Margaretsville Saddle; A Littoral Cell EarthCache

Margaretsville Saddle; A Littoral Cell

Margaretsville is a Canadian rural community in Annapolis County, Nova Scotia located on the Bay of Fundy. A busy port during the early 1900s, Margaretsville is now a placid seaside community favored by tourists, artists and retirees.

This is one of the first lighthouses along the (Nova Scotia) coast of the Bay of Fundy. Before Margaretsville, there were only 6 or 7 in operation.

Twice each day, 160 billion tonnes of seawater flow in and out of the Bay of Fundy; more than the combined flow of the world's freshwater rivers! The Bay of Fundy's tides transform the shorelines, tidal flats and exposed sea bottom as they flood into the bay and its harbours and estuaries. So be careful doing this earthcache at high tide. You can see your destination when you start your walk on the beach but remember to check tide times so you know if the tide is on the way in or out and gage accordingly.

I was looking at the map and noticed the word “Saddle” in Margaretsville Bay and wondered what it was. The bay was shaped like a saddle with the horn being the lighthouse area and the bay being the seat. The bay and beach are part of a littoral cell that was formed by the point of land the lighthouse sits on. The lighthouse bluff has caused a circular backflow that has carved out this little bay and beach.

Main Difference; Bay vs Beach

Bay and beach are two terms related to each other and refer to geographical formations that are between land and water. Bay is a broad inlet of the sea where the land curves inwards whereas the beach is a landform along the coast of a waterbody. This is the main difference between bay and beach. It is entirely possible for a Bay to have a beach.

Many bays are formed as the coastline erodes into the ocean. When a stretch of coastline is formed from different types of rock, headlands and bays can form. Bands of soft rock such as clay and sand are weaker therefore they can be eroded quickly. This process forms bays. A Bay is an inlet of the sea where the land curves inwards, usually with a beach.

The land surrounding a bay often reduces the strength of winds and blocks waves thus calmer waters. Bays were significant in the history of human settlement because they provided safe places for fishing. A bay may also be called a sound (or sund), bight, or a bay (if created by glacial erosion). A cove is a circular or oval coastal inlet with a narrow entrance; some coves may be referred to as bays.

Littoral Cells

All coasts are divided into natural compartments called littoral cells. Each cell contains a complete cycle of sedimentation including sources, transport paths, and sinks. The presence of sand on any particular beach depends on the transport of sand within the cell. When structures such as dams or harbors interfere with sand transport, down coast beaches will erode. Therefore, the littoral cell and its budget of sediment are essential planning tools for regional and coastal management.

A section of the coast that is isolated sedimentologically from adjacent coastal reaches and that features its own sources and sinks. Isolation is typically caused by protruding headlands, submarine canyons, inlets and some river mouths that prevent littoral sediment from one cell to pass into the next. Here the lighthouse sits on a basalt bluff creating the protruding headland.

This is a short hike on the Bay of Fundy to a pretty waterfall tumbling into water at high tide and dropping about 15ft to the seafloor at low tide. Start from the wharf and walk on the cobble beach due east. You should be able to see the waterfall about 700m away. Close to the waterfall are two small cavities/caves which looked like they were mined for minerals. On the east end is a Bluff as well as cliffs around the southside of the bay. There is a second stream that also empties into the bay.

To log this Earthcache visit the viewing location. Please answer the following questions and send in a timely manner to my geocaching profile or email. Answers not received will result in deleted logs.

Questions:

1. From N45 02.963  W065 03.888 (Ref A) measure the width of the bay formed by the littoral cell to the bluff at N45 02.927  W065 03.457 (Ref B)?

2. What direction does the littoral cell current travel in the bay/cove. (East to West, or West to East)? Why this direction?

3. What geological features have been created? (name at least two)

4. What is the material on the beach, use detail and size?

5. Post a picture in your log with a personal item or hand in picture to prove you were there.

[REQUIRED] In accordance with the updated guidelines from Geocaching Headquarters published in June 2019, photos are now an acceptable logging requirement and WILL BE REQUIRED TO LOG THIS CACHE. Please provide a photo of yourself or a personal item in the picture to prove you visited the site.