Metompkin Island (sometimes pluralized, Metompkin Islands)
is a
barrier island off the east coast of
Virginia in the
United States. It is located in
Accomack County
Accomack County is a county (United States), United States county located in the eastern edge of the Virginia, Commonwealth of Virginia. Together, Accomack and Northampton County, Virginia, Northampton counties make up the Eastern Shore of Virgi ...
. Metompkin Island is highly-migratory, meaning that it is moving overtime due to
erosion and
deposition effects.
Because of this movement, the island has at times been one landmass and at others two larger islands with numerous small islets surrounding them.
A proposed
United States Navy seaplane tender
A seaplane tender is a boat or ship that supports the operation of seaplanes. Some of these vessels, known as seaplane carriers, could not only carry seaplanes but also provided all the facilities needed for their operation; these ships are rega ...
,
USS ''Metomkin'' (AVP-47), was to have been named for Metomkin Island, but the ship was cancelled in 1943 before construction could begin.
However, a U.S. Navy cargo ship,
USS ''Metomkin'' (AG-136), in commission from 1947 to 1951, did carry the island's name.
References
* (See ship namesake paragraph.)
Islands of Accomack County, Virginia
Barrier islands of Virginia
{{AccomackCountyVA-geo-stub