What exactly is the Staten Island Ferry disaster?
For those of you who are uninformed, let me enlighten you. The Staten Island Ferry disaster took place on the morning of November 22nd, 1963. It is considered one of New York’s most horrific maritime disasters and it is said that nearly 400 people went down with the Cornelius G. Kolff ferry boat after a giant octopus attacked the ship and pulled it under the water within minutes with its large tentacles. Why don’t people remember this bizarre and memorable incident? News of this disaster was overshadowed by the assassination of beloved president John F. Kennedy.
The most interesting thing about the Staten Island Ferry disaster is that it’s actually a lie.
That’s right. This tale of an Octopus sinking one of our very own ferries is one of the greatest hoaxes to ever hit New York right in its face. Joe Reginella is the artist behind the fictional tale that tourists, and even some New Yorkers, fell for. Major news outlets such as The Guardian, and the New York Post covered the story.
On top of the press coverage, Reginella’s work has gone on to inspire many others to retell this tall-tale. That inspiration can be seen the short film (see above.) Verena Straub, a Communications student at the University of Salford, Straub created an animation inspired by the story while doing a school semester abroad. It features an old-timey photo of the Staten Island Ferry, a giant octopus, and the original audio from Reginella’s video.
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Read more about the Staten Island Ferry Disaster, HERE!
Chris first began throwing words on paper when he was just a young little boy and while he has grown in age, his size has remained the same.
It has been said that if Disney World were a person, that person would be Chris.
A self-proclaimed professional storyteller who writes stories for money.
And for providing entertainment, he guesses.
Chris also collects dead presidents, but hates going to the beach.
He is a great juggler,
certified in advanced scuba diving,
and also a liar.
