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Wekick

Beach Comber
Jan 1, 2005
38
2
I love to cook on vacation and I look forward to it all year. It's so relaxing, nobody's in a rush to run out anywhere and I don't count calories :yikes:so I'll make things I would never make here at home. This year the kitchen in our rental was not not stocked well at all, no cooking utensils, really cheap-o pots and pans, no pitcher, one wine glass, no margarita glasses, etc.....and it was old and dirty in the cabinets, so it took the fun out of making meals.

I love to cook too and always bring my travel kitchen. a 6" victorinox knife in sheath, skillet,a few spices, pepper grinder, can opener, corkscrew, coffee grinder
 

florida girl

Beach Fanatic
Feb 3, 2006
1,453
67
Santa Rosa Beach
The black sand isn't naturally occurring all over the beach. It started when the clean up workers for BP drove their vehicles through the *** and tracked it all over, particularly from the waters edge to the access. It never was like that.
 

nodilberthere

Beach Fanatic
Aug 10, 2007
292
45
The black sand isn't naturally occurring all over the beach. It started when the clean up workers for BP drove their vehicles through the *** and tracked it all over, particularly from the waters edge to the access. It never was like that.

Well, this post was two years ago, pre-BP.......
 

tailwagger

Beach Fanatic
Dec 9, 2004
268
12
There's plenty of dark sand on the beach. Beachsio2 has explained it before. I knew the ill-informed would start claiming it was oil.
 

BeachSiO2

Beach Fanatic
Jun 16, 2006
3,294
737

buster

Beach Fanatic
Feb 19, 2006
285
47
SoWal
Not closet geologist, but close enough. I actually get paid. :D



Mica's are typically much softer and lighter, and are "sheet-like" so they don't survive the beach energy that well.

It's a mineral called ilmenite. The reason you see it in layers is because it is heavier then quartz and as hard. It makes up about 2-3% of the sand on the beach. So, when storms come in and "re-work" all the sand on the beach, the lighter sand is pulled offshore (quartz) and typically a thin layer or crust forms on top of the remaining sand. Then as the quartz makes its way back on shore, it covers up that crust forming the layers. You can actually get an idea of storm history and smaller erosional and accretional events based on those layers.

As for peat, it does underly our beaches and is also dark/black. The reason is just what was posted earlier, there use to be a marsh where our beaches are now. The difference is that the peat is oily to the touch and typically requires mineral spirits to remove. In many areas the peat is only a few feet (less than 3) under the white sandy beaches. So, if you are seeing it in layers and it feels like sand, it is likely ilmenite. If it is in clumps and is oily, it is likely peat.

If you want to see the peat, go look in the dunes in Seacrest in front of Tranquility by the Sea, or the beach in the Seacrest area after a hurricane or tropical storm.

Good stuff!
 

Jim Tucker

Beach Fanatic
Jul 12, 2005
1,189
497
How do the beaches in Grayton look now, are the Dunes still roped off?

The dunes are always off limits but if you mean the state park yes they have those roped off with bird nesting signs and those dunes are really getting high. They were flattened over there after storms.
 
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