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February 16, 2006 - Beauty and the beachSA - The News - Review • February 16, 2006 Beauty and the beach WHEN WAs THE LAsr time you took a walk on one of our many beaches? You know we have some of the finest beaches in the world here on Long Is- land. Take, for instance, Fire Island, that beach that runs along the south shore and faces the mighty ocean that churns and roars and builds up and cuts out and has the capability of moving tons and tons of sand overnight and yet can be as peaceful as a pond in your FOCUS backyard. There are an- ON nual cycles of NATURE beach erosion. Usually we can by Paul count on long, Stoutenburgh sloping beaches in the summer- time. During the winter, with its storms and high winds, we'll have cut -off, short beaches It's remarkable how beach edges change. I used to do a lot of diving around the rocks in the Sound. Sometimes I'd find these rocks half covered with sand and other times Id see the same rocks with little or no sand about them; the sand had been moved somewhere offshore. Our beaches are made up mostly of quartz, a very hard mineral. I always en- joyed looking at grains of sand through a magnifying glass They looked like miniature boulders. Besides the quartz there is magnetite, the little black par- ticles we see scattered throughout the sand. This magnetite, as the name im- plies, can be easily picked up by a mag- net. Young people used to be amazed when I took them on walks along the beaches to pick up these bits of magne- tite by dragging a magnet through areas of dark - colored sand. The other color you will see in the sand is game[, which is a sort of reddish sand. These two, garnet and magnetite, are often separated from the fight -col- ored quartz by wind or by wave action: The reason we see these particles of colored sand is that the quartz is fighter than the magnetite and gamet grains of sand, so when the winds do blow and the water does flow they leave behind these two heavier types of sand. I'm sure all of you have seen these streaks of colorful sand when walking the beaches I wish I could remember where 1 read this, but at one time the magne- tite was so heavy and thick here on the island that there was talk of min- ing it.This was about the time of the Revolutionary War, when iron was at a premium.I think the proposed mining of magnetite was to have been in the Jamesport area. What made it so attrac- tive was that the grains of magnetite were almost pure iron and would have LONG ISLAND IF— UEL ICE & FUEL LO FOR • Free Automatic Delivery for Fuel Oil and K -1 Kerosene CASH • Budget Plans • Competitive Pricing PRICE • Service Available • Credit Cards Accepted •�/� Family Ou•eed and Operaled For Over 100 Years / 27 -301 O Top left: You can nev- er tell what you will run into on a winter walk. Here we see the icing on the cake. Top right: Turn a child loose on a sandy beach and you will never have a baby -sit- ting problem. Children often see more than we do in nature's won- ders. Left: For those who can see the wonders of a beach walk, pat- terns such as this the sand has made give joy and meaning to life. News - Review photos by Paul Sloulenburgh been easy to convert into metal prod- ucts. The idea never did take off, but it was considered. When the windblown sand moves, it is captured by the all - important dune grass, which, in time, creates the dunes we are all familiar with. The sand that collects around the stems of the dune grass gets higher and higher with each windy day. Most plants would die if you cover them over with windblown sand, but not dune grass It has the ability to continually grow. Without this all -im- portant dune grass, the sand would soon disappear. While we are on this subject of wind- blown sand, I am reminded that when the windblown sand hits something, it is like a sand - blasting machine, which accounts for the beach glass we find on our beaches — beach glass that has lost its luster and sharp edges The whole surface has been changed by the pitting of the sand. As a matter of fact, some people collect it and put it in ajar on the mantelpiece and others make jew- elry from it. One of the things you want to look for when you walk our beaches is the pile of debris along the high tide mark, called **sea wrack." It's there that all the debris from the water has collected along the beach — sticks, grasses, sea- weed, somebody's old shirt, a fishing lure — the treasures of a beach walk. The beach is never the same. It's always changing. As you walk along and check the sea wrack with your foot or walking stick, you'll see what is underneath It might be the little sand hoppers or, as some people call them, sand fleas.Tbey are not insects at all.They are related to the crustaceans. They live on the detritus that is formed in the conglomerate of the sea wrack. Another interesting thing you will find along the edge of the beach in the water is the mole crab. It's sort of an egg - shaped affair, about the size of the first joint of your finger. It's hard to believe mole crabs can exist in the sand, with the turbulent surf, but that's their home. Sharp eyes can see them burrow into the loose sand as the water retreats over them It's then they put up their feathery antennae that capture the plankton and other food particles that they five on. Only certain plants can tolerate the atmosphere of the beach. One of those is sea rocket, a fleshy plant that can live on the upper beach. It's kind of neat. You can pick a leaf and nibble on it; it has a salty taste that's kind of nice and refreshing. Then there's dusty miller, which is not a native plant. It came from Asia and is now found along the whole eastern seaboard. It also clings to the sand of the beach and creates miniature dunes from the windblown sand. A little higher up you'll find the seaside golden- rod, which blossoms late in September, it can take the salt spray that kills most other plants. The beach is a hot and ever - moving place. Few plants can exist there. Those that can tolerate this harsh environment have evolved their own particular means of survival over time. It's a shame many of our beaches restrict passage because of the groins that have been put out to capture the ever - moving sand. There should be a requirement that every groin put out along our beaches should have a stair- way over it. Remember, all beaches be- low high water belong to the public, and movement along the beaches should not be impaired. e Suffolk Times • February 16, 2006 and the e uty beach Top right: Turn a child Top left: You can nev- loose on a sandy . er tell what you will run beach and you will into on a winter walk. never have a baby -sit- Here we see the icing ting problem. Children on the cake. often see more than we do in nature's won- ders. HEN WAS THE LAST time you took a walk on one of our many beaches? You know we have some of the finest beaches in the world here on Long Island. Take; for instance, Fire Island, that beach that runs along the south shore and faces the mighty ocean that churns and roars and builds up and cuts out and has the capability of mov- ing tops and tons of sand overnight and yet can be as peaceful as FOCUS a pond in your O N back yard. There are NATURE annual cycles of beach ero- by Paul sion. Usually we Stoutenburgh can count on long, sloping beaches in the sum During the winter, with its storms and high winds, we'll have cut -off, short beaches. It's remarkable how beach edges change. I used to do a lot of diving around the rocks in the Sound. Sometimes I'd find these rocks half covered with sand and other time, 1'd see the same rocks with little or no sand about them; the sand had been moved somewhere offshore. Our beaches are made up mostly of quartz; a very hard mineral. I al- ways enjoyed looking at grains of sand through a magnifying glass. They looked like miniature boulders. Be- sides the quartz, there is magnetite, the little black particles we see scattered ,F µ e uty beach Top right: Turn a child Top left: You can nev- loose on a sandy . er tell what you will run beach and you will into on a winter walk. never have a baby -sit- Here we see the icing ting problem. Children on the cake. often see more than we do in nature's won- ders. HEN WAS THE LAST time you took a walk on one of our many beaches? You know we have some of the finest beaches in the world here on Long Island. Take; for instance, Fire Island, that beach that runs along the south shore and faces the mighty ocean that churns and roars and builds up and cuts out and has the capability of mov- ing tops and tons of sand overnight and yet can be as peaceful as FOCUS a pond in your O N back yard. There are NATURE annual cycles of beach ero- by Paul sion. Usually we Stoutenburgh can count on long, sloping beaches in the sum During the winter, with its storms and high winds, we'll have cut -off, short beaches. It's remarkable how beach edges change. I used to do a lot of diving around the rocks in the Sound. Sometimes I'd find these rocks half covered with sand and other time, 1'd see the same rocks with little or no sand about them; the sand had been moved somewhere offshore. Our beaches are made up mostly of quartz; a very hard mineral. I al- ways enjoyed looking at grains of sand through a magnifying glass. They looked like miniature boulders. Be- sides the quartz, there is magnetite, the little black particles we see scattered throughout the sand. This magnetite, a; the name implies, can be easily picked up by a magnet. Young people used to be amazed when I took. them on walks along the beaches to pick up these bits of magnetite by dragging a magnet through areas of dark - colored sand. The other color you will see in the sand is garnet, which is a sort of reddish sand. These two, garnet and magnetite, are often separated from the light - colored quartz by wind or by wave action: The reason we see these particles of colored sand is that the quartz is lighter than the magnetite and garnet grains of sand, so when the winds do blow and the water does flow they leave behind these two heavier types of sand. I'm sure all of you have seen these streaks of colorful sand when walking the beaches. I wish I could remember where I read this, but at one time the magne- tite was so heavy and thick here on the island that there was talk of min- ing it. This was about the time of the Revolutionary War, when iron was at a premium. I think the proposed mining of magnetite was to have been in the Jamesport area. What made it so at- tractive was that the grains of maene- Len: ror inose wno can see the wonder: of a beach walk, pat terns such as this the sand has made give joy and meaning to life. I tite were almost pure iron and would have been easy to convert into metal products. The idea never did take off, but it was considered. When the windblown sand moves, it is captured by the all- important dune grass, which, in time, creates the dunes we are all familiar with. The sand that collects around the stems of the dune grass gets higher and higher with each windy day. Most plants would die if you cover them over with windblown sand, but not dune grass. It has the ability to continually grow. Without this all- important dune grass, the sand would soon disappear. While we are on this subject of wind blown sand, I am reminded that when the windblown sand hits something, it is like a sand - blasting machine, which accounts for the beach glass we find on our beaches — beach glass that has lost its luster and sharp edges. The whole surface has been changed by the pitting of the sand. As a matter of fact, some people collect it, and put it in a jar on the mantelpiece and others make jewelry from it. One of the things you want to look for when you walk our beaches is the vile of debris along the high tide mark. called "sea wrack." It's there that all the debris from the water has collected along the beach — sticks, grasses, sea- weed, somebody's old shirt, a fishing lure — the treasures of a beach walk. The beach is never the same. It's al- ways changing. As you walk along and check the se wrack with your foot or walking stick, you'll see what is underneath. It might be the little sand hoppers or, as some people call them, sand fleas. They are not insects at all. They are related to the crustaceans. They live on the detri- tus that is formed in the conglomerate of the sea wrack. Another interesting thing you will find along the edge of the beach in the water is the mole crab. It's sort of an egg- shaped affair, about the size of the first joint of your finger. It's hard to believe mole crabs can exist in the sand, with the turbulent surf, but that's their home. Sharp eyes can see them burrow into the loose sand as the water retreats over them. IYs then they put up their feathery antennae that capture the plankton and other food particles that they live on. Only certain plants can tolerate the atmosphere of the beach. One of those is sea rocket, a fleshy plant that can live on the upper beach. It's kind of neat. You can pick a leaf and nibble on it; it has a salty taste that's kind of nice and refreshing. Then there's dusty miller, which is not a native plant. It came from Asia and is now found along the whole east• ern seaboard. It also clings to the sand of the beach and creates miniature dunes from the windblown sand. A little higher up you'll find the seaside goldenrod, which blossoms late in Sep• tember; it can take the salt spray that kills most other plants. The beach is a hot and ever - moving place. Few plants can exist there. Those that can tolerate this harsh environment have evolved their own particular means of survival over time. It's a shame many of our beaches restrict passage because of the groins that have been put out to capture the ever - moving sand. There should be a requirement that every groin put out along our beaches should have a stair- way over it. Remember, all beaches below high water belong to the public and movement along the beaches should not be imvaired.