Carter’s Beach, not just a Beach EarthCache

Carter’s Beach, not just a Beach

Port Mouton is a small village along Highway 103 on the southwest coast of Queens County, Nova Scotia.  The village takes its name because a sheep, excited to see land after a long journey, jumped overboard one of the vessels and swam to shore. In Central Port Mouton is Cater’s Beach one of the most stunning beaches in Nova Scotia. It looks almost tropical with white soft sand sprinkled with silver sparkles. There is a sprinkle of islands in the view Crystal clear turquoise water.

The Beach

Carters Beach is more than just a beach: It’s a beachdune-salt marsh-stream-forest system - that works together and is heavily influenced by coastal waves, tides, and winds. Carters Beach is an outstanding example of a diverse ecosystems and habitats for several at-risk species in Atlantic Canada.

The beach itself is known as a bay head beach, and is made up of a series of pocket beaches connected to small islands, like Spectacle, Jackies, and Massacre. A Bayhead beach is a type of beach that is curved and has developed at the head or back of a bay between two headlands. Bayhead beaches are formed when constructive waves deposit material between the two headlands.

This type of beach only forms with enough sand and enough wind at the right orientation. Winds in this area of the province are greatest in the winter, with easterly and northeasterly winds having the greatest influence on Carters Beach. The beach was likely formed from offshore glacial deposits, however the southern end of the beach was formed from eroding old dunes.

Why are the waters turquoise?

The beaches have that turquoise blue color because of the shallow depths, little or no plankton and lack of wave action. The deeper the ocean, the deeper the shade of blue because the sunlight absorbs all the sun rays except the blue wavelength, creating a darker shade. So the more shallow the water, the lighter the blue.

At Carter’s beach the water has little plankton, minimal wave action, except during storms and a white reflective bottom. The type and texture of the sand is a major contributor to the wonderful shades of turquoise present on this beach. These factors combine to create an environment that absorbs the right combination of sun’s (light) wavelengths so we see the beautiful turquoise color reflected in our eyes.

Physical Characteristics

Carters Beach consists of three sections, often referred to as first, second and third beaches. Each section of beach has its own special character and exposure to waves because of the presence of Port Mouton Island and other smaller islands or skerries in Port Mouton Bay.

First beach is closest to the main vehicle parking lot. It is bounded to the south by a tidal stream that flows into the ocean at one of the small rocky islets. The stream outlet occasionally shifts from the south to north and vice versa of the islet and has impacted sediment accumulation on the first or second beach and in some cases impacts stability of the adjacent dunes. The stream channel is easily crossed at low tide but less so at high tide. The islet is an important feature anchoring Carters Beach in its present location.

Third beach is also separated from the second beach by a small rocky islet which produces a change in beach orientation. Second Beach is fringed by the highest dunes and best succession of marine to forest vegetation. Carters Beach, like all beaches, is dynamic and subject to change caused by storms as shown by natural wave cuts along the older dunes. Yet recent studies have shown that its overall physical character has remained unchanged since the beginning of aerial photographic coverage in the late 1920s and before that, according to older hydrographic charts and topographic maps.

Aerial view of carters beach HERE.

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. Name four features that have caused this beach to be formed and maintained here?

2. How many rock piles, skerries and islands do you see in the bay?

3. What would happen to the beach area if the islands or skerries were removed?

4. Describe the dunes and possible uses.

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.