Mallows Bay Virtual Paddle

<i>Bayou Teche</i> (Like <i>Mono</i>)<span>&nbsp;was among the 95 USSB steamships in the celebrated "Tidal Wave," of national ships launching on July 4, 1918. On this date, close to 100 vessels launched from shipyards all across the United States, marking the greatest ship-launching day in history. Following its launching, <i>Bayou Teche</i> made voyages to Havana, Cuba; Galveston, Texas; and Bordeaux, France. But with the end of the war and a reduction of need for cargo vessels for military and commercial use, <i>Bayou Teche</i>, along with many of the USSB wooden cargo vessels, went out of service.&nbsp;</span><span><br><br>Learn more about the vessel here:&nbsp;<a href="https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/shipwrecks/bayou-teche.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" title="Link: https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/shipwrecks/bayou-teche.html">https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/shipwrecks/bayou-teche.html</a> <br><br><br></span>

The vessel North Bend is notable as it was the first steamship completed for the United States Shipping Board (USSB), taking 120 days to complete. News of the completion made its way to the East Coast, and soon thereafter, the competitiveness of the coastal communities took hold. Efforts to produce vessels faster and make record times helped to build pride in the mission. The Emergency Fleet Corporation contracted building efforts on the East Coast, West Coast, and the Great Lakes, all in an effort to quickly build a massive cargo fleet aimed at helping the war effort.

Moosabee, Dertona, and an unidentified vessel, make up a location that is often referred to as “The Three Sisters.” These sites are located close to the shore, up against the bluff, and are furthest away from the open water. Each vessel contains substantial vegetation, covering most of the open surface of the vessels. The unidentified vessel has also been home to a blue heron, demonstrating that while these vessels are no longer useful as cargo ships, they have now become an important part of the local ecology. These vessels now provide sanctuary to birds and other animals, as well as different vegetation, allowing for nature to be on true display.
<br><br>Click here to learn more about<i> Moosabee:&nbsp;<a href="https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/shipwrecks/moosabee.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" title="Link: https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/shipwrecks/moosabee.html">https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/shipwrecks/moosabee.html</a> <br></i><br>Click here to learn more about <i>Dertona:&nbsp;<a href="https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/shipwrecks/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/shipwrecks/</a> </i>

These two unidentified vessels are nicknamed flower pots for the dense and varied vegetation they contain including a number of flowering plants and shrubs. The hulls were weighted with rocks to restrict their movement and these collected sediment and seeds over time turning them into artificial islands. With their bows turned shoreward, a cable from one is permanently seized in an overgrown donkey engine from a long-gone marine railway.

Afrania was a merchant vessel built for the U.S. Shipping Board. It made one known trans-Atlantic voyage to Rouen, France and returned in 1919 to Norfolk, Virginia. The ship burned sometime in 1926 and was brought to Mallows Bay. The ship’s present location is different from its original position, perhaps due to it drifting and later hauled nearshore and anchored to prevent future movement and from becoming a navigation obstruction. With its overgrown vegetation, the ship today offers habitat to an abundance of animals.
<br><br>Learn more about the vessel here:&nbsp;<a href="https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/shipwrecks/afrania.html" target="" rel="">https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/shipwrecks/afrania.html</a><br><div><br></div>

<i>Boone</i> was among the 95 USSB steamships in the celebrated “Tidal Wave” of national ships launching on July 4, 1918. On this date, close to 100 vessels were launched from shipyards all across the United States, marking the greatest ship-launching day in history. Of the 94 vessels that were launched on this date, 53 were part of the wooden emergency cargo fleet, like <i>Boone</i>. Additionally, vessels like <i>Bayou Teche</i>, <i>Mono</i>, and <i>Cumberland,</i> all vessels located in Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary, all took part in this ceremonial event.
<br><br>Learn more about the vessel here:&nbsp;<a href="https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/shipwrecks/boone.html" target="" rel="" title="Link: https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/shipwrecks/boone.html">https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/shipwrecks/boone.html</a>

<span>The lock-like burning basin in the back of Mallows Bay was constructed by Bethlehem Steel in late 1942 or early 1943. The area was modified with the intention of holding 15 hulls at once. The gate was just wide enough to permit one hull at a time to be floated into the basin. The water was then to be pumped out, the vessel burned and the metal retrieved. However, the first 11 vessels that floated into the basin sank into the soft bottom when the water was removed and proved extremely difficult to burn. Only one other vessel is known definitively to have been scrapped before operations ceased mostly by September 1944 and completely by January 1945. It had not proven a cost-effective endeavor.</span>

The remains of a wooden barge are located within the Burning Basin. It was used by Bethlehem Steel during the creation of the Burning Basin and placed in service in 1942 - 1943. It was likely used as a work platform and for hauling dredge spoil, cargo, and scrap during the disposal operation. Iron fittings are still evident so take care when navigating around the remains.

The "Sea Scout" boat is believed to be a U.S. Army Air Force 104-foot "crash boat"; a WWII fast response boat to rescue downed pilots. It was subsequently used as a training vessel by Sea Scouts and abandoned in the burning basin some time between 1964 and 1980. A photogrammetry model (courtesy of Taylor Picard, East Carolina University) helps to illustrate and interpret the remains of this vessel. Photogrammetry is the process of "stitching" individual photos together and creating a 3D image from thousands of data points within each image. It is a timely process, but the results help to get a better overall perspective of this site.

Cool!