CHEC: Sand, Blowouts And The Other Dunes? EarthCache
Hidden : 2/7/2008
Difficulty:
1 out of 5
Terrain:
2.5 out of 5

Size: Size: not chosen (not chosen)

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Geocache Description:

CHEC: Cape Henlopen Earth Cache

This cache consists of walking on sand for about 0.5 miles round trip.

Sand is a term used by geologists to describe a naturally occurring granular material comprised of fine particles of rock and minerals. Sand is usually 0.0625 mm to 2 mm in diameter. Smaller particles are known as silt and larger is known as gravel. Sand can be broken down into 5 sub-categories, again, based on size. From smallest to largest, they are very fine, fine, medium, coarse and very coarse.


The dunes are walking on are considered secondary dunes. They are located behind the primary dunes. They are covered in low plants as well as small trees and woody shrubs. Even further in, you will see the stable back dunes. These are covered in larger trees and more plant life. Due to the density of plant life, these dunes are more stable and you are allowed to walk here. It is always recommended that you don’t actual walk on the plant life whenever possible.

These secondary and back dunes give you a great opportunity to get up close to a dune and see how it is formed.

If you look closely, you can see that one side of a dune is a long relatively gentle slope while the other side is a much larger drop off.


You will notice areas of just sand along these dunes. Besides hikers, these are caused by blowouts. Blowouts occur in partially vegetated dune fields. A blowout forms when a patch of protective vegetation is lost, allowing strong winds to “blow out” sand and form a depression. While these are generally small, they can expend for miles. In flat coastal areas, we can also see dry sand blown inland beyond the beach forming these blown out areas.


To log this cache, please do the following:

1) Email me and explain why there are areas on the secondary dunes that have no plants while other areas have many.

2) Also, email what kind of sand (very fine, fine, medium, coarse and very coarse) are you walking on?

3) Post a picture of yourself with your GPSr (or just your GPSr) at the chimney. (For those curious, this was the outlet for the bunker’s incinerator.)


State Park Info:
These trails will be closed for firearm deer season. Check here for dates.
The park has an entry fee from March 1st through November 30th.
$4.00 for residents, $8.00 for non-residents.


Sources:
http://http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sand
http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Dunes.htm
http://www.swc.dnrec.delaware.gov/NR/rdonlyres/7DA3F9F9-B6DD-4720-93A5-877F8CA3D492/0/DECoastalDunes.pdf

Additional Hints (No hints available.)



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