Throwback Thursday - A Special Diving Experience at Ellis Island

Here at Marine Solutions, we love to see Throwback Thursday pictures of our employees! This Thursday, we have a special throwback pertaining to our Senior Project Manager out of our NJ/NY office - Matt Daniels, PE. Before we take it back to August 2009 at Ellis Island, we have to give some history on the Island itself! Ellis Island, now a 27.5-acre site located in the upper bay just off the New Jersey coast, is likely to connect with more of the American population than any other spot in the country. It has been estimated that nearly half of all Americans today can trace their family history to at least one person who passed through the Port of New York at Ellis Island. Ellis Island was the gateway for over 12 million immigrants to the U.S. as the United States' busiest immigrant inspection station for over 60 years from 1892 until 1954.

The above photos/project dates back to Matt's first year of his career where he helped inspect the granite and concrete seawall around the perimeter of the island in advance of a major seawall rehab project. Above, Matt can be seen about to enter the water on the south side of the island within the ferry slip. Diving was coordinated around the ferries that provide the only tourist access to the island.

Diving at the site was a special experience for Matt as his grandfather immigrated to the US through NY Harbor in the 1940’s. Even though the receiving center at Ellis Island was moved by then, the building in view houses the museum and records for all those whom immigrated to the US through NY Harbor during that time. Matt's Grandfather’s name is engraved in the American Immigrant Wall of Honor on the north side of the island (just beyond the right side of the photo frame). During the project, he got to dive the portion of seawall right in front of that section of wall as well as roughly 25% of the island’s perimeter.
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