With all the other weirdness in Arizona, these symbols could only be alien communications, right? The reality is that they were created by Forest Service employees. While they were indeed thinking of how they looked from the air (do I see a face with a Picasso influence?), the intent was to improve water collection in this mostly dry pond known as Duck Lake.

Secondly, in central New Brunswick we find this network of varying zigzag lines:

I cannot come up with any explanation for this one. Aliens again? Some kind of scientific research?

Lastly, a triangular network of ponds in Maryland:

Occult practices? Yet more aliens?

If you have explanations for the last two, do let us know. And of course if you know of weird waterways in your part of the world, we’d love to see them!

Thanks to Sean McCabe, Bully, Bob and Troy Stanley.

Locations: Arizona, Maryland, New Brunswick / Categories: Weirdness

View in Google Earth

At first glance – and with no sense of scale – this may appear to be a shoal of fish or a group of large aquatic animals. The reality is, however, you’re seeing the remains of between 100 and 200 ships, each the size of a football field, rotting slowly into the mud or being overgrown by vegetation.

During World War 1 the US Government undertook a massive shipbuilding effort – only to see hundreds of ships left idle when the War ended. The Western Marine and Salvage Company bought more than 200 ships at a cut-price rate, hoping to scrap them for their metal, but their plan went quickly astray when fire destroyed some of the ships¹, while others broke loose and sank.

169 ships were eventually towed to Mallows Bay, but after the price of scrap metal fell sharply in the stock market crash of 1929, WM&SC were soon forced into bankruptcy.

Despite several failed attempts to salvage the wrecks over the years, these rusting hulks are still with us today, but it’s evident that the local environment has adapted to accommodate them. They’re home to many species of birds and other wildlife, and the Live Maps view clearly shows that they’ve been overgrown by trees and other vegetation.

The only really identifiable wreck is that of the ferry Accomac, which was likely towed to Mallows Bay after burning in a Portsmouth shipyard in the mid-1960s.

A more detailed history can be found from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources or the Bay Weekly. And this kayak trip report has great pictures.

Thanks to Derek Lindahl and Chas Owens.

Locations: Maryland / Categories: Watercraft

View in Google Earth

The shot tower was invented by an Englishman in 1783, and soon spread across the globe as the preferred method of making lead shot for shotguns.

The process involves pouring molten lead through a copper sieve at the top of the tower, so that droplets fall the height of the tower, taking the form of tiny perfect balls during their descent. The lead then splash-lands in a water bath at the bottom, which sets the pellet.

These days shot is made using a centrifuge, so now only a handful of the once-ubiquitous shot towers exist worldwide.

The largest shot tower that was ever built is the 80.16m tall Clifton Hill Shot Tower in Melbourne.

Probably very impressive in 1882 when it was completed, but by the standards of today’s tallest towers, it’s tiny!

More info on shot towers at Wikipedia.

Locations: Australia, Maryland / Categories: Towers

View in Google Earth

Despite their name, Carolina Bays can also be found in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, and northcentral Florida. They vary in size from one to several thousand acres, and are often gathered in groups. Many are filled with water and named as lakes, but most contain vegetated wetland.

Most striking however, is that every single one is invariably aligned in almost exactly same direction – which has led some people to claim that they might be the result of a meteor impact. It would have to have been a pretty serious impact, as there are estimated to be over 500,000 of them. This is Lake Waccamaw, north Carolina, which is widely considered the largest Carolina bay.

George Howard (a bit of a Carolina Bay fanatic), has created an exhaustive KML file that marks the location of many thousands of the bays in North Carolina. This image was taken in Google Earth, and shows the white outlines that have been used to mark the locations.

So, who here can solve the mystery of the Carolina Bays?

You can read more about Carolina Bays at Wikipedia. Thanks to Keith Wright, david and Ogle Earth.

Locations: Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia / Categories: Natural Landmarks, Weirdness

View in Google Earth

The tiny Italian town of Palmanova was founded in 1593, and using all the military innovations of the 16th century was built in the shape of nine-pointed star. You can still see quite clearly how the shape of the ramparts allows the points of the star to defend each other. Originally a moat surrounded the town (which partially remains today), and three heavily guarded gates (1, 2, 3) were the only way in.

<br/> Palmanova, Italy (Wikipedia)

Cannons were most effective when they were fired perpendicular to the walls of the building under attack, and the star shaped design meant that to best position their weapons, attacking forces would have enter the space between the points of the star – where they would be fired on from both sides!

The judicious use of moats could further thwart the attacking forces, as demonstrated superbly here at Naarden, Netherlands.

<br/> Naarden, Netherlands (Wikipedia)

By the late seventeenth-century star forts reached the pinnacle of their development, as shown by this complicated example in Bourtange, Netherlands, which has been fully restored to how it would have been in 1742. Here we can see that the design provides defence in depth, with tiers of ramparts that an attacker would have had to overcome to be in with a chance of taking the fort.

<br/> Bourtange, Netherlands (Wikipedia)

This ingenious design quickly became the gold standard for defensive forts, and went on to spread across Europe and the Americas:

<br/> Fort Manoel, Malta (Wikipedia)

<br/> Fort McHenry, Maryland (Wikipedia)

<br/> Fort Jay (Wikipedia) and Fort Ticonderoga (Wikipedia), New York

<br/> Castillo de San Marcos, Florida (Wikipedia)

The design even reached South Africa, where today the Castle of Good Hope can be seen right in the middle of the city! It used to be on the coast, but land reclamation allowed the city to expand around it.

<br/> Castle of Good Hope, Cape Town, South Africa (Wikipedia)

In the nineteenth century the development of the exploding shell changed the nature of defensive fortifications forever, and the star fort soon became utterly obsolete. Which is why several are today used for completely different purposes – like this example in Slovakia where they now spend their time trying to keep people inside rather than out.

<br/> Leopoldov Prison, Slovakia (Wikipedia)

And finally, what is probably the world’s most famous star fort isn’t actually known for being a star fort at all – as Fort Wood is today the distinctive star-shaped pedestal underneath New York’s Statue of Liberty.

<br/> Fort Wood, New York (Wikipedia)

We’ve previously featured just one star fort several star forts, including Kastellet in Copenhagen, Citadel Hill in Canada, and the aforementioned Fort McHenry in Maryland. If that’s not enough, there’s a whole page about them at Wikipedia too.

Thanks to Dan W, Manuel Hewitt, RB, tom schuring, Stefano Bertolo and Federico Cretti.

Locations: Florida, Malta, Maryland, Netherlands, New York, South Africa / Categories: Buildings, Structures

View in Google Earth

One of them is seen here in Yuma, Arizona, where the President was making a speech about Immigration Control on May 18, 2006 (Yuma is on the US/Mexican border).

(Incidentally, there are lots of Police closing all of the roads south of Yuma on Avenue B, so the President’s motorcade must be around there somewhere!)

The fleet consists of two Boeing 747-200B aircraft, designated VC-25, specially fitted to enable the President and his entourage to conduct its business from the air. Inside, there are separate areas for the media, Secret Service and the President’s family, which includes bathrooms and dining quarters. Unlike a regular Boeing 747-400, the VC-25 can refuel in midair.

Usually its home is Andrews Air Force Base, Washington DC. The ‘President’s Wing’ can hold both of the VC-25 aircraft, as well as 3 Marine One helicopters.

In order to train the Secret Service how to protect the President when he is onboard, there is a mockup VC-25 at the James J. Rowley Training Center, near Washington DC, as well as a mockup of Marine One next to it. Once in the air however, it’s up to the anti-missile systems and electromagnetic pulse resistors to keep it safe.

Naturally, there is much more information on Air Force One over at Wikipedia. There’s even a nice floor plan available. If you really want to get a good look inside, the film Air Force One is said to have a particularly accurate recreation of the interior.

Thanks to Aaron, Adam J, Airman, Cr@X, Dan Hadad, david, gmr2048, KLashNekOff, PapaPenguin, patrick, PoopyPants, Rob, Siavash Shiva, SnowManson, Stephan, Tim, Travis Mitchell and TVGenius.

Locations: Arizona, Maryland / Categories: Aircraft, Structures

View in Google Earth

Well it would be… if Pastor Greene had ever gotten round to finishing it. Construction began all the way back in 1976, and even today it’s little more than a frame. Clearly the Pastor isn’t expecting the next Great Flood to happen anytime soon.

More at the official site and the Wikipedia page. Thanks to Aprillo and Eric Bennett.

Locations: Maryland / Categories: Buildings, Structures

View in Google Earth

Here’s two examples of funerals taking place, one in the Queen of Heaven Cemetery, Chicago, and the other at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Washington DC Silver Spring, Maryland. In both shots you can see a crowd of mourners surrounding the grave and also the funeral procession parked nearby.

Update: From the comments, Chris pointed out a third funeral in progress at the Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma, CA (where several notable San Franciscans are buried, including Joe DiMaggio).

Thanks to Yoshi, Don Bruns and Chris.

Locations: California, Illinois, Maryland / Categories: Crowds

View in Google Earth

Thanks: Tony Scida, Peter, Duncan McKenzie, Steve & Charlie

Locations: Maryland / Categories: Stadiums and Sport

View in Google Earth

Ironcladlou for the wallet-burning Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in New York, New York.

Punk floyd, Greg Small, Duane Homick, PegO and TZ for the fantastic Ambassador Bridge which links Windsor, Ontario with Detroit, Michigan. (Windsor is on the south and Detroit is on the north side of the river.)

Steve Hale for the the world’s (second) tallest suspension bridge, the Fred Hartman bridge in Baytown, Texas.

But the winners are… (Drum-roll please!)

Tim, Dave Isaacs and khendron for the 1.6-mile-long Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland!

Congratulations guys!

Locations: Maryland, Michigan, New York, Ontario, Texas / Categories: Bridges, Shadows

View in Google Earth