Discovering Powell River’s Concrete Ghost Fleet
Date: July 11, 2025
Ten concrete warships, one forgotten coastline, and a floating museum hiding in plain sight.
We Didn’t Stop in Powell River for Groceries…
After finally making it to Jedediah Island, we set our sights north again—destination: Powell River. But unlike most cruisers who stop to grab groceries or stretch their legs, we had one mission.
We came to see the strangest fleet you’ve probably never heard of.
Just offshore from the pulp and paper mill sits a breakwater made of ten massive ships—built during World War I and World War II—and they’re made of concrete.
Yes, concrete.
Yes, they still float.
And no, this isn’t some half-forgotten urban legend.
This is real maritime history. And we were about to see it up close.
Anchored Off Powell River, Drone in Hand
We anchored north of town and launched Punga, our aluminum dinghy, to go investigate. As we approached the breakwater, these ships loomed ahead like a line of half-sunken giants—silent, weathered, and fascinating.
Some looked like they’d crumble at any moment. Others were in surprisingly good shape. We flew the drone and started documenting what felt like a floating ghost fleet.
Each ship has its own story. Here are a few of the standouts:
🚢 SS Peralta
Built in 1921, she’s the last floating WWI concrete ship in existence. Once converted into a sardine cannery in Alaska, she’s now the largest floating concrete ship in the world—420 feet of history.
🚢 YO-82
A gasoline barge built in 1944 with no engines. It once fueled Pacific operations before being towed here to live out its days as part of the breakwater.
🚢 SS Quartz
This one gave us chills. She survived atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll in 1946. Imagine the things she’s seen.
🚢 SS PM Anderson
Used only once for a single trip from Manila to San Francisco before spending decades as part of this concrete wall. One trip. One permanent retirement.
🚢 SS Emile N. Vidal
The last of its kind from McCloskey & Co., this ship served the Pacific, then stored chemicals in Portland, before joining the breakwater in the ’60s.
The Full Fleet at a Glance
- SS Peralta – WWI sardine cannery turned concrete colossus
- YO-82 – WWII gasoline barge
- SS Henry De Chatalier – Sugar hauler turned storeship
- SS Quartz – Atomic bomb survivor
- SS PM Anderson – One-trip wonder
- SS Emile N. Vidal – Last of the McCloskey fleet
- SS Thaddeus Merriman – Quiet service, long retirement
- SS L.J.V. Vacha – Army storeship
- SS R.M. Sear – South Pacific veteran
- One mystery barge – Name lost to time
Together, they form a floating museum. No plaques, no signage—just the rusting remnants of wartime ingenuity.
Hidden in Plain Sight
These ships were built for war, used for peace, and now sit silently in Powell River, guarding the coast like sentinels of another era. Most people don’t even know they’re here. They just drive by, oblivious.
But once you see them? You’ll never forget.
Want to See It for Yourself?
We filmed our visit and posted it over on our YouTube channel: Onboard Tangaroa – Exploring the World. You’ll find drone footage, stories, and our reactions to seeing this surreal fleet in person.
Check out our blog at www.onboardtangaroa.com for more travel stories and consider joining our Online Crew. This is just one stop on our Great Siberian Sushi Run—a journey that will take us from British Columbia to Alaska, Siberia, and eventually Japan.
Not your average cruising route.
But this? This was not your average stop.