Historic Newport Bayfront Earthcache EarthCache
Historic Newport Bayfront Earthcache
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What a beautiful view you will get to enjoy at two different locations on the Historic Newport Bayfront. The terrain is on piers and sidewalks the whole time slightly different views of the formations of sand and jetties on Yaquina Bay.
The Yaquina River has formed a wide estuarine bay at the mouth. Fine/Medium sands to sandy silts and clays are deposited here. Locally worked Pleistocene sands and coastal sands transported by littoral drift come in from the sea with the tides, while sand from the coastal dunes is blown inward by the wind. The sediment deposite is largely a seasonal thing. It mainly happens in the winter and early spring. The tidal flats consist of fine sand along the channel banks and consists of sediments with the origin of a marine/fluvial mix. Based on Sedimental composition, the southern sands have more of a marine sediment and the north a more of a fluvial sediment.
Marine sediment is any deposit of insoluble material, primarily rock and soil particles, transported from land areas to the ocean by wind, ice, and rivers, as well as the remains of marine organisms, products of submarine volcanism, chemical precipitates from seawater, and materials from outer space (e.g., meteorites) that accumulate on the seafloor.
Fluvial Sediment is from the river. An eddy can be formed from the river losing its sediment as it is heading to the ocean.
Coordinates #1: Bay Street Pier- N 44 37.589 W 124 03.360
Look across the bay at the land on the other side. Have you heard the song “The Foolish Man built his house upon the sand, The Foolish Man built his house upon the sand. The Foolish Man built his house upon the sand and the rains came tumbling down. The rains came down and the floods came up, the rains came down and the floods came up, the rains came down and the floods came up and the house on the sand washed away.” So what does that have to do with this earthcache? Sand is not a solid foundation. It is moved easily by water, wind, and people. So if a Tsunami were to occur then what would happen to the sand here as well as the buildings? They may be found up the river about 10 miles in Toledo. So why would Oregon State University, NOAA, Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, US Fish & Wildlife, Rogue Brewery, and the Oregon Coast Aquarium build their “homes” on the sand? Send me your thoughts in your email. Also at this location there are two park benches. In your email, tell me who they are dedicated to? If you want to see the sand close up then go to N 44 37.416 W 124 03.000. But it is not a requirement.
Coordinates #2: Port Dock 1- N 44 37.804 W 124 03.123
At this location you will see some rock formations to your left. These are jetties. What is the purpose of a jetty? (visit link) gives a great reason for a Jetty. “Jetties are a … hard structure, normally placed adjacent to tidal inlets to control inlet migration, and to minimize sediment deposition within the inlet. A jetty is an armored structure that extends out into the water and is intended to protect a navigation channel or marina.” The sand in the ocean would fill up the bay if it were not for the jetties. The Jetties that you see are surrounding the boat docks. There were some across the bay from the first location as well. Why would there be jetties around the boats in the bay since there is a jetty going into the ocean from the bay? Fishing is a livelihood here in Newport so protecting the fleet is very critical. So why would they use two different materials to make the jetty the way it is? Please tell me in your email why the two different materials of this jetty are being used? Also tell me who the metal structure at the coordinates is dedicated to. Then post a picture of you with the Yaquina Bay Bridge in the Background.
So your email requirements are as follows:
At location #1:
Why would Oregon State University, NOAA, Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, US Fish & Wildlife, Rogue Brewery, and the Oregon Coast Aquarium build their “homes” on the sand?
Also at this location there is a park bench. In your email, tell me who it is dedicated to?
At location #2:
What are there two materials being used for this jetty on your left? And why would they do this?
Who is the metal structure here at the coordinates dedicated to?
Picture and log requirements:
Take a picture of yourself or group at location #2 with the Yaquina Bay Bridge in the background.
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)