Watch CBS News

Drone Brings New Life to Underwater Ghost Shipyard

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Maryland's ghost fleet is ready for its close-up from virtually any angle.

Located in the Potomac River upstream from the Chesapeake, Mallow's Bay is a graveyard for nearly 200 ships that were sunk or deliberately scuttled there from the Revolutionary War, the Civil War and World War I.

It's called the ghost fleet because the ships' remains surface during low tide. But the Chesapeake Conservatory is offering a new way to see the largest shipwreck site in the western hemisphere.

"It's a video, but you can pan around 360 degrees and see what's happening all around the landscape" the president of the Chesapeake Conservatory, Joel Dunn, said.

Even though, 360 drone video works best on a smart phone, on a computer screen you can still see the decaying ships reincarnated into little lush islands.

"It's created a wonderful ecosystem where wildlife is thriving" said Dunn. "And it's created a wonderful tourist attraction."

The Conservancy is hoping to get federal legislation, to protect Mallow's Bay from development.

"The other element of this whole thing is we're trying to establish a national marine sanctuary at Mallow's Bay" said Dunn. "We're leveraging technology to teach the public about out wonderful natural and cultural resources in the Chesapeake Bay"

The Chesapeake conservancy is hoping technology will help raise awareness of all the bay has to offer.

 

Follow @CBSBaltimore on Twitter and like WJZ-TV | CBS Baltimore on Facebook

(TM and Copyright 2016 CBS and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.