The Hopewell Rocks Earthcache EarthCache
The Hopewell Rocks Earthcache
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The coordinates will bring you to a viewing area in which you can see the Flowerpot Rocks.
The Rocks are uniquely shaped reddish cliffs of conglomerate interspersed with sandstone. This conglomerate was formed as rocks and pebbles, washed down from the Caledonia Mountain range (over 600 million years old) into the level ground of the valley, were compressed and cemented together over millions of years. During a period of tectonic activity, these layers of conglomerate, sandstone and shale were uplifted and tilted to a 30-45º angle. Vertical cracks or fissures divided the rock into large blocks.
As the Ice Age ended the Bay of Fundy was filled with the glacial meltwater and the sea level rose. Tides became stronger and began to erode the soft sandstone along the shoreline. The surface water, filtering down through the vertical cracks in the cliffs, eroded from the top, gradually separating these large blocks of rock from the adjoining cliffs.
Meanwhile, the powerful tidal action, twice daily, began to carve away the bases, leading to the creation of numerous sea caves and the world famous Flowerpot Rocks.
Today, while walking along the ocean's floor at low tide, visitors can see the evidence of this tilting in the layers of rock in the rock face, the vertical cracks which are the genesis of new formations, and the telltale high tide marks along the cliffs.
To claim this Earthcache
1) Take a picture of you and your GPSr overlooking a Flowerpot.
Email me the answers to the following:
2) The Mi'kmaq, the native peoples in this area, had a legend how the Flowerpot Rocks were created. What were they made of?
3) Shorebirds gather here every summer, approximately how many birds congregate here?
4) Go down to the beach and estimate the height of a flower pot, measure the circumference at its minimum and estimate the circumference at its widest. Observe what is along the cliffs at beach level. Do you see any difference in color or smoothness of the rock below and above high tide line.
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