"Ghost Fleet" of Mallows Bay

Susan Langley

On November 5 Dr. Susan Langley, the State of Maryland Underwater Archaeologist, shared stories of Mallows Bay and its "Ghost Fleet" at the Charles County Potomac Branch Library.  The story starts with the Native American use of the bay and occupation of the land adjoining Mallows Bay and continues up through the present.  Mallows Bay which is located in Charles County is the largest ship graveyard in the Western Hemisphere.  The majority of the remains are from ships built in WWI.  Today some of the remains have become home to egrets and eagles as well as a large number of native and endangered species (also a few invasive species).

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) accepted the Mallows Bay nomination for National Marine Sanctuary status in 2015, and the paperwork for the next phase has been submitted.