2014 Map of Kedges Straits

About this map

Smith Island and its northern neighbors anchor this maritime survey where the Chesapeake Bay meets Tangier Sound. The landscape is defined by an intricate network of marshes and tidal guts, including the expansive Big Thorofare and Fishing Creek. These wetlands are dotted with family-named landmarks and landforms such as Joes Ridge, Maddox Island, and Noah Ridge. The map illustrates the precarious nature of the Chesapeake’s low-lying landmasses, featuring fragmented islands like Holland Island and Pry Island that sit isolated among the Holland Straits. The boundary between Dorchester Co and Somerset Co cuts across open water and salt marsh, marking a historical line through a region defined more by its nautical passages like Kedges Straits than by solid ground. This survey provides a precise look at the shifting shorelines of Cherry Island and the smaller outcrops of Swan Island and Boat Island as they appeared in the early 21st century.