Balos Lagoon EarthCache

At the given coordinates, you are standing in the Balos Lagoon, one of the most beautiful places of Crete. The coordinates are in the not very deep water of the lagoon, so remove your shoes and enjoy the warm water.

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A lagoon is a shallow body of water separated from a larger body of water by barrier islands or reefs. Lagoons are commonly divided into coastal lagoons and atoll lagoons. They have also been identified as occurring on mixed-sand and gravel coastlines.


Coastal lagoons like the Balos lagoon form along gently sloping coasts where barrier islands or reefs can develop off-shore, and the sea-level is rising relative to the land along the shore (either because of an intrinsic rise in sea-level, or subsidence of the land along the coast). Coastal lagoons do not form along steep or rocky coasts, or if the range of tides is more than 4 metres. Due to the gentle slope of the coast, coastal lagoons are shallow. They are sensitive to changes in sea level. A relative drop in sea level may leave a lagoon largely dry, while a rise in sea level may let the sea breach or destroy barrier islands, and leave reefs too deep under water to protect the lagoon. Nybakken describes coastal lagoons and barrier islands as a "coupled system". Coastal lagoons are young and dynamic, and may be short-lived in geological terms. Coastal lagoons are common, occurring along nearly 15 percent of the world's shorelines.


Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles. The composition of sand is highly variable, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal settings is silica (silicon dioxide, or SiO2), usually in the form of quartz.

The second most common type of sand is calcium carbonate, for example aragonite, which has mostly been created, over the past half billion years, by various forms of life, like coral and shellfish. It is, for example, the primary form of sand apparent in areas where reefs have dominated the ecosystem for millions of years like Crete.
(Source: www.wikipedia.gr)

Now the questions:

1. Describe the sand of the location you are standing in.

2. Guess the size of this coastal lagoon.

3. What color are the big rocks that mark the end of the lagoon.

Optional: Make a nice foto of yourself or the place and upload it with your log!

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