Take Refuge in Dungeness EarthCache
Hidden : 10/20/2011
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size: other (other)

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Geocache Description:

This Earth Cache will take you to the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge.

From the trailhead you will have a small downhill walk which will take you by a number of information signs and displays. The total distance from trailhead to the beach is about 1/2 a mile, you only need to go as far as the telescope deck viewpoints to do this Earth Cache. Stay on the trails.

The Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge is located along the northern coast of the Olympic Peninsula in Clallam County, Washington. Dungeness NWR boasts one of the world's longest natural sand spits (and longest in the United States), which softens the rough sea waves to form a quiet bay and harbor, gravel beaches, and tide flats. Dungeness Spit is one of only a few such geological formations in the world which was formed during the Vashon Glacial era ten to twenty thousand years ago.

Spits form as a result of deposition by longshore drift, which is the movement of sand along the coast by the waves. The spit is formed when any material that is being carried by the waves gets deposited due to a loss of the waves energy, this could be because of a change of wind direction, or an estuary in the opposing direction slowing it down. As time progresses the deposited material forms a spit. The sediments that make up spits come from a variety of sources including rivers and eroding bluffs, and changes there can have a large impact on spits and other coastal landforms. Activities such as logging and farming upstream can increase the sediment load of rivers, which may hurt the intertidal environments around spits by smothering delicate habitat.

The spits protect Dungeness Bay from heavy surf, nutrient-rich sediments accumulate on the lee side of the Spit - out of the wind. This constant influx of sediment makes the bay and the water around the Spit a rich resource. The organic materials in these sediments provides nutrients for aquatic plants and invertebrates, which become food for waterfowl and shorebirds.

At the listed coordinates are one of the two viewpoints which looks out to the spits, Dungeness Harbor and the Strait. You will need to email me with the following 3 answers to log this Earth Cache.

1. There is a sign near the end of the trail from listed coordinates which says how much the spit is growing in a given year, what is that value?

2. Given that rate of growth according to the signs, do you think this value will become higher or lower over time? You could argue either way, but there are reasons the visible growth rate could become lower or higher based on how a spit is formed or the amount of water, what do you think? No wrong answers here, just asking you to think what could change this rate, higher or lower over time. .

3. At the observation deck (listed coords) there is a display, how long does a disposable diaper take to biodegrade vs an aluminum can?


Though not required, I would appreciate if you attached pictures of your adventure and mentioned what species of birds or animals you saw during your trek to the beach or just viewed from the platforms. There is also the 11 mile round trip walk to and back from the lighthouse if you like, its very enjoyable. This walk is also not required for this Earth Cache.

There is a $3 entry fee per family of 4 to enter the refuge unless you have a yearly pass. Again, please stay on the trails at all times and if you enter the beach area, please pay attention to which areas are open for visitor entry. Some areas are only open from May 15 to end of September and some areas are closed to all public access.

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