23 Forgotten "Ghost Fleets": Ship Graveyards Around the World

3. The Ghost Fleet of Mallows Bay

Mallows Bay, located on the Potomac River in Maryland, USA, is home to one of the largest collections of shipwrecks in the Western Hemisphere. Dubbed the "Ghost Fleet," this ship graveyard is the resting place of nearly 230 vessels, primarily wooden steamships built during World War I. The ships were part of a massive shipbuilding effort by the U.S. government to support the war effort, but by the time they were completed, the war had ended, and the ships were rendered obsolete. Today, Mallows Bay is a unique blend of history and nature, with the wrecks providing a habitat for a diverse array of wildlife. The bay has been designated a National Marine Sanctuary, recognizing its ecological and historical significance. Kayakers and boaters can navigate the shallow waters, exploring the partially submerged hulls that rise like specters from the river. Each ship tells a story of ambition and obsolescence, of the industrial might mobilized during wartime and the rapid pace of technological change. Mallows Bay serves as a testament to the ingenuity and waste of war, a place where history and nature intertwine in a haunting yet beautiful landscape.