America’s largest fleet of sunken shipwrecks in Maryland is now an ecological paradise for birds, beavers, turtles and fish.
Photos reveal the thriving home to some of the country’s rarest creatures living among incredible nuggets of maritime history.
Floating forests have created incredible habitats for plants and animals to thrive among shipwrecks in Mallows Bay,
The site is the largest ‘ghost fleet’ of World War I ships in existence, but is also home to ships as old as the Revolutionary War.
An aerial view shows trees and shrubbery growing up from the remains of the shipwrecked Yawah, just one of more than 200 ships in the Ghost Fleet in Mallows Bay
A tree and bushes grow from the remains of the shipwrecked Yawah
A Baird’s sandpiper walks over the remains of an unknown shipwreck
Trees and brushes grow from the bow of the shipwrecked Moosabee
These unique locations are developing into real islands and artificial habitats for birds, animals and fish of all kinds
Mark Losavio, media and outreach coordinator for Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary, told DailyMail.com that the ship structures make a unique contribution to the area’s ecosystem.
‘TTime and tides have shaped these ships and the area they affect.
“Many of the submerged hulls are filled with nutritious sediment that has led to the formation of islands of vegetation” that support bird species and aquatic mammals.
“Below the surface, these vessels act as artificial reefs, supporting underwater grasses and providing shelter and habitat for fish and invertebrates.
“Sanctuary partners are working to better understand this dynamic relationship and track its changes over time.”
The unique locations are developing into real islands and artificial habitats for birds, animals and fish of all kinds.
“This almost freshwater environment is characterized by a diversity of freshwater wetland plants and underwater grasses, which in turn support iconic bird species, fish such as largemouth bass and catfish, and mammals such as beavers,” Losavio said.
“These waters are important spawning grounds for striped bass, and the once-abundant sturgeon has recently been discovered.”
Bald eagles are often seen soaring in the air, while the nesting catch of ospreys are seen using their curved talons in the waters below to return food to their young.
Great blue herons also roam the shallows with their pointed bills in search of fish and frogs to eat.
Double-crested shags often perch on stilts near the remains of the shipwrecked Accomac.
Maryland nominated the area for sanctuary designation in 2014 to preserve the shipwrecks and increase opportunities for public access, tourism, and economic development.
In 2019, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration designated the area as a National Marine Reserve.
Brush grows up from the remains of an unidentified castaway
A tree grows from the remains of the castaway Bayou Teche
The bow of the castaway North Bend is out of the water
Double-crested shags perch on stilts near the remains of the shipwrecked Accomac
Some of the more than 200 ships in the Ghost Fleet at Mallows Bay Park in Nanjemoy, Maryland
The organization helps maintain the site next to the state of Maryland and Charles County.
‘This sanctuary and the surrounding shorelines provide unparalleled access to the blending of cultural and environmental wonders. The semi-remote location in Southern Maryland offers beautiful scenery and an increasingly rare moment of peace and quiet.”
While the Ghost Fleet is the most well-known aspect of the sanctuary, these waters and the surrounding landscape are a time capsule of history and cultural heritage dating back thousands of years to the traditional homelands of the Piscataway peoples.
“The sanctuary partners with a community whose voices and images reflect these generations and offer a deeper appreciation for this special place. ‘
Dozens of wooden steamships built for the American emergency fleet during World War I can be seen spread over 22 square kilometers.
Many of them were built to save on steel supplies during World War I, with some ships only intended to make a one-way trip to Europe.
However, some made the journey back to the US and others were never used at all, leading to them being scuttled in 1925, burned and taken to Mallows Bay where they still reside.
The Accomac, which was hit by fire, is the only steel-hulled ship to have been brought to Mallows Bay, home to the largest number of visible historic shipwrecks in the Western Hemisphere.
Another, named ‘Yawah’, ventured to Europe and back until it became embroiled in the 1920 Great Ship Tie-up in the James River.
Seagulls perch on top of the skeletal remains of shipwrecked Ida S. Dow
Spider webs hang from a piece of an unknown shipwreck dubbed the ‘Flower Pot Wrecks’
Tourists can visit the ‘ghost fleet’ of the Potomac River
These unique locations are developing into real islands and artificial habitats for birds, animals and fish of all kinds (photo taken in 2013)
A ship’s hull, burned to the waterline, rests in Mallows Bay on the Potomac River near La Plata, Maryland (pictured in 1996)
Bolts of an old boat protrude from a rotten keel of a shipwreck (pictured in 1996)
Images show trees growing from the Bayou Teche – one of 94 ships that took to the waters on July 4, 1918, in the largest ship launch in world history in one day.
Its construction at more than 40 shipyards in 17 states was part of the national war effort that spurred the economic development of waterfront communities and maritime service sectors.
On September 9, Mallows Bay is hosting a BioBlitzgiving the public a chance to help identify the species that call Mallows Bay home.
“Research into both the Ghost Fleet and the ecology it supports is ongoing and often involves the community,” Losavio said.