Aircraft Carrier USS Oriskany About to Sink

After more than a year of delay, we now expect the USS Oriskany to be sunk in the Gulf of Mexico about 23 miles off the coast of Pensacola, Florida. It appears that the Environmental Protection Agency has given the final OK to send it to the bottom of the sea. At this writing, the Oriskany is in Beaumont, Texas where it was towed from Pensacola to wait out the 2005 hurricane season. The 888-foot aircraft carrier will lie in its final resting place, creating a one-0f-a-kind artificial reef that will not only attract sea life but will be the center of attention for scuba divers and fishermen from around the world. And as we should know by now, vacationers stimulate the real estate rental and sales markets. Economic benefit from visitors in the Pensacola area is estimated to be about $90 million per year. I hope that is a good number, because about $19 million has already been sunk into getting ready to sink it. Glub...glub. When will it sink? No later than May 2006 -- otherwise it could be sent back to Beaumont before the storm season starts in June! Check back with us for updates. And don't forget to visit us at www.stukey.com, or email me at joe@stukey.com.