Entry No. 40 — the New York City file — filed under: outdoor-weird

Staten Island Boat Graveyard (Witte Marine Scrapyard)

In the Arthur Kill waterway sits a marine scrapyard where the rusting hulks of tugboats, ferries, and cargo ships slowly rot in the tidal mud. Founded in the 1930s by John J. Witte and still family-run, it once held some 400 vessels; today only a fraction remain, tilting at odd angles. It's a genuinely strange, post-industrial graveyard best appreciated from the shoreline at low tide or from a kayak (the yard itself is private and posted no-trespassing).

The move: Find a public vantage along the Arthur Kill shore at low tide and watch the sun set behind the rusting ship skeletons.

📍 Before you go The yard is private property with no public access; view only from public shoreline or by kayak, and the wrecks are most visible at low tide. Do not trespass or climb on the muddy, hazardous wreckage.

• 📍 Rossville, Staten Island
• 💸 Free
• ⚡ Up for anything
• 🌗 Outdoors

Where: Arthur Kill Rd near Rossville Ave, Staten Island, NY 10309

Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.

⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Proof: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4

last checked: 2026-06-23