For hundreds of years, New York Harbor has been one of the most active waterways in the world, with tens of thousands of vessels having plied its waters over the city's lifetime. But when these sea-bearing vessels have reached the end of their career of service, where exactly do they go? While most are scrapped or repurposed, some are discarded in the same waterways they traversed — and just off-shore of New York City's borough of Staten Island, many of these decaying relics still remain. This is the story of Staten Island's ship graveyards and the tales behind the vessels that still remain.
Join New York Adventure Club for a virtual exploration of the ship graveyards of Staten Island, where many out-of-service ships throughout the 19th and 20th centuries were discarded and abandoned.
Led by local historian and educator Jeffrey D.G. Cavorley, our very detailed deep dive surrounding these watery graves will include:
- Why Staten Island's waterways became the final resting spot for so many retired vessels
- A virtual look at the shipwrecks and ruins surrounding the borough, from Shooter's Island off the North Shore to the Arthur Kill waterway
- Stories of notable wrecks caused by accidents, sabotage, and extreme weather
- A before-and-after comparison of the ship ruins, pre- and post-abandonment
- Photos showcasing Jeffrey's many explorations of the ship graveyards via kayak
Afterward, we'll have a Q&A with Jeffrey — any and all questions are welcomed and encouraged!
Can't make it live? Don't worry, you'll have access to the full replay for one week!
See you there, virtually!
*Immediately upon registering, you will receive a separate, automated email containing the link to join this webinar
**For the best possible viewing experience, please ensure you're using the latest version of your internet browser
***A full replay of the experience will be available to all registered guests for up to a week
****If the event has already passed, but it's been less than a week, you can still register for it on our website's active replay section!
Testimonials
"Jeff Cavorley's extensive research and personal collections related to ship graveyards in the Staten Island area and elsewhere in the region make him an authority likely to be unequaled on the subject. Also, the presentation made very good use of the graphics and photos he possessed." -Laura
"The stories and personal anecdotes were very interesting!" -Amanda
"Presenter’s enthusiasm and extensive knowledge of the subject. I learned a lot about Staten Island!" -Ellen
"I grew up on Staten Island and spent a lot of time on the water. Used to sail on the lower Raritan Bay. I knew the GraveYard Well on Arthur Kill Road but never realized there were that many ships around the island. It was amazing." -Clifford
"The mix of history and current - the background stories on the vessels as researched..." -Margaret
"Content and presenter was excellent" -Norman
"Learned somethings I didn't know before." -Larry
"Interesting to see and hear about what happens to the boats ( including photos ), and what they were used for." -Joann
"I learned a lot of things I did not know" -Andy
"Pretty much everything! All the photos including the vintage ones, and photos from recent years to current. So much interesting info on SO many boats of all kinds. Really great webinar!" -Gabrielle
"Excellent photos to go with the presentation" -Patty
"The speaker’s passion and enthusiasm. Also he asked where the viewers were located, which was interesting to know. And the only face I could see was the speaker’s face, which made it easier to focus on the lecture." -Anita
"Very interesting subject - didn't know it existed." -Donna
"I did not know ANY of this information before the webinar. There is a lot of interesting history attached to these old wrecks. Great photos and stories." -Linda
"Things i didn't even know about staten island and surrounding areas like Shooters Island. there is so much history in this little place." -Francis
"Really good in-depth presentation" -Nestor
"The historical context of when the ships were built. The succession of photos over the years of the scenes." -Brian
" I grew up on Staten Island and spent a lot of time on the water. Used to sail on the lower Raritan Bay. I knew the GraveYard Well on Arthur Kill Road but never realized there were that many ships around the island. It was amazing." -Clifford
"Terrific photos, maps and research" -Linda K.
"Presenter provided interesting information and photos." -BJ
"The entire talk was put together very well . I learned a lot about Staten Island, the shipyards, the graveyards. I like ship graveyards and learning a bit of types of ships and history of the ammunitions was fascinating though frightening." -May
"The details of the wrecks were interesting" -Joel
"History of activities on Staten Island related to ships" -Peter
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Categories: Virtual, Landmarks
