If you are planning to buy a sea vessel, then this might be your chance to get a famous one. The US Navy is trying to get rid of a couple of old vessels. Since 2006, the Navy’s been trying to find a new home for these old-fashioned machines, and if they don’t find one soon then these beauties are doomed to die a harsh death in a scrapyard somewhere. One of these is a 1985-built secret vessel that goes by the name of Sea Shadow. It was under the Secret Service till 1993 and till 2006 it was serving as a normal Navy vessel. The other one is the Hughes Mining Barge, which can also be called as the mother of Sea Shadow, as Sea Shadow was built inside it. The Barge is the only dry dock that is also capable of operating underwater.

Frank Lesson, a museum entrepreneur who ran a maritime museum, says that they’d be terrific to exhibit but it’s not that easy, as there are too many formalities to fulfill when the Navy gifts a ship for exhibit, and he does not have enough money to buy these two vessels. Also, the Navy is insisting on donating these two vessels as a single package deal. Glen Clark, the Navy’s civilian ship-disposal chief says,

When you’re driving down the road, you can’t see the Sea Shadow. You have to pay for your ticket to go on board the Hughes Mining Barge, and then you see the Sea Shadow. That has the capability of preserving the aura of secrecy of the program.

There are lots of stories attached to these two vessels. If you’re interested in this bit of trivia, then check out the Wall Street Journal’s detailed article about them.422121