Hauntingly beautiful describes the mysterious canoe trip we experienced as we paddled among the skeletons of historic shipwrecks. Just a short distance from Washington D.C., sunken in the Potomac River are the remains of more than one hundred wooden and steel-hulled ships dating from the 18th century through mid-20th century. Some of the wrecks are evolving into small islands, providing habitats for birds and fish.
It is an amazing experience to paddle inside the skeleton of a huge ship once used in World War I. But if you go, be wary of hidden spikes just below the water’s surface – be sure to go at low tide when the ships are most easily viewed. A canoe trail guide listed points of interest and gave a brief history of many of the ghost ships. And we enjoyed watching cormorants, herons and turtles as well as bald eagles flying overhead.
Mallows Bay is located Nanjemoy, Maryland. More information and some terrific aerial images are available here.
