This Earthcache explores some of the features of tides, what can affect them and what evidence you can see here of life in a tidal area. To claim it, please answer the questions below and send them to me in an email via my profile. Some answers can be found by doing a little research on the internet (denoted 'R'), and some can be answered by observation at or around GZ (denoted 'O'). Some of the questions will also require you to draw a conclusion from what you see (denoted 'C').
The Causes of Tides
The apparent raising and lowering of sea water levels on an approximate twice-daily basis (known as tides) is primarily caused by the gravitational force of various celestial bodies acting on the water. These forces literally drag the water around making sea levels higher in some places at some times, and lower in others.
1. 'R' The relative positions of which THREE celestial bodies affect the height of a tide at any given time?
2. 'R' When these 3 bodies align, what is the special word for this alignment? (Hint: this is a 6-letter word beginning with 'S' and is not 'spring')
The shape of the coastline and the sea/ocean floor can also affect the height of a tide. The shallow slope of the mud flats here, can mean that a change in height of only a few feet can result in the water receding or encroaching by several hundred feet in distance. As a result, at low tide, the extensive mud flats make an ideal foraging ground for wading and shore birds, and are a little treasure trove for bait-diggers. In addition, the height of a tide can be affected by various weather conditions.
3. 'R' Consider any one particular weather condition you like, which you think may affect the height of a tide (either by making it higher or lower than it would otherwise be). Note this meteorological effect, and describe how it will affect the tide (i.e., will it result in a higher or lower tide?).
What You Can See Here
Walking to GZ from the car park, you will notice that it's possible to get to GZ via a public footpath which doesn't make you walk on the beach shingle at all. You start from the raised flagstone patio-type area and follow the track which is variously tarmac and concrete. The path twists, turns and undulates, but offers a very easy walk. If you visit at very high tide you'll notice a point where it can be blocked off by sea water. However, it is still possible for those without waterproof footwear to get to GZ by taking the long route via the main A3025 and Langstone High Street. In addition, cachers with disabilities may choose to park on the double yellow lines on Langstone High Street if they have a blue badge. As wading can thus be avoided, there is no "may require wading" attribute on this cache. Also, all answers can be reached by wheelchair from GZ itself. Except for the 5 steps from the patio-type area, this path is suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs. The next set of questions refer to what you can see here.
4. 'O' What measures have the residents of this general area (the Eastern end of Langstone High Street) taken to protect their properties (and their front doors) from the effects of an especially high tide?
5. 'O' & 'C' What natural evidence/clues can you see of how high recent previous tides may have been? Describe what you see and generally where it is, which tells you approximately where the highest point of a previous recent tide might have been. (Hint: I'm not asking you to find a plaque!)
Just over 300 feet away, in a North-Easterly direction and just beyond the pub, there is a particularly unusual tall building (a well-known local icon) which is now a private residence.
6. 'R' With what substance has the exterior of the building been coated to protect it from the ravages of the worst of the coastal weather? (Hint: it’s not paint!)
7. 'O' & 'C' Name one other unusual consideration that the residents of this unique building have to take in to account every day (particularly in respect of the tidal changes here).
*Change to Earthcache requirements as at October 2019. Following an Earthcache Guideline Update from Groundspeak in June 2019, it is a requirement for each user account logging this earthcache to add a unique photo, taken at GZ, to their log. 'Found it' logs posted which do not have an accompanying unique photo added to them within 7 days of the date of the log, will be deleted.
8. Please take a unique photo of either
- yourself or
- your GPSr or
- a sign with your username on it
and WITH the sea in the back ground of any one of the above choices, and tell us in your log if it was low tide, high tide or somewhere in between the two, when you visited. It will be interesting to compare all the various tide levels at the various visits. If you use a sign, please make sure your username is readable, so check your photo before leaving. For clarification, please do not photoshop your username on to an otherwise non-user-identifiable photo.
Earthcaches are all about learning Earth Science lessons. The questions on this cache page are not designed to catch you out, but to help you understand what you observe here and why the tides happen at all. If you are struggling to find any of the answers, please contact me after your visit and if I can establish that you have done some research and visited the location, I will do my best to help guide you to the correct answers.
When a group of cachers visit together, answers must be received from each person and a unique photo must be added to each log.
Please send your answers to me via the 'send e-mail' facility from my profile page. Messages sent in this way will receive priority and are likely to receive a timely responses as I can reply to these messages when I am away from home. Please don't use the 'envelope' link from this cache page to send a message via the geocaching system, unless you have absolutely no alternative. This system often fails to notify me that a message is awaiting my attention and I don't have a smartphone nor my own mobile data plan so I won't be able to respond to this sort of message (even if I know about it) when I am away from home.