Castalia Salt Marsh EarthCache
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Welcome to Castalia Salt Marsh where the beach has created an environment for the wildlife in the area and at the same time preserved the forest from the past.
The Castalia Salt Marsh has a picnic area, salt marsh and beach is an excellent location for viewing birds of many kinds. When the tide is at its lowest you may find 3000-year-old tree stumps, remains of an ancient sunken forest, peat deposits, and scallops shells that have been dumped to help stabilize the beach.
The salt marsh is formed in protected waters behind barrier beach, which has formed a small estuary (where fresh water meets ocean water). Marsh sediments are fine-grained silts and clays, and the vegetation is composed of salt-tolerant plants. In the marsh, the mudflats are exposed at low tide. Salt marshes in general are responsible for more than 80% of all edible sea-life, which is hatched in these "nurseries." Also, organic matter from the marshes, washed out by the tides, feeds ocean fish.
The salt marsh changes drastically with the tides. When the tide is in the tops of the grasses move with the water hiding the movement of life below. When the tide goes out, the mudflats are visible revealing shellfish and crabs scurrying around in search for food. The tides are very important to the life of the marsh, bringing nourishment, which the marsh inhabitants need. As the tide recedes it washes silt and debris out to sea. The salt marsh supports populations of fish, shellfish, birds and other animals. It also provides protection for the young of many species from predators. The marsh protects the landward side of the island from the tidal flow and also absorbs much of the impact of storms. In return, the island protects the marsh from ocean storms.
At the posted coordinates you will find yourself at the crest of the barrier beach that has formed and protects the marsh. Depending when you visit the location your observations will vary. Remember this is an earthcache so there is no container just an earth science lesson at an amazing natural feature that needs to be protected. To log this cache, email me through my profile:
1) The name of the Earthcache and the number of people in your group.
2) From your observation tell me if the tide is coming in or going out, and how did you arrive at that conclusion?
3) How wide is the barrier beach at the time of your visit.
4) The beach is dynamic in nature constantly changing, according to the sign what has been done to prevent the beach from changing in the future?
If you would like more information on the geology of the area, Greg McHone has an outstanding webpage called Grand Manan Geology at (visit link)
If you are there at low tide the stumps that you see are the remains from the end of the last glacial period.
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