Campobello Pocket Beach EarthCache
Hidden : 9/19/2008
Difficulty:
3 out of 5
Terrain:
3 out of 5

Size: Size: not chosen (not chosen)

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Geocache Description:


This earthcache will bring you to a small pocket beach located along the rock bound southeast coast of Campobello Island where you can gain a better understanding of the geology and forces needed to formed this beach.

Welcome to Roosevelt Campobello International Park, this 2800-acre park was established in 1964. The main attraction for the park is the Roosevelt Cottage, while the less visited Natural Area with its coastal headland, rocky shore, sphagnum bog, fields, forest and beaches makes up most of the area of the park and is a special attraction to the outdoor explorer interested in the geology of natural areas.

As you walk along the Raccoon Beach Trail between Liberty Point and Ragged Point (site of the Sunsweep Sculture) you will find a vantage point overlooking a small pocket beach. Generally a pocket beach is a small beach that is located between two headlands. In an idealized setting, there is very little or no major exchange of sediment between the pocket beach and the adjacent shorelines.

The story of the little beach starts long ago during the Lower Devonian Period, approximately 400 million years ago when the accumulation of lava flows and beds of volcanic ash formed small volcanic islands in an ancient sea. These flows and ash beds formed the rocks that are found along this shore. While at the same time sediments were being deposited forming what is called the Quoddy Formation (layers of shalestones, siltstones and sandstones.) This was during the Acadian mountain building event where there was a major deformation of the Earth's crust caused by collision of the micro continent of Avalon with early North America. This collision caused this assembly of the varied terrain of western coastal New Brunswick. Then about 25,000 years ago along came the Laurentide ice sheet overspreading the area. Climatic warming which forced the Laurentide ice sheet to stop and begin to melt followed this. This melting of the ice sheet released water and gravel forming this small coastal bluff. That brings us to the dynamic environment of the coast that is subject to continuous change as the sea batters the bluffs forming this beach. So as you can see the formation of the beach is a combination of the rocks formed long ago trapping the gravel, sand and rocks dropped by the glacier as the current and waves today slowly eat away at the bluff. But it is the shape of the cove that prevents the beach from moving down the shore with the current.

If you look at the little cove during high tide it appears to be shaped just like any of the other small coves along the coast. It is not until you see the cove at low tide that you will truly understand what forms this beautiful little pocket beach. The cove at low water is shaped very much like an hourglass. This shape directs the water so the while it slowly erodes the bluff it does not take the sand and gravel away moving it down the shore.

At the posted coordinates you will find yourself at a bench overlooking the beach. You are sitting at the edge of a coastal bluff created by the remains of the Ice Contact Drift that is slowly falling into the ocean. Remember this is an earthcache so there is no container just an earth science lesson at an amazing natural feature. To log this cache, you must post a photo of yourself or your hand with your GPS showing a view of the pocket beach in the background. You should be able to see the grading of the rocks, sand and gravel that has been moved around by the force of the current and waves. Email me through my profile the height of the bluff above the beach. Please include the name of the earthcache and the number of people in your group in your email. In your log please take the time to describe what you find special about this beach and its bluffs. If you are there during low tide make sure to go out to Ragged Point and look back at the shape of the cove.

For more information about Roosevelt Campobello International Park and what they offer go to their website at: (visit link)

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