UPDATE — One of the largest warships in the world is about five miles off Santa Cruz. Monterey Community Services Director Kim Bui-Burton, who told The Herald on Wednesday the ship was expected to be roughly a half mile off the shore from Monterey Harbor, said Thursday there was a concern about finding an area deep enough for anchoring practice.
MONTEREY — One of the largest warships in the world is expected in the Monterey Bay on Friday.
The USS Nimitz will stop roughly a half mile off the shore from Monterey Harbor “midmorning to midafternoon,” said Monterey Community Services Director Kim Bui-Burton.
The more than 1,000-foot-long U.S. Navy ship will be practicing anchor operations in the bay, Bui-Burton said.
The ship is stopping while on route from San Diego to Washington.
“It’s going to be very visible,” Bui-Burton said.
There are 10 “Nimitz class” aircraft carriers in use, according to the Navy.
The ships, named after Fleet Adm. Chester W. Nimitz, are nuclear-powered and can travel up to 34.5 mph, according to Navy.com.
It can hold roughly 80 aircraft, has a flight deck width of 252 feet, a 134-foot beam and weighs more than 100,000 tons, according to the website.
Contact Phillip Molnar at pmolnar@montereyherald.com. Follow him on Twitter @PhillipMolnar.
