1982 Map of North Islands

About this map

The Chandeleur Islands arch across the eastern edge of this 1982 coastal study, forming a critical barrier between the Gulf of Mexico and the shallow waters of Chandeleur Sound. Much of this fragile archipelago is protected as part of the Breton National Wildlife Refuge, where shifting sands and low-lying marsh define landforms like Redfish Point and Point Neptune. The map reveals a complex network of island groups, including the North Islands, New Harbor Islands, and Curlew Islands, many of which are separated by narrow passes such as Smack Channel. This document serves as a vital record of the Louisiana coastline before decades of storm erosion and subsidence altered these remote landforms. The boundary between St. Bernard Parish and Plaquemines Parish is noted near the southern reaches of the chain, highlighting the administrative division of these isolated maritime features.