A Long Lost Graveyard

Who says you need to fly out of the country to escape? Hell, who says you even need to cross state lines? Enter the world of urban exploration, and discover the mysteries in your own backyard.

On the coastline of Staten Island, abandoned merchant ships are strewn across the shore in various states of decay. These ships create one of the world’s largest ship graveyards. At one point in time, these ships were brought to the yard for scrap metal, but the production was ceased long ago.

Be warned! This area is NOT open to the public. However, here’s how we did it… You know, just for curiosity sake.

For anyone who has ever done some exploration, these sites are not always the easiest to find. To be frank, this one was a royal pain in the ass. After trampling through fields, scrambling along sharp (and shaky) rocks, and climbing over random obstacles, we finally reached our target. No, it wasn’t easy, but it beat the other alternative of wading through knee deep mud. I know it’s at least knee deep because we tried, unfortunately (but hilariously). And no, I don’t plan on making it easy for you to find either.

Exploring the ships was exhilarating. It’s amazing how it seems as if some of the ships were simply dropped there mid-journey. Boating equipment and personal belongings are littered all over. To get on to the ships, be prepared to face some fears. In the picture you saw earlier, the only way up was a balancing act on a few rickety ladders. The real magic though is in the imagery. If you are a photographer, this trip is a must. The sight of these ships is eery, but awesome – in the literal sense.

For the light of heart, simply drive up the road a bit until you see the very old graveyard and take a stroll up the steps. From here you can see the ships in the distance – while you haven’t seen them up close, this view is worth the stop.

Staten Island Graveyard | A Merchant Secret

Who says you need to fly out of the country to escape? Hell, who says you even need to cross state lines? Enter the world of urban exploration, and discover the mysteries in your own backyard.

On the coastline of Staten Island, abandoned merchant ships are strewn across the shore in various states of decay. These ships create one of the world’s largest ship graveyards. At one point in time, these ships were brought to the yard for scrap metal, but the production was ceased long ago.

Be warned! This area is NOT open to the public. However, here’s how we did it… You know, just for curiosity sake.

For anyone who has ever done some exploration, these sites are not always the easiest to find. To be frank, this one was a royal pain in the ass. After trampling through fields, scrambling along sharp (and shaky) rocks, and climbing over random obstacles, we finally reached our target. No, it wasn’t easy, but it beat the other alternative of wading through knee deep mud. We know it’s at least knee deep because Amy tried, unfortunately (but hilariously). And no, I don’t plan on making it easy for you to find either.

Exploring the ships was exhilarating. It’s amazing how it seems as if some of the ships were simply dropped there mid-journey. Boating equipment and personal belongings are littered all over. To get on to the ships, be prepared to face some fears. In the picture you saw earlier, the only way up was a balancing act on a few rickety ladders. The real magic though is in the imagery. If you are a photographer, this trip is a must. The sight of these ships is eery, but awesome – in the literal sense.

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