TEXAS CLIPPER: A beloved, historic vessel is scheduled for 
a new life at the bottom of the Gulf ... details ahead on 
Passport to Texas ... 
____________________________________________________________

Passport to Texas ... from Texas Parks and Wildlife and 
the Sport Fish Restoration program

If you work hard your whole life and end up on the 
bottom of the Gulf of Mexico as high rise housing for 
barnacles and sponges, you've probably been drafted into 
duty as an artificial reef. 
 
We have a number of items out in the gulf of Mexico. :04

Dale Shively coordinates the artificial reef program for 
Texas Parks and Wildlife. 

We have 12 World War II Liberty ships that were put out in the mid 
1970's, bridge rubble material. And, we have smaller types of materials 
such as tug boats and derelict vessels. :12

The next vessel to take its place under gulf waters is the 
Texas Clipper. Originally commissioned for troop 
transport in WWII; it was later a cruise liner in the 1950's, 
and a training vessel for the Texas Maritime Academy at 
Texas A&M University, carrying sea cadets and students 
to ports around the world.

The ship itself is 473 feet long; it has a beam of about 66 feet, and it's 
approximately 80 feet from the keel up to the top of the wheelhouse. 
We have a permitted reef site that's approximately 17 miles off South 
Padre, in about 134 feet of water. The idea is that the ship would be 
sunk in an upright position and that the clearance from the top of the 
ship to the top of the water column would be fifty feet. :29

Providing much needed marine habitat and world class 
diving in Texas. The target sink date is late summer 
2006. 

Our show is supported by the Sport Fish Restoration 
Program ... funded by your purchase of fishing equipment 
and motor boat fuels. For Texas Parks and Wildlife ... I'm 
Cecilia Nasti. 


Total sound bite time:		0:45.0
 Maximum Script time:		0:41.0 Suggested show time: 86.0 = 1:26