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2011 Map of Ship Bottom

Name: 2011 Topographic Map of Ship Bottom
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2011
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2011

About this map

Long Beach island stands as a narrow barrier between the Atlantic Ocean and the intricate marshlands of Manahawkin Bay in this 2011 coastal study. The map documents the densely developed shoreline communities of Ship Bottom, Surf City, and Harvey Cedars, connected to the mainland by the Dorland J Henderson Memorial Bridge. Across the bridge, the artificial lagoons of Beach Haven West illustrate the significant mid-century hydrological transformation of the New Jersey coast, where wetlands were carved into residential waterfront properties.

To the north and west, the landscape remains dominated by a complex network of tidal waters and sedge islands, including Cedar Bonnet Islands, Marshelder Island, and Pettit Island. The Intracoastal Waterway threads through these shallows, navigating a path between the mainland at Manahawkin Terrace and the luxury enclaves of Loveladies. The contrast between the grid-like residential developments and the irregular shorelines of Gunning River and Manahawkin Creek highlights the ongoing tension between maritime ecology and suburban expansion.