The end of the summer in the Northern Hemisphere, officially September 22 or 23 this year, always means the same thing for the Lyon clan—gathering at Long Beach Island (LBI), New Jersey for a family vacation. LBI is known for its beautiful beaches, historic lighthouse, fishing, boating, and gorgeous sunsets. It’s also a great place to observe geological processes.
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Now, slip on your flip-flops and let’s head to the shore!
Barrier Islands and Sedimentology
The foreshore at LBI, as seen from the top of the dune.
LBI is a barrier island extending 18 miles in length—from Barnegat Light on the northern end to the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge on the southern end. It protects the coastline and mainland communities from storms.
The geology of LBI:
LBI is located on a passive margin, therefore sea level change has had a more significant control on sediment deposition and erosion than tectonic forces. The island is composed of tidal-delta and barrier overwash sands, overlain by modern beach and dune sands.
Ebb-tidal deltas located on the ocean side of inlets are reworked by longshore currents to form the beaches, ridges, and offshore shoals.
Along the lower shoreface, which is constantly affected by wave action, herringbone sedimentary structures form on the sand from the differing angles of waves.
Other geologically similar islands worldwide: The U.S. is home to roughly a quarter of all barrier islands globally, but many others exist off the coasts of Mexico, Russia, Australia, Brazil, and the Arctic (another roughly 25 percent are in these icy waters!)
A message from AAPG Women's Network
Did you watch the surfing in the Olympics this summer? Did you realize there is a strong link between geology and the conditions that make for 'good surf'?
Join this virtual event to learn about the interplay between geology and good surfing conditions at The Geology of Surfing: Rocking the Waves on 18 October 2024, 4 - 5:30 p.m. (CDT). We will discuss how the dynamic forces of the ocean and the wind are affected by geologic formations and coastal conditions.
Fishing and Visiting the Lighthouse in Barnegat Bay
Barnegat Bay at Sunset
Barnegat Bay, along the LBI’s western margin, separates the island from the mainland. The bay is a tidal lagoon with underlying sediment, characterized by salt-marsh peat and muddy-to-sandy bay deposits.
Enjoy recreational activities such as kayaking, waterskiing, jet skiing, and swimming at the bay.
The bay creates habitats for wildlife such as diamondback terrapins, blue-claw crabs, and clams. There’s nothing quite like catching crabs in the bay marshes, using a chicken neck on a string and a net. Bring bug spray for the greenhead horse flies.
On the hunt for flounder: Barnegat Inlet, connecting the bay with the Atlantic Ocean, is a favored spot to fish for flounder, bluefish, weakfish, and striped bass.
Shifting sediments and strong currents here create one of the most dangerous inlets on the east coast. If you are planning to fish, go with an experienced captain!
Strong tidal currents move sand in and out of the narrow inlet channel. The sand is deposited in flood-tidal deltas (bayside) and ebb-tidal deltas (oceanside).
Why it matters: Because of the long, man-made jetties, the ebb-tidal delta forms far offshore, producing a shoal that slows down the waves as they enter the shallow water. This shields the northernmost beaches from erosion but starves the beaches farther south of a sediment source.
Many thanks to hydrogeologist and my awesome husband, Bob Lyon, for explaining the dynamics of Barnegat Inlet to me. Now, I’ll worry every time he goes fishing...
If staying safely on shore is more your style, check out the Barnegat Lighthouse.
Originally lit in 1859, the historic Barnegat Lighthouse, is known as “Old Barney” and sits at the northern end of LBI.
Climb the 217 steps to the top catwalk for a spectacular panoramic view of LBI, Barnegat Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean.
Stroll the concrete Inlet Walkway to view the boats and birds along the jetty.
Visit the state park’s Interpretive Center to learn about the history of the lighthouse, its keepers, and the efforts to protect it.
And When You Get Hungry... Try Some Jersey Corn, Jersey Tomatoes, and Blue-Claw Crabs
Three essential foods for any LBI visit are Jersey corn and tomatoes and freshly caught crabs. In other parts of the country, crabs are boiled, but in Jersey, we steam them in a big streamer pot on a gas cooker in the yard.
Here’s a recipe if you’d like to try:
Fill the bottom of the pot with water and add one can of beer.
Place the steamer insert inside, put on the lid, and wait for the water to steam.
Using long-handled tongs (the crabs fight back!), add the live crabs to the pot. They must be alive! Throw any dead ones away or use them for bait in your crab trap.
After every few crabs are added, sprinkle them all with Old Bay Seasoning, repeating until the pot is full.
Replace the lid and steam until the shells are bright red, about 15 minutes.
Spread the crabs on newspaper, pick out the meat, and enjoy. Do you dunk the backfin in melted butter or vinegar? It’s butter for me!
Looking Ahead: Earth Science Week: Oct. 13–19
Even at the Jersey shore, Earth Science is Everywhere! That’s the theme for Earth Science Week, Oct. 13–19. Educators, students, and geoscience enthusiasts can order a free Earth Science Toolkit now from AGI. (You need to pay for postage).
I plan to dedicate a future edition of GeoLifestyle to Earth Science week. Let me know which topics you’d like to learn more about! Write me at editorial@aapg.org and don't forget to take our survey here.
Thanks for joining me for my end-of-summer trip to the shore. Now, it’s time to fall into fall. I can taste the pumpkin spice now. See you next week!
Sharon Lyon
Editor, GeoLifestyle
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