One of the shipwrecks in Mallows Bay Ship graveyard, on the Potomac River
Mallows Bay on the Maryland side of the Potomac River is the site of what is called the “largest shipwreck fleet in the Western Hemisphere,” also known as a ship graveyard. The bay, now a wildlife refuge and public park, has the graves of more than 230 ships sunk in the river. Almost ninety were poorly constructed steamships built during World War I; in 1925 they were burned and scuttled in the bay. Bethlehem Steel then built a salvage basin during World War II to recover metal from the abandoned ships. The remains of these ships now form a reef system that hosts an array of wildlife.
These are some photos.
Shipwreck in the Salvage Basin
Starboard view of a shipwreck in the Salvage Basin
Shipwreck in the Salvage Basin
Port view of a shipwreck in the Salvage Basin
Shipwreck in the Salvage Basin
Starboard view of a shipwreck in the Salvage Basin, looking inside the hull.
Shipwreck Beach
A spot on the beach of Mallows Bay with river debris mixed with portions of shipwreck hulls.
Man and Nature
A spot on the beach of Mallows Bay with river debris mixed with portions of shipwreck hulls. These spikes appear to have been used to hold hull planks together.
A Man-Made Reef
The remains of the ships have formed the basis of miniature lagoons; protected enclosed areas where plants can take hold.
A Man-Made Reef
The remains of the ships have formed the basis of miniature lagoons; protected enclosed areas where plants can take hold.
Double-Planked Wooden Hulls
It appears as if some of the wooden-hulled ships were built with double layers of planking, separated and reinforced by crossed strips of iron and held together with iron rivets. The rivets are about 12 inches long, indicating a pretty strong hull structure.
A Tree Grows Here
The remains of the ships have formed the basis of reefs; protected enclosed areas where plants can take hold.
The Bow Of A Shipwreck
The remains of a bow of one shipwreck, showing the wood and reinforcing rivets.
Stem of a Shipwreck
The remains of what appears to be a plumb stem (vertical portion of the keel forming the ship's bow), showing the long rivets that would have once held the planking.
Outline of a Ship
It appears that most of the ships were backed into their final resting place, as shown by this hull forming an outline in the water with bow facing towards the open river.
Looking Across Mallows bay
Looking across Mallows Bay at low tide, revealing the remains of hundreds of shipwrecks.
A Man-Made Reef System
The remains of the ships now form a reef system that is home to all types of wildlife. This hull is home to an Osprey nest.
Shipboard Osprey Nest
The remains of a ship's hull now home to a large osprey nest.
Photos taken with a Nikon Coolpix 120 sitting in my Trophy 126 kayak “Arrau.” I was paddling the bay at close to peak low tide, which helped to reveal a lot of the shipwreck structure.
Boats Ships and Subs : Ron’s photo collection of boats, ships, and submarines. Desert Kayaking : A kayaking adventure down the Colorado River starting just below Hoover Dam. Paddling The Bashakill : Kayaking on the Basherkill wetlands conservation area near Wurtzboro, New York.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
[…] Mallows Bay Ship Graveyard […]