Dort's Cove Spit EarthCache

Dorts Cove is a rural area in Guysborough County, on the south side of the mouth of the Salmon River, on the eastern shore of Nova Scotia. It was once called Sandy Cove.  The present name is for Valentine Dortt, one of a company of disbanded troops who received a Guysborough township grant in 1785.  Historically fishing was the main industry. 

A spit is an extended stretch of sand or shingle jutting out into the sea from the land. Spits occur when there is a change in the shape of the landscape or where there is a river mouth. Spits are formed when sediment is carried by longshore drift. 

Where there is a change in the shape of the coastline, deposition occurs and a long thin ridge of material is deposited. This material will build up over time making the spit larger and longer, rising above sea level. A hook can form on the end if there is a change in wind direction. The waves or sea action can not get past a spit therefore the water behind a spit is very sheltered.  In this area silts are deposited to form salt marshes or mud flats where there is slower water movement.

Deposition is when material that is being transported is dropped by constructive waves. It happens because waves have less energy and the swash is stronger than the backwash and is associated with constructive waves. When waves enter an area of shallow water, a sheltered area or there is little wind depositing material with the movement. There also needs to be a good supply of material to be moved by the wave action. Through this process a range of landforms can be formed.  The length of the spit is determined by the existence of secondary currents causing erosion, either the flow of a river or wave action which limits its length. 

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. What is the length of the spit in meters?  What feature will likely limit the length of the spit ?

2. What is the elevation above sea level at ground zero?

3. What is the prominent material making up the spit? Sand or  Shingle or both? Please describe.

4. Is there any vegetation growing on the spit?  If so, what is growing?

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.