1980 Map of Assawoman Bay

About this map

Fenwick Island serves as a narrow barrier between the high-energy surf of the Atlantic Ocean and the intricate coastal wetlands of the Maryland-Delaware border. This 1980 color infrared orthophotogrammetric study reveals the dense residential and commercial expansion of Ocean City as it stretches northward along the thin peninsula. The imagery provides a stark contrast between the heavy development on the barrier island and the tidal estuaries to the west, including Little Assawoman Bay and the broader reaches of Assawoman Bay. Further inland, the complex hydrology of the region is defined by the Dirickson Creek and the St Martin River, which feed into the northern extent of Isle of Wight Bay. The infrared spectrum highlights the distinction between sandy shorelines, built environments, and the deep vegetative signatures of the mainland marshes and Greys Creek.