The tagline for the area is "World's Most Beautiful Beaches" owed to the beautiful white sand beaches and the clear water. The main reasons for this are due to geology.
There are people that believe that the color of the water is due to blue-green algae but this is not the case. The emerald color of the water across the Emerald Coast is due to several factors. The water has a very high purity which allows for a deep light penetration as well as high visibility. Also helping the color is the relative shallowness of the water along the coast and the sugar white sand floor allowing the light to reflect back up through the water. This causes more of an emerald green color instead of the typical crystal blue color.
The sand along the beach, you will notice, is as white as sugar. This is one trait that has made these beaches so popular. The sand is white due to the high purity of the sand, which is related to its geological history. The Appalacian Mountains eroded over time and deposited the sand into the rivers, which in turn deposited it into the Gulf of Mexico. The major component in the sand is quartz, which is the most resistant mineral brought down from the Appalacians. All other minerals were eventually ground down to dust by the constant wave action. After the other minerals were turned to dust they were carried off and deposited offshore. Many other beaches are white from the small shells that have accumulated over time and pile up on the beach. Look at the mix. It is easy to distinguish the quarts from the shells by the size and texture.
Take a moment and walk across the sand. Pay close attention to the sound that it makes as you walk across it.
To log this cache you must answer the following questions:
1. Why is the sand on the local beaches sugar white?
2. Take a handful of the sand at the reference point. List the amounts of shells and other items in the sand.
3. Grab a handful of the sand and observe the color. What 'color' are the individual grains of sand, in general? Are the grains similar in size? IF not, pleasse describe the variety.
4. Walk across the sand and listen closely. What sounds does the sand make when you walk across it, and why?
Consider giving this a fav pt of you enjoy these earthcaches.
All answers must be e-mailed to this geocaching account to complete your log of this geocache. Photos from cache site are welcome and encouraged but not required.