2024 Map of Petit Bois Pass

About this map

Dauphin Island stretches across the northern portion of this maritime survey, marking the precarious boundary between the sheltered Mississippi Sound and the open Gulf of Mexico. The western extremity of the island, identified as West Point, overlooks the shifting currents of Petit Bois Pass. This area is characterized by a dynamic coastal environment where the land is constantly reshaped by tidal forces and seasonal storms. The map serves as a contemporary record of these barrier island formations, showing the limited vegetation and sandy reaches of the island's western tail. Because these landforms are subject to significant geomorphic change, this survey captures a specific, ephemeral alignment of the shoreline and sandbars that define the entrance to the sound.