As I drove over the Antioch bridge, I caught a glimpse of a massive ship in the distance. Despite being miles away, the ship was a sight to behold. As I got closer, more details came into focus, and I couldn't help but notice the sad state of the vessel. Though she boasted beautiful lines, it was clear that no maintenance had taken place in a very long time. Large tires hung from her sides as makeshift fenders, their weight wearing away the paint beneath them. And the rust...well, let's just say it told a story all on its own. I actually felt bad for this ship. Such a beautiful yacht like cruise ship left in disrepair. I decided to pull out my camera and take my fist photos of the ship from the levee across the river.

She was moored next to another vessel that was actually in much worse condition. It appeared to be a ferry of some sort. It was time to head over to meet the caretaker and get a tour of this ship.

As I approached the quaint marina situated about a mile from where the ship was moored, I was greeted by a man who seemed to be in his mid-thirties, long dirty blonde hair, wearing overalls with nothing underneath. He was most definitely well acquainted with the homeless lifestyle. He had been waiting for me for a short while and actually had ordered food from the small cafe at the marina. I decided to do the same and ordered some food for myself. After we finished eating he walked out of the cafe to get the boat ready while I finished my lunch. It was time to pay my tab and I noticed his food just so happened to be on my bill. My first thought was what the hell is this. Without issue I just went ahead and paid the tab and didn’t make further mention of the situation. Despite his not-so-friendly demeanor, he welcomed me aboard an old and rather grubby Boston whaler to take me to the ship. During the short ride, he requested some gas money for his small boat and even mentioned in an insistent manor that I could give him a tip, so he could buy dog food.

After our short boat ride that lasted around 10 minutes, we finally reached the makeshift dock outside of the ship. However, the adventure did not end there as we had to navigate over and through an old, rickety ferry and climb multiple unsafe ladders to reach the crossing point where we would board the ship. We then had to cross a narrow plank that was only 8 inches wide and 10 feet long, with a rather long and perilous and unforgiving drop if we lost our balance and this didn’t look very stable due to the ship slowly shifting position almost constantly. While crossing the plank, the watchman shared his story about how his dog once fell from the same plank and he had to go in the water after it. It was apparent this was not the smartest man. Despite the unique boarding process, we finally made it aboard the ship,

I finally made my way aboard the ship, I met the watchman’s adorable 2-year-old pit bull who loved to play. However, the watchman's negligence towards cleaning up after his furry friend left the ship scattered with dog crap and that’s a huge understatement. There were piles of dog crap every few feet all over the decks and throughout the entire ship. Despite this, I managed to reach the A deck suites which were amazing, but filled of course with dog crap along with garbage and dog chewed furniture with cushions, mattresses and anything made of wood chewed beyond repair. So much was destroyed by this one dog. Nevertheless, I didn't let this ruin my experience and continued to take pictures. I remember looking into one of the luxury suites and hearing him yell out, That’s Jonah’s room. I asked who’s Jonah. He replied that’s my dog. That was of course the most damaged and disgusting room or so I thought.

When I entered the ship, I was met with a scene of utter chaos. The decks had been leaking for years, and much of the interior was in a state of disrepair. To make matters worse, the ship was filled with trash that had accumulated over many years. As I made my way through the ship, I couldn't help but notice the watchman's sleeping quarters, which were in an even worse state than the rest of the ship. The floors were covered in brown rings of sludge, and the smell was overwhelming. It wasn't until I saw his makeshift toilet, a five-gallon bucket in the corner, that I realized the source of the sludge rings. It was clear that the watchman was quite the disgusting slob, and the mess he had made was beyond anything I needed to see. I couldn’t believe the owner would allow this guy to show the ship like this. Or even allow a watchman and his dog to damage the ship this much.

As I stepped into the main lounge, it was clear that this ship had seen much better days. But as I looked around, I couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia. It was almost as if I could see visions of the lively crowds and the stunning performances on the main stage, even though they were just faint glimpses in my mind. I'm not usually one to believe in the supernatural, but if there were ever any ghosts to be found, I'd bet they'd be haunting this very lounge.