Email me the answers to these three questions and log your find. Enjoy!
1) The pink stands out more in the wet sand at the water's edge. Grab a handful of sand and describe the color and texture in your own words.
2) What is the name of the animal that gives the sand its distinctive hue.
3) Stand at the cache coordinates and give a quick description of the geological formation visible to the west.
Lighthouse Beach: A Hidden Gem of Eleuthera
Eleuthera Island, though only two miles wide at its broadest point, stretches an impressive 110 miles in length. While white sand beaches line much of the island, a few select spots boast extraordinary powder-soft pink sands, with Lighthouse Beach being one of the most stunning examples. Located at the southernmost tip of the island, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Caribbean Sea, this secluded beach is watched over by an old, abandoned lighthouse.
The pink hue of the sand comes from tiny coral-dwelling organisms called foraminifera. These microscopic creatures have bright pink or red shells that are covered in small holes through which they extend foot-like structures, known as pseudopodia, to anchor themselves and feed. Foraminifera live beneath reefs, on sea floors, and in rocky crevices. When they die, their shells are broken down by wave action and scavengers. The crushed remains mix with the sand, coral fragments, and other marine material, eventually being carried ashore to create the beautiful pink sands that define Lighthouse Beach.
