Directions. To register, please visit the Charles County Department of Recreation, Parks and tourism website. Plan Your Visit. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the State of Maryland and Charles County have announced the designation of a new national marine sanctuary to protect the remains of more than 100 abandoned steamships and vessels built as part of America’s engagement in World War I. The ships emerge at low tide and provide habitat important to osprey, bald eagles, herons, and an array of fish, plants, and animals. Plan your overnight stay at any of our accommodations. NOAA's national marine sanctuary offices and visitor centers are closed to the public while the waters remain open for responsible use in accordance with CDC guidance and local regulations. Mallows Bay - A Self Guided Tour of the Ghost Fleet. Fee includes an introductory kayak lesson, guided tour, tandem kayak (two-person), paddle, and PFD (personal floatation device). Visitors are encouraged to check weather and water conditions before their visit and to remain aware of changing conditions while on site. Mallows Bay Kayak Tour. Located along an 18-square mile stretch of Potomac River coast in Charles County, Maryland, the new sanctuary boasts a collection of historic shipwrecks dating back to the Civil War, as well as archaeological artifacts nearly 12,000 years old. All tours are led by an experienced and knowledgeable guide. Additional access is available at Widewater State Park (Stafford County, Virginia) and Smallwood State Park (Charles County, Maryland). Mallows Bay offers unique archaeological, recreational, historical, cultural, educational, and environmental opportunities for residents and tourists. Mallows Bay–Potomac River is a 18 square mile area of the tidal Potomac River adjacent to Charles County. If there were ever a place that could be described as a ship graveyard, it is the murky waters of Mallows Bay. The park is open daily from 5:30 a.m. to sunset. Mallows Bay offers unique archaeological, recreational, historical, cultural, educational, and environmental opportunities for residents and tourists. Its culturally rich landscape also includes sites that represent the history of Native American communities in the area, the once-booming Potomac River fishing industry, and the Civil War. Tours for our 2020 season will be available through Charles County. Paddle through the World War I Ghost Fleet while observing the park's unique wildlife and historic and cultural features. Mallows Bay is a small bay on the Maryland side of the Potomac River in Charles County, Maryland, USA. And I was lucky enough to visit during the dedication of Mallows Bay as a National Marine Sanctuary. This shallow embayment, and the waters immediately adjacent, boasts one of the largest assemblages of shipwrecks in the Western Hemisphere, known as the “Ghost Fleet” of Mallows Bay. The expectations were high for a ghost fleet graveyard, and worn out after paddling for few hours I needed more visuals to make it amazing. At Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary, the synergy of history and nature provide a truly unique experience. March 22, 2018 Help Clean up Mallows Bay! Mallows Bay Park (Charles County, Maryland) provides direct access to the sanctuary and most of the Ghost Fleet remains. Well, because it's considered the largest shipwreck fleet in the Western Hemisphere located in Charles County, MD. The remains of the fallen ships create a … Through a community-based effort, this Maryland treasure in Charles County is now the first national marine sanctuary in the state of Maryland and the first new designation in more than two decades. The most visible of the vessels is the S.S. Accomac, a steel-hulled ferry used to transport cars and people across the Chesapeake Bay to Virginia before being replaced by the Bay-Bridge Tunnel. The event was attended by officials from NOAA, local officials and Maryland’s Governor Larry Hogan as well as members of the Piscataway Tribe who performed a blessing at the ceremony. Mallows Bay also provides habitat for wildlife including bald eagles, herons, and osprey, river otters and beaver, and many fish species. Emergency Fleet during World War I, an effort that propelled America to the forefront of shipbuilding, as well as many other wrecks from Revolutionary times through the 1900s. The ‘Ghost Fleet of Mallows Bay’ in pictures. Public comment will be accepted at approximately […] (301) 932-3470. Over one hundred wooden and steelhulled ships dating from the 18th century through the mid-20th century are located here, with nearly ninety … On the Maryland side of the Potomac River just west of Chesapeake Bay, the largest shipwreck fleet in the Western Hemisphere sits half-sunk and decomposing. More information on the response from NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries can be found on sanctuaries.noaa.gov/coronavirus/. Website owner: National Ocean Service | NOAA | Department of Commerce, Management Plan & Designation Documentation. Charles County operates Mallows Bay Park (1440 Wilson Landing Road in Nanjemoy, Maryland). Please enable JavaScript in your browser for a better user experience. This program is currently unavailable. Just a short drive from Washington D.C., the Ghost Fleet of Mallows Bay is home to the largest number of visible historic shipwrecks in the Western Hemisphere, and offers a truly unique paddling experience. The Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council will hold its first virtual meeting on Monday, Dec. 7, 2020, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., and the public is invited. “Mallows Bay sits on the Potomac River only 30 miles downstream from our nation’s capital and is known for its diverse collection of historic shipwrecks, recreational opportunities, and scenic beauty,” Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio said. Mallows Bay is most renowned for its “Ghost Fleet,” the partially submerged remains of more than 100 wooden steamships that were built in response to threats from World War I-era German U-boats that were sinking ships in the Atlantic. The bay is the location of what is regarded as the "largest shipwreck fleet in the Western Hemisphere " and is described as a "ship graveyard." Why visit this area? In the early 20th century, hundreds of U.S. vessels were sent to Mallows Bay to be destroyed and scrapped – and to this day the remains of dozens can still be seen in the shallow water. Today, Mallows Bay is the final resting place of up to 200 shipwrecks. Photo caption: Ghost Fleet of Mallows Bay • Photo courtesy of Don Shomette. Mallows Bay Park (Maryland) 1440 Wilson Landing Road. The Shipwrecks of Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary Image courtesy of Library of Congress The sanctuary boasts a diverse collection of historic shipwrecks dating back to the Revolutionary War, but is most renowned for the remains of over 100 wooden steamships known as … Paddle through the World War I Ghost Fleet while observing the park's unique wildlife and historic and cultural features. July 8, 2019 National Trust Joins Community Partners in Celebrating Designation of New Sanctuary to Protect the “Ghost Fleet” of Mallows Bay. 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