Hudson River.
Seven hundred of them, to be exact. The habitats resemble small concrete igloos and were made by inmates at Cumberland County Penitentiary to house fish in the Garden State North Reef.
Newton Creek.
Newtown Creek is an estuary that traverses the border between Brooklyn and Queens. It is infamous for its 17 million gallons of oil, raw sewage, and chemicals, which make it one of the most polluted industrial sites in America.
All Over.
Hundreds of shipwrecks have been uncovered in the lower Hudson. Because they’re archaeological sites, their exact location remains a secret, even to us.
New York Harbor.
In order to accommodate the biggest and newest container ships, old channels need to be deepened. As a result, the bottom of the harbor, which is full of contaminants like mercury and DDT, is being dredged at an enormous cost.
Gowanus Canal.
In 1952, a large shark was spotted in the canal, before the cops shot it.
Hudson River.
When the wooden pilings at the edge of Manhattan known as alligators, are knocked loose, they become treacherous floaters, ready to ram into anything that crosses their path.
Little Neck Bay.
Sadly, there’s probably been at least one in every NYC waterway.
East River.
Because of the current, human and animal bodies tend to accumulate in nooks and crags near the Manhattan Bridge.
New York Harbor.
Ambrose Channel was once the main shipping route into New York Harbor. At45 feet deep, the old channel couldn’t accommodate the newest super-container ships.
DUMBO.
Which ships once anchored to this cleat?
Plum Beach.
How do you lose just one shoe?
East River.
The water’s edge is sharply defined by concrete in order to accommodate docks and roads. Over time, the concrete cracks, revealing tons of rebar, which acts as a kind of netting, snagging junk like old tires and garbage cans.
Hudson River, The Rockaways, Coney Island.
Despite the pollutants that surround our city, fish like shad and striped bass are increasing in number. Underwater New York is committed to building relationships with organizations that have a vested interest in the health of our waterways. This is why.
East River.
This British vessel sank in Hell Gate in 1780, with treasure aboard, so the rumor goes. Salvage attempts over the years have been futile; the remains of the ship may lie in a Bronx landfill. Hear a story about it here.
The Narrows.
New Yorkers are used to seeing these creatures on the subway tracks while they’re waiting for a train. Next time you’re near a wharf, take a look. Surprise!
All Over.
Because New York City’s waterways include both rivers and tidal estuaries, the currents are changing.
Hudson River.
This refers to a current pattern, not a cultural trend. When Battery Park City was built in the 1970s, it rerouted the current in the Hudson, which now scrapes the protective layer of mud off the top of the Lincoln Tunnel. If the tunnel ever becomes exposed, the Port Authority will have to worry about potential cracking, shifting, and terrorist threats.
All Over.
Also known as Superstorm Sandy, this disaster plunged much of New York City underwater.
Gowanus Canal.
Actually, it’s a combination of silt, coal tar, and something referred to as “black mayonnaise.” We wish we could take credit for the term, but we can’t. This mixture lines the bottom of the Gowanus Canal, a Superfund site.