In the past century the island has lost more than 1,200 acres, and the southwestern edge is losing seven feet a year. The island population has dropped from more than 600 in 1980 to less than 400 now. But when you look into the history and all, then you find out how long it's been here. Although we're getting few in number, we're still worth saving as long as we can. Smith Island in the Chesapeake Bay is gradually eroding, and rising water from global warming is slowly causing it to sink.
Some observers say the island has only two decades left.
And so the independent islanders are reaching out for help. And one proposal calls for a more permanent stone jetty at Rhodes Point, the site of the worst erosion on the island. And they'll be here for us to visit or just to know about. Watermen navigate through the waters off Rhodes Point, the site of the worst of Smith Island's erosion. With a dwindling population, a depressed seafood economy, and the unrelenting bay, the biggest obstacle for Smith Island has often been presenting an economic justification for spending millions of dollars on its survival.