This and That – The Santa Rosa and the Titanic.

The SS Santa Rosa, launched in 1932, was a passenger and cargo liner built for the Grace Line and operated by its subsidiary, Panama Mail Steamship Company of San Francisco.

After her WWII service, she underwent repair and refit at the Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Company. She was returned to the Grace Line and resumed Caribbean service in 1947. In 1958, after 26 years of service, Santa Rosa was replaced by a larger liner of the same name. In June 1958, the old Santa Rosa was renamed Santa Paula. The older ship was laid up at Hoboken, NJ, until 1961, when she was sold to Greek owners and renamed Athinai.

In 1978, she was towed out of layup for use as a film set for RAISE THE TITANIC. After a decade of neglect, and with fittings that did not appear out of place for a 1912-built ship, Athinai needed very little conversion work to film the Titanic’s interiors. Her bows were painted to resemble the Titanic, and she was sprayed with green foam to simulate 68 years on the ocean floor. After the filming, she was returned to her Greek owners. She remained for another ten years until 1989, when she was towed and scrapped in Aliaga, Turkey.

And now you know…the rest of the story.

Big hug.

(Originally posted June 1, 2023.)