Wachapreague Channel
Encyclopedia
The Wachapreague Channel is an inlet
on the Eastern Shore
of the state of Virginia
in the United States
.
The channel
winds from the town of Wachapreague, Virginia
, through a seaside marsh
, and out to barrier island
s. Between Cedar Island and Parramore Island it reaches the Atlantic Ocean
.
Easy access from the town of Wachapreague to the marsh and ocean
makes the Wachapreague Channel a popular transit route for fishermen.
The name of the channel came from the Algonquian
people who resided in the area centuries ago.
The United States Navy
motor torpedo boat tender
USS Wachapreague (AGP-8)
, which was in commission from 1943 to 1946 and saw action in World War II
, was named for the channel.
Inlet
An inlet is a narrow body of water between islands or leading inland from a larger body of water, often leading to an enclosed body of water, such as a sound, bay, lagoon or marsh. In sea coasts an inlet usually refers to the actual connection between a bay and the ocean and is often called an...
on the Eastern Shore
Eastern Shore of Virginia
The Eastern Shore of Virginia consists of two counties on the Atlantic coast of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The region is part of the Delmarva Peninsula and is separated from the rest of Virginia by the Chesapeake Bay. Its population was 45,553 as of 2010...
of the state of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The channel
Channel (geography)
In physical geography, a channel is the physical confine of a river, slough or ocean strait consisting of a bed and banks.A channel is also the natural or human-made deeper course through a reef, sand bar, bay, or any shallow body of water...
winds from the town of Wachapreague, Virginia
Wachapreague, Virginia
Wachapreague is a town in Accomack County, Virginia, United States. The population was 236 at the 2000 census.- History :Wachapreague, known as the Little City by the Sea, has a long and fruitful history. The name of the town came from the Wachapreague, an Algonquian people who resided in the area...
, through a seaside marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
, and out to barrier island
Barrier island
Barrier islands, a coastal landform and a type of barrier system, are relatively narrow strips of sand that parallel the mainland coast. They usually occur in chains, consisting of anything from a few islands to more than a dozen...
s. Between Cedar Island and Parramore Island it reaches the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
.
Easy access from the town of Wachapreague to the marsh and ocean
Ocean
An ocean is a major body of saline water, and a principal component of the hydrosphere. Approximately 71% of the Earth's surface is covered by ocean, a continuous body of water that is customarily divided into several principal oceans and smaller seas.More than half of this area is over 3,000...
makes the Wachapreague Channel a popular transit route for fishermen.
The name of the channel came from the Algonquian
Algonquian peoples
The Algonquian are one of the most populous and widespread North American native language groups, with tribes originally numbering in the hundreds. Today hundreds of thousands of individuals identify with various Algonquian peoples...
people who resided in the area centuries ago.
The United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
motor torpedo boat tender
Motor torpedo boat tender
Motor torpedo boat tender is a type of ship used by the U.S. Navy during World War II. The Motor torpedo boat tender's task was to act as a tender in remote areas for patrol boats and to provide the necessary fuel and provisions for the torpedo boats she was responsible for...
USS Wachapreague (AGP-8)
USS Wachapreague (AGP-8)
USS Wachapreague was a motor torpedo boat tender that served in the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946.-Construction and deployment:...
, which was in commission from 1943 to 1946 and saw action in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, was named for the channel.
See also
- Wachapreague, VirginiaWachapreague, VirginiaWachapreague is a town in Accomack County, Virginia, United States. The population was 236 at the 2000 census.- History :Wachapreague, known as the Little City by the Sea, has a long and fruitful history. The name of the town came from the Wachapreague, an Algonquian people who resided in the area...
- USS Wachapreague (AGP-8)USS Wachapreague (AGP-8)USS Wachapreague was a motor torpedo boat tender that served in the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946.-Construction and deployment:...