So, grab your sunscreen, and let's sail away into this sea of opportunities that the Gulf Islands National Seashore has to offer. Strap in and put on your explorer's hat because we're about to embark on a journey to uncover the top 9 things to do in this fabulous national park.īy the time we're through, you'll be as excited as a clam at high water to plan your next visit!įrom sun-drenched beach basking to hiking through lush trails, and from witnessing history at ancient forts to spotting rare birds, this national treasure has something for everyone. In fact, it's home to some of the most pristine beaches in the United States! Talk about a real splash hit. Lacing up over 150 miles from Florida's panhandle all the way to Mississippi, the Gulf Islands National Seashore is not just another grain in the sand. Packed to the brim with vibrant beaches, majestic wildlife, and captivating history, it's no wonder this destination is a shell above the rest. NASA images courtesy Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S.Get ready to dive head-first into an ocean of fun as we explore the hidden gems of the Gulf Islands National Seashore! Cat Island forms the western boundary of the park, which consists of a string of islands along the Mississippi and Florida coasts, including East and West Ship Island. To preserve the islands, Congress added them to Gulf Islands National Seashore, the United States’ largest national seashore, under the National Park Service. coast, East Ship Island is one of the few that remains in its natural state, unchanged by population. Construction can interfere with beach building and can degrade the vegetation that anchors dunes on the islands.
In competition with nature, humans also have a large impact on barrier islands. In general, barrier islands are constantly changing, their shorelines building and eroding at remarkable speed, with dramatic change occurring routinely when powerful storms strike. The islands had been a single island until Hurricane Camille cleaved it in two in 1969. The section of the northwestern shore that holds the lighthouse and fort seems to be unchanged.Įast and West Ship Islands are no strangers to the type of erosion Katrina inflicted on them. The southern tip of Cat Island is missing, and the pointed tips of Ship Island have been rounded out. West Ship Island, which hosts a civil war fort and a historic lighthouse, and Cat Island have also shrunk slightly. The ghost shores of the island are faintly visible under the water as a lighter shade of blue.
Some of the erosion may have occurred in other storms between 20, but Katrina is probably responsible for much of the damage. Compared to April 2001, most of East Ship Island has disappeared beneath the ocean by September 8, 2005. The most dramatic change can be seen in East Ship Island. A diagonal line where the ocean changes color indicates the division between the two images. The left half was acquired on June 4, 2005, while the right half was taken on April 22, 2001. The lower image is a combination of two different ASTER scenes. The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer ( ASTER) captured the top image of East and West Ship Islands and Cat Island on September 8, 2005. The battering waves ate away at the islands, permanently altering their shape. A fringe of barrier islands lines the coast of Mississippi, protecting the mainland from the pounding waves of most ocean storms, but the islands could not shelter the mainland from Hurricane Katrina’s exceptionally powerful storm surge.
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