# How deep is the water around Ellis Island? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 22, 2005, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-deep-is-the-water-around-ellis-island/286144 "2005-01-22T21:07:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-deep-is-the-water-around-ellis-island/286144/1 "2005-01-22T21:07:20Z")
I just watched “Ghostbusters II” again, and there’s a scene where the Statue of Liberty starts wading thru the water from Ellis Island to Manhattan. In the movie, she is in water up to her nose. Now, IRL, she’s little over 100 feet tall from head to the top of her head. Is the water that deep, or possibly even deeper? ---
**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-deep-is-the-water-around-ellis-island/286144/2 "2005-01-22T21:29:42Z")
Here’s a chart [of the area.](http://mapserver.maptech.com/homepage/index.cfm?lat=40.7036351711&lon=-74.025812689&scale=40000&zoom=50&type=0&height=498&width=498&icon=0&searchscope=dom&CFID=2984904&CFTOKEN=73994028&scriptfile=http://mapserver.maptech.com/homepage/index.cfm&bpid=MAP0060030900%2C1%2C1%2C0&latlontype=DMS) I’m assuming the sounding are in feet. Looks like 63 feet is the deepest if she beelined to the tip of Manhattan. (or deeper, depending on tides) ---
**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-deep-is-the-water-around-ellis-island/286144/3 "2005-01-22T21:34:23Z")
I just checked that chart - the soundings are in feet. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-deep-is-the-water-around-ellis-island/286144/4 "2005-01-22T21:35:00Z")
That should read “ **heel** to the top of her head.” And thanks a bunch! ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-deep-is-the-water-around-ellis-island/286144/5 "2005-01-22T22:15:55Z")
Lady Liberty once tried that in [Lake Mendota](http://argonautpress.com/Web%20page%20graphics/Madison%20magnets/M21Statue.JPG) in Madison, Wisconsin. She nearly froze her rivets. ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-deep-is-the-water-around-ellis-island/286144/6 "2005-01-22T22:24:53Z")
The correct answer is 0 feet. The water surrounding the actual island has been filled in to create man-made land. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-deep-is-the-water-around-ellis-island/286144/7 "2005-01-22T22:32:47Z")
> [@Walloon](#): > > Lady Liberty once tried that in [Lake Mendota](http://argonautpress.com/Web%20page%20graphics/Madison%20magnets/M21Statue.JPG) in Madison, Wisconsin. She nearly froze her rivets. Ah, not quite. The then University of Wisconsin student party, _Pail and Shovel_ actually stole the Statue of Liberty as part of a campaign promise(?) and transported her via helicopter to Madison. The idea was to slowly lower the statute onto the ice of Lake Mendota in front of the Memorial Union. However, the rope broke and Lady Liberty plunged through the ice. As a result, all that anyone could see is in the image **Walloon** posted. (BTW, the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor was closed shortly after the theft for renovations as part of its 100th birthday in 1986, or so the story goes. What people do not know is the fake Statue was closed for renovations and rebuilt from the ground up to cover up the fact that it was a fake. No one ever admitted the original Statue was stolen years earlier.) ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-deep-is-the-water-around-ellis-island/286144/8 "2005-01-22T22:39:50Z")
I’m not sure this is relevant to the OP, but isn’t the statue of Liberty on Liberty Island? Ellis Island is part of the Statue of Liberty monument, but it’s not physically connected. But it’s still possible that she passed by Ellis Island on her way to Manhattan in the movie. ---
**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-deep-is-the-water-around-ellis-island/286144/9 "2005-01-22T22:52:10Z")
> [@Finagle](#): > > I’m not sure this is relevant to the OP, but isn’t the statue of Liberty on Liberty Island? Ellis Island is part of the Statue of Liberty monument, but it’s not physically connected. Heh, you’re right. Ellis Island is about 6 - 700 yards north of Liberty Island. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2005, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-deep-is-the-water-around-ellis-island/286144/10 "2005-01-23T02:21:59Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > (BTW, the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor was closed shortly after the theft for renovations as part of its 100th birthday in 1986, or so the story goes. But she visited Madison in 1978, returning in 1979.