous maneuver," he described.
The Orleck will reopen possibly two weeks after the move, depending on if the platform is ready and set up. The platform is needed to allow visitors to safely access the ship.