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COASTAL FIELDTRIP OBSERVATIONS GUIDE
1. Are there any hazard warning posted?
2. Do you see evidence of pollution? Is the beach clean of garbage/trash? Are there trash cans present?
3. What kinds of “human activity” are most active on the beach.
4. Where are the surfers clustering? (Why?)
5. Are there man-made structures present to prevent coastal erosion?
6. Are they effective? Do you see evidence of failure?
7. Describe the weather, and the current forecast. What direction is the wind blowing locally? Wind speed?
8. What direction are the dominant waves arriving from?
9. How are the waves breaking? (Directly, or at an angle? Spilling, surging, etc.). How far from shore?
10. What is the average wave period? (Time 10 wave breaks, divide by 10 for the average wave period).
11. What are the wave heights?
12. Can you see evidence of longshore currents? How fast is it moving (average).
13. Do you see evidence of rip currents? Rip tides? Where are they located?
14. How does the mouth of a stream or lagoon connect with the beach?
15. What happens to the waves as they enter a stream or lagoon?
16 Is there active erosion or deposition along the channel margins?
17. When is high or low tide relative to the time you spent on the beach?
18. Do you see any “wracklines?” Where is the current wet/dry sand line?
19. Can you see ripple marks or patterns in the sand? (Size, kind, orientation)
20. Can you see “black” (magnetite) sand? Where is it most abundant?
21. Do you see any runnels or bars, swales, or berms? What is the slope of the beach?
22. Do you see gravel on the beach? Do you see where it is coming from? What does it consist of?
23. Does the gravel mostly contain metamorphic, igneous, or sedimentary rock clasts? Minerals?
24, Are there mountains visible in the distance. Can you name them?
25. Are there marine terraces visible? How many?
26. How high are the sea cliffs (if any)?
27 What kind of features do you see exposed in the sea cliffs?
28. Can you name the rock formations? How old are they?
29. Do you see evidence of unconformities?
30. What is the steepness of the slopes/cliffs of the different rock units?
31. Do you see any overhanging cliffs or sea caves? Faults? Slumps?
32. Do you see evidence of recent rock falls or cliff failures?
33. How far from the cliff wall does the fallen material extend?
34. Do you see any fossils in the rocks?
35. Do you see evidence of bioturbation or burrows? Describe them.
36. Are there “concretions” or other sedimentary structures in the rock?
37. Do the rock units display lamination or massive bedding, cross bedding, or any filled channels deposits?
38. Can you determine what kind of “environment” the sedimentary rocks represent? (i.e. beach, bay, dune)
39. Name all the birds and wildlife you observe during your visit. Describe ones you were unable to identify.
40. Can you see kelp beds from the beach? Where are kelp relative to where the waves are breaking?
41. Are there any kelp beds near the mouth of a stream or lagoon? What kind of seaweed is on the beach?
42. Are there any exposed rocks and tide pools? What animals and sea plants do you observe on or around them?
43. Can you identify shells on the beach? How are different from the lagoon side?
44. Any other observations worth noting?
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