Mallows Bay-Potomac RiverPaddle among the historic shipwrecks of the Ghost Fleet of Mallows Bay.
Your 14th National Marine Sanctuary lies just 40 miles south of our nation's capital. Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary protects and interprets the remnants of more than 100 World War I-era wooden steamships – known as the "Ghost Fleet". The best way to see this national treasure is by kayak but check out today's new Sanctuaries 360 video and explore the Ghost Fleet without ever getting your feet wet!
History and ecology are intertwined among the remnants of the sanctuary's World War I-era shipwrecks, known as the "Ghost Fleet." Trees and wetland plants emerge from the wrecks, turning them into islands of life that provide habitat for bald eagles, great blue herons, beavers, fish, and other wildlife. An iconic species in the sanctuary, ospreys build their nests on the shipwrecks and feast on an abundance of striped bass and other fish.
Illustration: (primary artist) Kathryn Robertson; (secondary artist) Matt McIntosh/NOAA
