Page 66 - South Mississippi Living - July, 2025

GREAT OUTDOORS
THE GULF COAST’S
Barrier Islands
story by Lynn Lofton
photos courtesy of Gulf Islands National Seashore and Ship Island Excursions
We see the barrier islands all the time, but how much do we know about them? Last year 7.8 million people visited
these national treasures. They play an important role in the ecology, history
and recreation of this area. In January 1971 Ship, Horn, Petit Bois and West Petit Bois islands were designated public lands to be maintained by the National Park Service. This action was taken to preserve—unimpaired—the natural and cultural resources and values for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. In December 2000 funds were appropriated to acquire lands and interests on and adjacent to Cat Island, all together forming Gulf Islands National Seashore.
“The National Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation,” says Stephanie
Sztendera, public information officer with Gulf Islands National Seashore. “The Mississippi barrier islands are open to visitors with boat accommodations. Ship Island Excursions is currently the only park concessionaire.”
Captain Louis Skrmetta, whose family has been taking people to the islands since 1926, has been running the business 50 years and is dedicated to preserving the islands. “We are blessed with these beautiful islands. Each has a different environment and history,” he says.
From March to October, excursions take an average of 50,000 people to the island. They’ve persevered through hurricanes, the oil spill, the spillway opening and other calamities. They operate a snack bar on the island.
Sztendera points out that every year concessionaires can submit an application to provide services to the other islands.
Two of the islands are federally designated wilderness islands, Horn and Petit Bois. “This means that nothing can be built on these islands. Visitors are allowed to anchor in the water and camp primitive overnight on all the islands except Ship Island,” she adds.
You may wonder how the islands got their names. Cat Island was named by French explorers who mistook raccoons for cats. Raccoons were not introduced in France until the 1900s.
Ship Island is named for a natural deep-water anchorage. French explorer d’Iberville’s expedition used the island’s northwest shores to dock their ships.
It is said that a solider serving under Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville lost his powder horn on an island, earning it the name Horn Island.
Petit Bois means little woods in French and that island received its name from
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Horn Island.