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2019 Map of Ship Shoal Inlet

Name: 2019 Topographic Map of Ship Shoal Inlet
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2019
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2019

About this map

Ship Shoal Island and a series of dynamic barrier islands define this coastal reach of Northampton County, where the terrestrial landscape yields to the complex hydrology of the Virginia shore. The map illustrates a labyrinth of tidal passages and marshy breaks, including Ship Shoal Inlet, Bungalow Inlet, and the protected waters of Mink Island Bay. These shifting sands and salt marshes, such as Big Creek Marsh, represent a fragile environment where narrow channels like Black Rock Channel and White Perch Channel provide the primary navigation through the barrier system.

Coastal geomorphology is evident in the alignment of Godwin Island, Mink Island, and Myrtle Island, which shield the mainland from the Atlantic Ocean. Natural features like Red Drum Drain and Mud Hole Creek suggest the intricate drainage patterns essential to the local ecosystem. This survey documents the state of these landforms in the early 21st century, providing a baseline for studying the ongoing coastal erosion and deposition that continuously reshape Smith Island Beach and the surrounding inlets.