Introduction:
Over time beaches change shape, they are not a static thing like rocks they ebb and flow, always transient and never certain. Many variables can affect the shape or 'profile' of a beach. One variable is the direction and strength of the wind because grains of sand are small and light enough to float away sort of like a dandelion puff. Another variable is the ocean, by that I mean the size and vigorousness of the waves, current directions in reference to the beach, and tides, tides play a big part in the shape of a beach because it changes how much of the beach there is above the water. There are countless variables but I will list just one more; storms, everyone who lives near a beach knows how it is almost like the sand retreats in to the ocean during a storm and then in the course of a couple months, depending on the severity of the storm, it slowly returns to the shore. Our specific site is currently recovering from a storm and also it is undergoing a conservation effort, the pacific whale foundation is in the process of restoring the dunes of the beach.
Over time beaches change shape, they are not a static thing like rocks they ebb and flow, always transient and never certain. Many variables can affect the shape or 'profile' of a beach. One variable is the direction and strength of the wind because grains of sand are small and light enough to float away sort of like a dandelion puff. Another variable is the ocean, by that I mean the size and vigorousness of the waves, current directions in reference to the beach, and tides, tides play a big part in the shape of a beach because it changes how much of the beach there is above the water. There are countless variables but I will list just one more; storms, everyone who lives near a beach knows how it is almost like the sand retreats in to the ocean during a storm and then in the course of a couple months, depending on the severity of the storm, it slowly returns to the shore. Our specific site is currently recovering from a storm and also it is undergoing a conservation effort, the pacific whale foundation is in the process of restoring the dunes of the beach.
Procedure:
1. Collect all of your materials.
2. Go to your beginning point.
3. Record the date and the names of your team members on to the data sheet.
4. Place the end of the transect tape on the anchor point and extend tape to the foot of the beach.
5. Turn on GPS device and record beginning point coordinates on data sheet.
6. Record the directional reading of the compass on to the data sheet.
7. Weather the beach is gaining vertical height or losing it over the next meter place the rise pole on the higher point and the run pole on the lower point.
8. Make sure both poles are level and a meter apart using the horizontal portion of the run pole. If for some reason, there is not enough room for the poles to be a meter apart then make them as far apart as appropriate and record distance change on data sheet.
9. Record intersect point on the rise pole on appropriate section of data sheet.
10. Repeat steps 6 through 8 moving one meter closer to the beach each time, do so until the foot of the beach.
11. un-hook transect tape from anchor point, turn the handle of the transect tape and retract it.
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