On your journey to this cache you will cross several bridges,
through a variety of islands, to Key West. You will arrive at the
southernmost point of the lower 48 Continental United States. This
is the only way for visitors or residents of the islands to enter
or leave, other than by boat. Because the island is situated in
tidal waters, erosion is a major concern. On a tidal island, the
water from the tides will wear away the soil and move it into the
water. At this beautiful location you will see a prime example of
erosion control.
The word "tides" is a generic term used to define the
alternating rise and fall in sea level with respect to the land,
produced by the gravitational attraction of the moon and the sun.
To a much smaller extent, tides also occur in large lakes. The
atmosphere, and within the solid crust of the earth, acted upon by
these same gravitational forces of the moon and sun.
Erosion is when soil is detached and transported elsewhere. The
water from the tides will wear away the soil and move it into the
water. High and low tides which are caused by the moon will cause
erosion. This action in some places will cause a beach and in some
areas, cliffs to erode away. However, because most coastal
shorelines are so close to the level of the water, heavy rains and
storms, can cause flooding and erosion.
In order to preserve the land and homes different methods of
erosion control have been employed. Erosion control is methods used
to prevent or control erosion. Some methods on tidal waterways may
be planting of native plants in areas prone to erosion, making
water breaks and reefs to lesson the impact of the tides, seawalls
(man-made protection), bringing in of soil/sand, dunes or a
combination of several methods.
These islands are only a fraction of their original size from
when settlers first came. While the land mass has gotten smaller,
the population has grown. Many of the older buildings have been
destroyed over the years due to either weather or the need to build
newer more useable buildings. These newer buildings are built so
storm surges do not destroy the main living areas.
To log this Earth Cache email the answers to the following
questions:
1 What forms of erosion control are easily seen if any?
2. Do they seem to be working?
3. What causes tides?
4. At the time of your visit, is it a high tide or a low
tide?
5. Post of picture of you or your GPS at the posted coordinates.