She was literally declared a building to settle a union dispute in the 60s. She was gutted and at times left to rot like a discarded pier side fish. The RMS Queen Mary, a world famous retired ocean liner in Long Beach, California, has suffered many indignities. Perhaps the greatest is the ongoing rumor that she sits in concrete and does not float in her man-made lagoon.
First a brief history. Construction started on the ship in 1930, 18 years after the Titanic slipped beneath the surface. (She is directly related to the Titanic in the sense that Cunard merged with White Star Lines) Completed in 1934, she sailed between Southampton, England and New York, along with some abortive attempts at cruising towards the end, until 1967. Since that time, she has been docked in Long Beach, California, having been saved from the scrapers and living on as one of the only examples of the golden age of ocean liners to make it into the 21st century.
A very common refrain, especially from detractors of the ship (she has had off and on financial problems from the start but appears stable now), is that she does not float. They claim that she rests in the mud of her lagoon or that she is encased in concrete. As mentioned at the start, to settle a dispute with the sailors union, the Coast Guard declared her a building back in the 60s. This was likely the start of the rumor.
I’ll cut to the chase. The ship floats. My wife and I spent the night aboard to ring in the new year. I asked the staff this question and was told in no uncertain terms that she floats. Looking at the angle of the gangway used to board the vessel, it was fairly obvious. There were also times I am pretty sure I felt her move. According to Julian Hill, well known Queen Mary aficionado who maintains an extensive website (https://www.sterling.rmplc.co.uk/webdrive/faq.html) about the vessel, “Yes, she is afloat, and can be seen to rise and fall with the tide. There is usually a minimum of about 10 feet of water under her, but it is a bit muddy down there.” Los Angeles Magazine reported that she does indeed float, saying, “Occasionally, if she is in the mood,” says Queen Mary Commodore Everette Hoard, “she may wriggle a little. That is her way of letting everyone know she is alive.”
I have read marine surveys of the ship that talk about divers inspecting the hull and cleaning her. I have however been unable to find the holy grail of this mystery, a photo from the terrifying perspective of directly under her keel, or bottom.
I can’t end this article without encouraging you, dear reader, to visit the ship if you get a chance. She is a true world treasure, a rare survivor from a totally different time when life was slower and the world larger, and she deserves your attention. While you are there, stand on the promenade deck, close your eyes, and don’t move. You might feel her dance.
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