Beach | Coast of the Month

Stamp-Sand Beach, Gay Michigan: A Harmful Mining Legacy – William J. Neal et al.
The book, Vanishing Sands, examined global beach losses due to direct mining of beaches and other sources of beach sand. However, natural beaches can be lost from having gained sediments as the result of mining operations. Such is the case of mining impacts in the form of stamp-sand beaches on Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula shores and shallows of Lake Superior…

Sand, Sea and as Much Serenity as You Could Ever Want – the New York Times
The bluffs, dunes and lagoons of the Magdalens, a colorful yet tranquil island chain north of Prince Edward Island, are far from everywhere. That’s the point…

10 Unique Beaches From Around the World – Atlas Obscura
An otherworldly landscape of twisted trees in Georgia. A marshland of bright red grass on China’s Red Beach. A Wisconsin beach so beautiful, that taking rocks from it is illegal. An island of pink shores and Komodo dragons in Indonesia. If you’re looking for a unique beach, these ten places each offer something unexpected…

Finding a Way Back to ‘Perfect Beach’ – the New York Times
On the northern coast of Puerto Rico — about an hour’s drive west of San Juan, off a wisp of a road threaded through dense green foliage — there exists a long, empty beach that has haunted my dreams for years. On Google Maps, it appears as Punta Caracoles Beach, but I have always thought of it as Perfect Beach…

The Not-So-Natural Beach – Ryan Anderson
Growing up, I always imagined the beach to be a natural place. I think it’s safe to say that this sentiment may be pretty common among many beachgoers. It’s easy to think of the beach as being somewhat “natural,” or at least close to that thing some people call “nature.” This is a short piece, so I won’t go down the what is nature!? rabbit hole for now. By natural I mean something along the lines of “not caused or created by human intervention.” So here’s the thing: many beaches are actually far less “natural” than many people assume or know…

“Dr. Beach” unveils his Top 10 Beaches in the US – CNN Travel
Florida’s St. George Island State Park earns the top slot. The barrier island park offers nine miles of pristine beaches along the Gulf Coast. With nature trails for biking and hiking, plus birding, fishing, boating and camping…excellent swimming and sunbathing. It’s also a prime spot for stargazing with limited light pollution and an observation platform for night sky exploration. The beach has “some of the whitest, finest sand in the world,” said (Stephen) Leatherman (aka Dr. Beach)…“The water is crystal clear and clean, far from any sources of pollution on this offshore barrier island…”

Two Beaches: Haukland and Uttakleiv Leknes, Lofoten, Norway
The Lofoten Islands make up an archipelago in the Norwegian Sea off the northwestern coast of Norway at a latitude of 68.1° N.

Beaver Island Michigan, 2016 – 2020: Beach Perspectives; By William J. Neal
Most readers probably have heard of Mackinac Island, either for its strategic place in early American history, or as today’s high-end resort. In contrast, lesser known Beaver Island has a more colorful history.

Koekohe Beach and the Moeraki Boulders, South Island, New Zealand; By Norma Longo & Wayne Ranney
Not far north of the city of Dunedin is Koekohe Beach, a long, sandy beach on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand, where a surprising and spectacular sight awaits. This beach is famous for its extraordinary boulders, the Moeraki Boulders.