Coastal Deposition is a geological process by which rocks, sand, loose sediment, mollusk shells or coralline algae are forced to the shoreline with a little help from another geological process called Erosion. Erosion is a geological process of the earth being worn down by natural forces such as wind, water, and ice. In other words these two geological processes go hand in hand. Deposition adds material while erosion takes away material.
When deposition occurs it can create beaches and or bring material to the shoreline. The types of beaches that deposition can make are spits, gradual sloping beaches, and steep sloping beaches. Spits are type of bar or beach that extended out to sea and come back into land. Beaches have a gradual slope that is caused by strong destructive waves that have backwash or swash (turbulent water that washes up on the beach after an incoming wave has broken). Steep sloping beaches are created by constructive waves meaning, they swash more material up to the beach rather than taking it back out to sea, thus causing a steep gradient. Here in historical Cape May, you can see that the beaches are gradual sloping.
In order to create deposition, we need some sources. Glaciers, these pick up the rocks and deposition them as they move.Gravity, this helps move the glaciers down hill.Wind, this picks the lighter forms of sediment including sand and rock.Water, this come in multiple forms and helps deposition in all ways possible. Streams, runoffs, from rainwater that has not been absorbed yet, action of waves, etc.
The story of S.S. Atlantus (also known as the concrete ship). Back in WWI steel was very scare, and President Woodrow Wilson gave the go ahead to build the WWI Emergency Fleet. This fleet consisted of 24 concrete ships, with a budget of $50 million dollars, 12 out of the 24 ended up being built. By the time the all-12 ships were ready the war was over. But some how, Atlantus was given a job that was associated with WWI. Atlantus was used to bring back the troops from Europe and transport coal. Soon after that she was sent into retirement in the state of Virginia. She had a short retirement of only 6 years (it is now 1926), and was bought by a Colonel to be used as a ferry dock here in Cape May with two of her other concrete ship sisters. A few months after being towed in and repaired for the groundbreaking construction ceremonies, a large storm hit the area. This storm allowed S.S. Atlantus to escape and return south for her retirement, but King Triton had other plans for her! King Triton used his powers and forced S.S. Atlantus to the shoreline of Sunset Beach. Multiple attempts were made to free the sad S.S. Atlantus, but none were successful. Today you can see still see the concrete ship, which just happens to be one of my favorite places to visit when I come into visit my mom/ Cape May.
In order for you to earn your smiley you must complete the following.
- Find three items along that were forced shoreline, you can either post a photo in your log or write about them, if you find trash please CITO.
- In your log tell us/me if and why you think that coastal deposition played apart in the S.S Atlantus final resting place.
- In your log tell us/me if you see or feel any of the sources need to make deposition. If there is wind, give a rough estimate on the speed, if it is raining tell us how fast it is coming down, etc.