2018 Map of Alligator Bay

About this map

Big Cypress National Preserve and Everglades National Park meet in this 2018 survey, documenting a complex labyrinth of mangrove shorelines and brackish estuaries. The coastal settlement of Chatham sits near the mouth of the Chatham River, serving as a gateway to the intricate Wilderness Waterway. This passage weaves through a series of significant water bodies including Chevelier Bay, Tarpon Bay, and the expansive Alligator Bay. The map captures a landscape defined by tidal influence and low-lying landforms such as Deer Island, Opossum Key, and Gopher Key. Further inland, the hydrology is marked by the Gator Bay Canal and Gator Bay Prairie, illustrating the transition from open Gulf waters to the interior sawgrass and cypress strands. This modern record provides precise data on the shifting banks and named bays like Dads Bay and Lostmans Five Bay that have long challenged navigators of the Florida coast.