5 Islands Earthcache EarthCache
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The technical definition from the Nova Scotia DNR website is: "Five Islands are the eroded remnants of a basalt cuesta formed by synclinal folding of a basalt-capped sedimentary sequence." To put that in laymans terms, a cuesta is a ridge formed by gently tilting a layer of sedimentary rock. Cuestas have a steep slope where rock layers are exposed on their edges. (Wikipedia). The folding in this case is synclinal which means the layers formed a "U" shape. The sedimentary rock layers here were capped by a layer of basalt (volcanic rock). The high and powerful tides have eroded the cuesta to form the islands you see today.
The town of Five Islands rests on a flat plain, which was formerly a delta where powerful streams flowed into the ocean from a glacier situated in the hills behind the town. About 14,000 years ago the land was pushed down due to the great weight of glaciers, and sea level was ~15 m higher than the land. The ocean in contact with the glaciers at that time was called the DeGeer Sea. After retreat of the glaciers the land popped up rapidly, and today the delta surface (where sea-level once stood) is high and dry with many camper trailers on it.
Native Mi'kmaq legend has it that the Five Islands were created when their god Glooscap threw the mud, sticks and stones at the giant beaver who dammed his medicine garden in Advocate. The mud, sticks and stones that formed the islands are said to have trapped the beaver in one of the islands and turned it into gold.
To log this EarthCache, please email me with the answer to the following questions:
Q: From the lookout location, can you see different colors of rocks in the islands?
Q:Do the layers in all the islands tilt the same direction? Why or why not?
Also, please include a photo of yourself at the site if you wish.
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