Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

New Point Comfort Lighthouse Mathews, Virginia Site Assessment Plan, C. Scott Hardaway Jr., Donna A. Milligan, Kevin P. O'Brien, Christine A. Wilcox

Reports

New Point Comfort is located at the southern tip of Mathews County (Figure 1) between Chesapeake and Mobjack Bays. The New Point Comfort Lighthouse itself is on an island (Figure 2) that was once attached to the mainland but is now almost 0.6 miles from the mainland and only 0.33 acres in area above mean low water. Previous studies have highlighted the problems which contribute to the instability of the island. McKay (2003) listed these factors which may allow continued erosion and potential damage up to and including the base of the lighthouse itself: rise in sea level, low base …