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1943 Map of Bay Keys

Name: 1943 Topographic Map of Bay Keys
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1943
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1943

About this map

The Gulf of Mexico dominates this mid-century maritime survey, documenting the intricate mangrove islands and tidal flats north of Key West. This military edition, based on 1943 field data and air photography, captures the remote character of Precinct 8 during the war years. Navigation is the primary focus, with detailed soundings and water passages like Bluefish Channel and Calda Channel threading through the shallow waters. A solitary navigation marker, Calda Channel Lt 1, anchors the western reaches of the sheet.

The small clusters of the Bay Keys and West Harbor Key appear in the southeast, separated by the narrow West Harbor Key Channel. On the shore of the latter, a survey marker, Tidal Bm 2, provides a fixed point for hydrographic measurement. The map reflects a landscape defined by shifting shoals and low-water lines, where East Harbor Key Channel offers one of the few clear routes through the sprawling bay environment.