# Is this a real place (image of broken ship in a valley) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 18, 2020, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-place-image-of-broken-ship-in-a-valley/925849 "2020-11-18T02:57:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2020, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-place-image-of-broken-ship-in-a-valley/925849/1 "2020-11-18T02:57:12Z")
Hi, this came up on my Facebook, a page called Abandoned Places. Most of them were wrecked machinery like train cars etc, trees growing through houses, the usual. But then we have this: [[Album] imgur.com ![](https://i.imgur.com/3H64Lnw.png?fb "imgur.com") ](https://imgur.com/a/shKq3iC) I’m curious if this is a real place/wreck, because it seems so unlikely, a ship that far up a valley (with a freaking _road_ passing beneath it, seriously?). Googling the image gets me “final flood by Frank Schlamp” and similarly bad resolution images and no explanation of where this place and subject are in the world. It’s nonsense Pinterest sites all the way down. I’m assuming this is photoshopping; it looks real enough but staggeringly improbable. Is this weird wreck actually a known place? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2020, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-place-image-of-broken-ship-in-a-valley/925849/2 "2020-11-18T03:07:56Z")
> **[Buy posters, art prints and canvas prints on ARTFLAKES. Sell your art, design...](https://www.artflakes.com)** > > Buy posters, art prints and canvas prints on ARTFLAKES. Sell your art, design and photography. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2020, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-place-image-of-broken-ship-in-a-valley/925849/3 "2020-11-18T03:12:00Z")
Thanks, but doesn’t really address the question ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2020, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-place-image-of-broken-ship-in-a-valley/925849/4 "2020-11-18T03:15:38Z")
It’s being sold as digital art, not photography. Besides, I’ve never heard of a flood that could fill a valley of that size that was also recent enough to account for that ship. It also looks like the ship should have blocked that stream. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2020, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-place-image-of-broken-ship-in-a-valley/925849/5 "2020-11-18T03:23:07Z")
Yeah, that’s about what I thought, but I would have been amazed and delighted if it was a real place. The credulous FB/Pinterest groups don’t seem to think it isn’t. And I’ll give Shlamp some credit, it’s quite a good Photoshop work. I work in imaging and see bad Photoshops in an instant, this wasn’t all that obvious. (Although maybe if there were a decent rez version online I’d revise that opinion) ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2020, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-place-image-of-broken-ship-in-a-valley/925849/6 "2020-11-18T03:40:58Z")
The actual place might well be real enough, and probably even is. Be interesting if anybody here can identify it. ETA: Maybe try photoshopping the boat out of the pic and see if Google can find it then. More ETA: Are “Abandoned Places” of interest to you? There’s a web site that has collected extensive information on old abandoned airports, or the vestigial remains thereof. If that interests you, I can try to dredge up the site again. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2020, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-place-image-of-broken-ship-in-a-valley/925849/7 "2020-11-18T04:26:34Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > ETA: Maybe try photoshopping the boat out of the pic and see if Google can find it then. Generally Google can find a similar photograph even if it’s been altered. Go find a “naked celebrity” photo, point Google images at it, and you can often find the original photo without that fake head pasted on. Which didn’t work with this image, I tried. > [@](#): > > Are “Abandoned Places” of interest to you? There’s a web site that has collected extensive information on old abandoned airports, or the vestigial remains thereof. If that interests you, I can try to dredge up the site again. They are. I’ve probably run into a lot of the sites you might forward, but hey! surprise me! And thanks in advance. I just like cool photography and that nonsense ship image was intriguing. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2020, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-place-image-of-broken-ship-in-a-valley/925849/8 "2020-11-18T04:39:14Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > They are. I’ve probably run into a lot of the sites you might forward, but hey! surprise me! I think the site I’m thinking of is [www.airfields-freeman.com](http://www.airfields-freeman.com) but I’m not able to go there right now – I get “Server not responding” errors. So I don’t know if it’s just down for the moment, or if it’s gone. I’m pretty sure this is the site I was looking at just a few months ago. ETA: I’m sure that’s the right site, if it’s still there. This Wikipedia page cites it: > **[List of defunct airports in the United States](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_defunct_airports_in_the_United_States)** > > This is a list of defunct or abandoned airports in the United States. > Note: A more complete list of abandoned airfields in the US can be found at the website that is cited in many of the entries below. > There are at least 68 in the state. > There are at least twenty in the state. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2020, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-place-image-of-broken-ship-in-a-valley/925849/9 "2020-11-18T04:49:01Z")
Fitzcarraldo! ---
**Author:** ![Bootb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19b73/32.png) [@Bootb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootb)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2020, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-place-image-of-broken-ship-in-a-valley/925849/10 "2020-11-18T04:52:04Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > Generally Google can find a similar photograph even if it’s been altered. Go find a “naked celebrity” photo, point Google images at it, and you can often find the original photo without that fake head pasted on. Which didn’t work with this image, I tried. Take the boat out, and try the resulting picture with TinEye. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2020, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-place-image-of-broken-ship-in-a-valley/925849/11 "2020-11-18T05:02:03Z")
> [@Bootb](#): > > Take the boat out, and try the resulting picture with TinEye. No dice. I got rid of the boat (the section where the boat is over the road was challenging) and you get the same images from Tineye, though a bunch were greyscale, one was a low rez Shutterstock image. All seem to be shadows of probably Shlamp selling the photo under Abandoned Places. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2020, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-place-image-of-broken-ship-in-a-valley/925849/12 "2020-11-18T05:02:50Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > I think the site I’m thinking of is > [www.airfields-freeman.com](http://www.airfields-freeman.com) > but I’m not able to go there right now – I get “Server not responding” errors Same here, seems dead? ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2020, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-place-image-of-broken-ship-in-a-valley/925849/13 "2020-11-18T05:06:20Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > Same here, seems dead?   Maybe try again tomorrow or another day? Be a shame if the site’s gone. It is (or was) a massive compendium of old abandoned airports, with extensive background information, old historical photos, snippets from aeronautical charts over the ages, newspaper clippings, and information from people who were there. ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2020, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-place-image-of-broken-ship-in-a-valley/925849/14 "2020-11-18T05:58:24Z")
It’s working for me, but you could also access it via [archive.org](http://archive.org): [Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields](https://web.archive.org/web/20201108140942/http://www.airfields-freeman.com/) Which sorta has its own charm, accessing a website collecting abandoned places via a website collecting defunct websites. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2020, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-place-image-of-broken-ship-in-a-valley/925849/15 "2020-11-18T06:01:07Z")
Aha! The freeman web site (Abandoned Airports) is working for me too now. Must have just gone down for a little while. Have at it, @squeegee. ETA: Says the latest revision was 11/17/20, so it’s still an actively maintained site. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2020, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-place-image-of-broken-ship-in-a-valley/925849/16 "2020-11-18T09:40:07Z")
The valley in the picture looks quite a close match for Blackhope Glen, Moffatdale, Scotland I can’t find an exact match for the meanders of the stream and track, and obviously, the lighting in the OP’s picture is composed to look very moody, but Blackhope Glen has similarly steep sides, and a small road crisscrossing a meandering stream. I’m sure there are probably quite a few other places in the world that look similar though - it’s a glacial valley ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2020, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-place-image-of-broken-ship-in-a-valley/925849/17 "2020-11-18T09:42:32Z")
The size of the ship is larger than it’s scenery(compare it with the size of the road), also worth noting that most of the lower part of the hull is embedded into something but the ground it stands upon is not soft enough - its pretty rocky ground and not peaty or muddy or swampy. Also this valley looks incredibly similar to somewhere in the UKs Lake District - it looks somewhat like Whinlatter Pass ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2020, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-place-image-of-broken-ship-in-a-valley/925849/18 "2020-11-18T12:09:10Z")
My guess is it’s Iceland or Norway, but in any case, that shadow the ship is casting completely doesn’t match the environment, and is quite shoddy work. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2020, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-place-image-of-broken-ship-in-a-valley/925849/19 "2020-11-18T13:55:10Z")
It would be possible to see something approaching that shot in the Aral Sea. Run this search: Aral Sea exposed shipwrecks Some very interesting shots. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2020, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-place-image-of-broken-ship-in-a-valley/925849/20 "2020-11-18T21:08:36Z")
> [@casdave](#): > > The size of the ship is larger than it’s scenery(compare it with the size of the road), also worth noting that most of the lower part of the hull is embedded into something but the ground it stands upon is not soft enough - its pretty rocky ground and not peaty or muddy or swampy. 'Zactly. There are cars on the road smaller than windows on the ship’s superstructure. The ship is the right size for the needs of the overall composition. But not for the details. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-real-place-image-of-broken-ship-in-a-valley/925849.md?page=2)