Kayaking the Concrete Shipwreck "ATLANTUS" 

I swam out to this wreck last year. Sliced my leg open on some submerged rebar. 10/10 would do it again.

Chef's kiss to whoever decided to put a sticker for boat insurance on a shipwreck

My parents brought me here in 1960 when I was five years old. My Dad took a photo of my sister and I with the Atlantus in the background which I still have. The ship made quite an impression on me, I thought it was frightening looking actually. I always wanted Mom and Dad to bring me back on vacation to see it again, but sadly they never did. I've thought about returning lately but there's so little left I don't know if it would be worth it. Your video is very entertaining though.

a boat insurance billboard on a shipwreck is honestly pretty hilarious and good advertising, always have had an interest in this ship, glad to finally know some of its history

@11:06. Just imagine touching that rebar. That most likely (maybe not) the last time it was touch by another human hand was while it was being built back in in WW1, by a person lost in time. How many generations have come and past? What a different world it was. This really brings words in the books out to reality.

"I'm gonna get out of here before Jersey decides this is worth charging me money for" Sadly.. That's the truest statement of our state anyone can give.

I remember as a kid you could still go out and walk on the Palo Alto. It was very eerie looking down into the hold and seeing water flowing in and out with the waves. Seeing it today it's hard to imagine ever having set foot on it.

I owned a ferro cement sailboat. It was a Flicka 20 and although heavy she sailed just fine. And keep in mind that steel has just as much ability to float. But they made great use of concrete during the war. There's still the barges towed to Normandy for the invasion that were tied together to form a mobile dock for equipment and supplies.

7/5/2022 - I grew up going to see the concrete ship at first it was so high in the water! Last time I was there much of the ship was still showing but that was many many years ago! I last saw the Atlantus-, I never knew her name, I was still very young and today I’m 69, almost 70. Thanks for the memories!

Your presentation, talking, filming, enthusiasm, "I just have to touch this ship" is so refreshing. You've got a great thing going here. Thanks.

Hopefully, NJ didn't/won't come after you after this well documented violation of their ridiculous distancing rules for kayakers! Great background research and weaving the history into the video.

Oh, I was not expecting this, my god, *hallelujah* tom has given unto us a video!!

Brings back memories... A pier linked the stern of the SS Palo Alto to the beach. My mom used to walk out to the bow of the SS Palo Alto back in the 60s. As a kid in the 70s, I could only go as far as the remnants of the superstructure due to a massive split in her hull. A few years ago, time and storms finally took their toll and she finally shattered and rolled-over☹

I love the person who used her as a billboard for boat insurance. That's some fantastic marketing right there.

I remember seeing this ship in 1990 from the beach. I took two photos, and was always curious about the history. Thanks for enlightening me.

This reminds me of the SS Cape Fear (a concrete cargo steamer) that collided with the steamship City of Atlanta and sunk in Narragansett Bay in 1920 with 19 souls on board. She lies 180ft down in murky water, so there's not many pictures of her wreck. I believe she is one of Atlantis sisters.

From the look and sound of it, that's lightweight concrete, which would make sense for its application. Rather than limestone coarse aggregate, a pumice-like stone is used. That sound is the capillary action of moisture, and air being squeezed out. No doubt they used some kind of sealant on the hull to prevent water from penetrating to the interior.

I actually live in villas NJ, about 5 minutes from the ship wreck which I can see just a bit of. We used to make up stories that there was gold under it

I WAS 11 YEARS OLD WHEN I TOOK MY FIRST RIDE ON THE CAPE MAY-LEWES FERRY ON SUNDAY AUGUST 2,1964 ON THE S S DELAWARE. THE STERN OF THE ATLANTUS WAS STILL SOMEWHAT UPRIGHT AND, THE DECK HOUSE WAS STILL ON THE STERN ACTUALLY KNOWN AS THE POOP DECK. MANY OF THE CONCRETE SHIPS CAN BE FOUND AT THE FORMER FERRY TERMINAL IN VIRGINIA.

My grandparents lived in Villas NJ, very near the Concrete Ship. My father and grandfather took me many times to see it when I was a child over 50 years ago. Another great video.

Excellent video! I was in New Zealand in 1970 living in a flat overlooking the harbour in Wellington. A British family turned up in a concrete boat that they had been sailing around the world. I could not believe such a thing was possible but clearly it was!

Decades ago, when New Jersey was a free country, I lived in the Vilas. I would be able to look at the wreck from the Cape May beach when I visited. Seeing this ship got me interested in the history of these ships.

very nice job documenting the last stages of the wreck. I too first saw it as a young child in 1957-58. My extended family owned homes in Cape May and when ever we visited i would always asked to see it. My uncle had to read the sign on the bow for me and I loved that it was for boat insurance. our family loved to look for what they called Cape May diamonds on Sunset Beach so we always made a visits through the years. Still fascinated with it even though i am over 70 now. September of 23 was my latest visit. Thanks!

Fun fact. Here in Norway, during the 70s and 80s many build smaller sailing boats in concrete, or FerroCement, as it is most commonly called, 30 to 45 feet. But they are a nightmare to build, because you has to build the boat upside down, and build both sides at the same time in ordet to get the correct thickness and weight on both sides. They used chicken netting as reinforcement, but the main problem ended up being the massive weight. A neighbor had a 33 foot sailboat in concrete that weighed 12 tons, for comparing, a modern Bavaria 39 weights 8 tonns. So most of them ends up in what we call "The Norwegian Garden Boat Association".

When I was younger my parents would take me to Galveston TX to spend a summer vacation down there and if you take the Galveston to Bolivar ferry if you look out you can see one of the Atlantus’s sister ships the S.S. Selma, so if you’re ever down there trying looking at it it’s really broken down but it’s still amazing looking

Seen the "concrete boat" so many times in my life, yet I never knew its history. I learned something new today, thanks.

reinforced concrete was invented by a french man called Monier, who wanted to make stronger flower pots..........he had no idea the revolution he was going to usher in. Its a brave and committed historian that braves NEW JERSEY to cover a ship wreck. I salute you 0'7

There is a concrete boat competition held at Western Michigan University every year. They are usually something like paper-mache canoes or kayaks. Pretty neat idea.

I used to own a 47 ft Endurance Concrete Ketch sailboat , built in 1977/to 79 in Victoria British Columbia , it was awesome , fast , very responsive at the helm ,. previous owners took it all the way around S America . i also felt very safe on , ive owned wood and fiberglass too and was my fav

There was also a fleet of wooden cargo ships built during WWI. Similar story - they weren't finished in time for the war, so they were docked at Mallow's Bay in the Potomac River south of Washington, D.C. and eventually burned to the water line. Today one can kayak the wrecks there much like you did in this video. My great-uncle who lived in Margate took us to Cape May one time in the 1960s to show us the concrete ship. There was much more of it then. As a little kid I was very perplexed as to how a ship made of concrete could possibly float. Thank you for putting up this video. It brought back great memories. 😀

Taking notes at the start of the video so I can pass my ship building exam tomorrow. Big tip, concrete sinks. Got a B+ because there were no questions about concrete.

"Video by Thomas Lynskey Emma Lynskey" :)

I've lived in Lower Township most of my life. I grew up seeing this ship from Sunset Beach and from Douglas Memorial Park next to yhe Ferry terminal. I've been fascinated by this ship my entire life. So how fitting that my husband would eventually propose to me on the beach with a Cape May Diamond. I love your video because it shows how precious few years we have left with our beloved ship. Thank you for this amazing video!

Ya know when you said today's adventure I didn't know you meant it that literally. This channel is great

These videos are just so great, man! Well done. It's really interesting to learn about such a unique kind of ship... What exactly were these shipbuilders thinking, though? Concrete?? xD

My family's been going to Cape May every summer for all of my short 35 years! Thanks for going out there before she's completely gone!

“It sinks!” This was a top notch introduction lol

Grew up marveling at this wreck while collecting Cape May diamonds on the beach. Emotional video very well done

I know this was posted two years ago but if you wanna see an almost complete upright shipwreck I highly suggest looking into the MV E Evangelia (Evangelia), it's an awesome shipwreck in the black sea (Romania) I'm Romanian and I'd love to see a video on about it!!

I remember a concrete sailboat in Owen Sound that eventually ended up on Colpoys Bay. I imagine it is still being used. It is a viable material. There are several Canadian merchant ships that were made of concrete sunk as breakwaters in BC. They were watertight and had bulkheads. They were difficult to get crews for because of the bias against concrete. Steel does not float either. My father was a fireman or stoker on the S.S. Yankcanuck. Built in 1885 or 1889 it sat sunk in Midland during the depression and was brought back into service during the war as the steel lake ships got drawn out into the Atlantic. The ship was very rotten and it could not accept a nail. Leaks were generally repaired with concrete patches. It was finally taken out of service in the late 50s after the loss of the Morrell and the fallout when it was brought to the publics attention just how unseaworthy a lot of the ships on the lakes actually were.

These vids are cool as hell. Always knew NJ had a lot of history (hidden and otherwise). Keep up the good work! On a side note, it's a little ridiculous you're forced to do a mini rounding Cape Horn to get to the site so you don't get fined! 🙄😂

North Cape May! That’s my neighborhood! I head over to the beach to visit every few weeks, have lunch there and just watch. A very fascinating vessel. In the winter when we get really nasty storms and the bay freezes over many will dare the ice and walk up to the ship.

I love when Tim uploads a new vid, you know you’re going to learn something and enjoy it

Amazing job on this video, its always great to see a ship like this documented before its lost forever!

I just found your channel and I absolutely love it. Fun to find so many hidden locations in such a densely populated state! Hope to run into ya one day on a trail! Happy hiking!

Always love to hear You Kay-yakkin' about maritime history...

I wasn’t expecting to see the Atlantus here! I’ve seen her almost every year for most of my life when we go on vacationing in Wildwood NJ, in fact I’m probably going to see her tonight lol. Great to find some more info on her

Being born and raised in Cape May County, I love hearing about the Atlantus and the Sindia, our local "celebrity" shipwrecks!

In 1973 a concrete yatch called "Helsal" won the Sydney to Hobart Yatch Race in record breaking time. The yatch was known locally as "The Flying Footpath".

You should do a video about the Edmund Fitzgerald. Although it is a bit overdone already, I'd love to see you have a crack at it! The quality of your videos is just astounding! I'm also honestly surprised that parts of her are still there after 94 years. Concrete and steel really don't like being in saltwater for almost 100 years, not to mention that these ships were built cheap.

It's interesting, we have a ferrocement boat here in Santa Cruz(The Palo Alto) California. She's been beached for something like 60 years, maybe longer. At one point she was boardable and had a functional restaurant on board that patrons could walk down a pier to dine in. The pier still exists, and you can tell there's a ship at the end, but she's so far gone now that only the seagulls and otters inhabit her.

I can still remember the first of hundreds of times I would see the wreck. My dad bringing us to the beach and seeing the concrete ship, still very much identifiable, both sections, even for a small child's eyes. He would tell stories of going out to it, climbing aboard and fishing off of it. My mom would also tell stories of them as teenagers, having parties out on it as well. As I look at it today, in its far advanced state of decay, disappearing more and more, I can recall times in my life relevant to the condition of the ship.

What a place to put your advertisement for 'boat insurance'!

There's still something so majestic about her

You are a kindred spirit my brother - thanks for that...

in the 70s, every summer we used to drive from where we lived in Montreal down to Cape May to vacation there at a campground. We took a lot of side trips, one of which was down and around where the ship lay. We never knew anything about it other than it was concrete. I couldn't understand why someone wouldn't haul it away. Nice to have the story - there is a lot less of the ship left now!

Ive always been fascinated by this ship! Awesome Job!!!

I noticed that the credits said "Emma Lynskey"

I love seeing this ship in person!

There are several of the concrete ships used as a breakwater at kiptopeke Virginia near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay . Nice work on the storytelling . Thanks

Atlantic, Altantus. Tom really has a thing for ships with these type of names.

Braver man than me I wouldn’t be paddling around it with all the exsposed steel poking out 👍👍

Honestly you are an awesome human being. Thank you for what you do.

Such a cool video man! Thank you so much for your sketch and explanation of what we are actually seeing. I have looked at the postcard with the old and new pictures so many times and tried to decipher how the old picture turned into the new picture.

I love ur channel... I've always loved history and archeology both understand and above. You provide history, the human stories of those involved and seeing the remains of the vessels or towns etc involved. Thank you for all your hard work and research into each story.❤❤❤

My mum used to work in boat insurance. One day, she gets a call from a man seeking to insure a ferrocrete boat - a boat made out of this kind of concrete. She explains to him that their company does not insure ferrocrete boats, and most companies do not, for two main reasons: 1. Ferrocrete is very fragile - even a fairly light bump or tap on the hull will cause invisible cracks or 'crazes' to form, and considerably weaken the hull. Once this has happened, the boat is at very high risk of springing a leak. 2. In the 60s, a number of amateur boatbuilders realised ferrocrete was a cheap material that they could build much bigger boats from. However, they didn't account for the additional costs of a bigger boat, nor the fact that ferrocrete is not an easy material to work with. The end results were a lot of half-finished, ugly, often unusuable pseudo-boats that obviously could not be sold to recoup losses. The boatbuilders then insured the boats and deliberately sunk them (not difficult) to get some money back. The man on the other end of the line listens, absorbs this information, and says "I see. You're a lot more helpful that the other place I called." Mum asks "Why? What did they say?" "Concrete sinks, mate."

Excellent documentary! To actually touch the SS Atlantus, even more excellent! I've been noticing that she's been breaking apart and slowing diminishing into the ocean over the years.

My Grandfather built ahouse at Cape May Point. Used to live in Camden and would go to the shore occasionally. I remember the ship with the sign on it and the superstructure with railings. This was the 60s. Haven't been back in decades. I'm about like that ship. Still here, but not for long.

this was a truly great video, not only very interesting and entertaining but also so well put together, well done man

Too cool...I commercially fished out of CM for years and always wondered about the real story . Thanks so much !

I must say that your videos and the way you do them are on the top of my favorite ones. You fall in line with my favorite in a different area the man that does awesome restorations. You're both top of the line at what you do. And you resemble a very young Brandon Fraser the actor. I hope you take that as a compliment.

I have enjoyed watching all of your videos. I have seen one of these concrete ships in Galveston, TX. Supposedly someone still lived in a deck house. Thank you for the good work.

Great Video. I'm a Cape May local and Photographer. This is one of the places that I avoid going to in the Summer because of the crowds. There might be 15-20 people on Sunset Beach in the Fall/Winter. Fall/Winter is the best time to explore these areas without worrying about huge crowds, but during Covid it was more crowded in the off-season due to people staying longer since they could do home schooling and work from their second homes here. I appreciate how much effort you put into documenting the Sunken Ship and hopefully you didn't get fined for touching the Butt.

I stop by to check it out at least once a year. Thanks for sharing!

I've viewed this ship from the beach a few times over the past 60 years. Great that you two took me back for one more visit and filled in the history. Concrete manufacturers have tried to develop many more uses for Portland cement and probably the most unusual is a "light weight" Frisbee. Ouch! Naturally it never took off. cw 3-19-2022

Thank you for this! I grew up in South Jersey and I remember my parents taking us there and that was one thing that sparked my love of old ships and shipwrecks. Great video!!!! I'd love to see a video on the Pennsville-New Castle ferry if you ever get a chance.

Great video! I've been coming down here for over 40 years but have NEVER seen the inside of the Atlantus!

Concrete ships make the best artificial reefs of any wreck, very impressive footage!

Man I love your videos.... ship wrecks are fascinating

thank you for this. awesome video. LOVE THIS.

I grew up in Trenton and we used to go to Cape May for the weekend. I saw that wreck all the time and never did believe it was a ship because to me, from the shore, I distinctly remember it looking like it was made of concrete. So thanks for answering a lifelong question I forgot I even had.

Just started seeing this channel. Interesting stuff ! I love history and watch a bunch of history channels. That's how your channel came up probably. Thanks and keep up the Great Work.

Thank you for making this video! My dad took me to Sunset Beach when I was a kid (80's) and showed me that ship. I always wanted to see it up close and day dreamed of doing what you did. There was no internet then and I didn't know much about it and figured I would never see it up close. I thought about it today and wondered if anyone did a video showing it close up and put it on youtube. This was really interesting! I really appreciate you making this video.

I enjoy your enthusiasm for these ships of yore. Very interesting. Thank you.

Very cool!! I saw this every summer in Cape May when I vacationed every summer. You should do what's left of the bunker in Cape May by the lighthouse. I was able to see the bunker and walk on it years ago and now it's sad u can't most is under water. Still very cool to see.

Really enthralled about this ship as I am originally from NJ and have been to Cape May several times. Had not heard this story though. You really got close and around the ship. Glad you were able to touch it for remembrance. Great vlog.

Fantastic job! This is a New Jersey icon that has been talked about forever. Thanks for a great video!

I grew up outside of Atlantic City and I think my father told me about this. This is fascinating and I’m happy to learn about the impact this has made on the lives of beachgoers to my neck of the woods. Thanks!

Video quality has been increasing with every upload. Very well done.

I have been going to this wreck with my family since 2009 and we still go there every summer. It has really changed overtime.

I don't know how close you can get to them, but if you look at the Nuclear Plant in Salem, there are a ring of sunken ships protecting the plant from the River itself. There also appears to be several more than managed to break away and sink closer to the Hope Creek Jetty.

Omg I've been on the Cape May-Lewes ferry so many times!!! I gotta keep an eye out for this wreck next time I head to NJ, thank you!!!

Excellent job. We go to cape may frequently. Did not know this story. Thank You

I've never been here but I just watched you do it so that's good enough.

As a new subscriber and fan of history. Been enjoying your videos. Currently watching your ghost towns and ruins playlist. Really amazing. ❤😊

There is another concrete shipwreck in the harbor of Charleston SC called the C.J Sawyer that is great to kyak around :)

8:04 - "You spring a leak in a concrete ship, you're kinda effed." It was the delivery, more than the line, but I had to stop the video I was laughing so hard.

This is a fascinating documentary. I first saw the ship in 1963! But I have a slide of it from 1959.

Appreciate you for this. Brave to go out in the khayack. I wouldn't ever do that. Great footage and commentary.

We vacationed in Cape May Point in the ‘60s and 70s, and would fish around the Atlantis in a home made row boat. It was a great place to fish. We would catch so many flounder and weakfish we would sell them to the fish market in Cape May. One time we hooked a weakfish, and thought we’d lost. But when we reeled in the fish was still on the hook, but a shark shad bit it’s tail off.