Post by 150FromFundy on May 10, 2009 15:32:29 GMT -5
On a recent post, I received a lot of positive feedback for adding a little geological interpretation to the usual photos. I’ll take this approach once again, and narrate this post as if we were walking the beach together. An no, I’m not a geologist. I’m simply an obsessed rockhound with a devout love of nature, and all it has to offer. The science contained within this post is the work of dedicated others. I have simply translated their words into plainer English so it will hopefully capture the interest of a broader audience.
So grab your boots and your bucket! We’re going to catch the 7:00 AM low tide at Spicer Cove, and walk about a mile towards Squally Point. This is a beautiful region on the northern boundary of Cape Chignecto Provincial Park. We will see three distinct bedrock formations and a number of other geological formations, some of which you may not even believe.
Photo 1 – Spicer Cove and Squally Point
We’ll access the beach where Cove Brook flows into Spicer Cove. You can see the headlands (Squally Point) a little over a mile off in the distance. Unfortunately, it looks like you’re going to get you feet wet crossing Cove Brook. You can take a run at it and jump, but I’ve got the wheelbarrow.
![](http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu300/150fromfundy/Spicer%20Cove%20-%20Squally%20Piont/SpicrCove1.jpg)
Photo 2 – Ragged Reef Formation
We’ve only walked about 100 yards, and already we have come across the Ragged Reef Formation (Late Carboniferous, 300 million years old). We’re looking at blue/grey sandstone and siltstone with some coal layers. If you want to spend some time here, you can find plant fossils.
![](http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu300/150fromfundy/Spicer%20Cove%20-%20Squally%20Piont/RaggedReefFormation2.jpg)
Photo 3 – Contact Zone
Now that we’ve walked 200 yards down the beach, you can see the first contact between the Ragged Reef Formation and the Falls Formation. The fault is running at about 30 degrees from the horizontal where blue/grey sandstone and siltstone (Ragged Reef) has been overlain by red conglomerate (Falls).
![](http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu300/150fromfundy/Spicer%20Cove%20-%20Squally%20Piont/Contact1.jpg)
Photo 4 - Falls Formation
Having walked about 500 yards down the beach, some uplifting is now becoming evident. The once horizontal layers of sandstone and conglomerate layers of the Falls Formation are running at about 30 degree from the horizontal.
![](http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu300/150fromfundy/Spicer%20Cove%20-%20Squally%20Piont/FallsFormation1.jpg)
Photo 5 – Conglomerate
This is an interesting photo in that most of you are probably guessing that we’re looking down at the beach gravel beneath our feet. Wrong! It’s a good thing that you’re here with me, or you would probably not believe that we are looking at a vertical cliff face of the Falls Formation conglomerate. If you’re getting tired of bending and picking up your samples, you can always just stand here and chisel out the low hanging fruit. See any you like?
![](http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu300/150fromfundy/Spicer%20Cove%20-%20Squally%20Piont/Conglomerate1.jpg)
Photo 6 – Contact Zone
Now that we’ve walked 800 yards down the beach, the bedrock once again changes, but it is a little harder to see here. The bottom left of the cliff face is dark red conglomerate of the Falls Formation. The top right of the cliff face is yellow red rhyolite of the Fountain Lake Formation. The contact is running at about 30 degrees from the horizontal through the cliff face.
![](http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu300/150fromfundy/Spicer%20Cove%20-%20Squally%20Piont/Contact2.jpg)
Photo 7 – Sea Caves
At high tide, the beach we are standing on will be under water and the Bay of Fundy touch the cliff face. Less resilient areas of rock will scour out forming sea caves which are a kayakers dream at high tide.
![](http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu300/150fromfundy/Spicer%20Cove%20-%20Squally%20Piont/SeaCaves1.jpg)
Photo 8 – Wrench Fault
Here’s another interesting formation at 1,100 yards down the beach. The wedge shaped section of rock in the middle is a diabase dike that has intruded along the wrench fault. The rock on the left is porphyritic rhyolite. The rock on the right is flow banded rhyolite.
![](http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu300/150fromfundy/Spicer%20Cove%20-%20Squally%20Piont/WrenchFault2.jpg)
Photo 9 – Wrench Fault – Contact Close-up Left
The rock on the left is the porphyritic rhyolite. The rock on the right is the diabase dike. The diabase dike has a “chilled margin” (silver-white stripe at 30 degrees) where the lave chilled suddenly as it flowed over the porphyritic rhyolite.
![](http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu300/150fromfundy/Spicer%20Cove%20-%20Squally%20Piont/WrenchFault3.jpg)
Photo 10 – Wrench fault – Contact Close-up Right
The rock on the left is the diabase dike. The rock on the right is the flow banded rhyolite. Contact zones almost always provide interesting collecting because the heat of the lava flow (diabase dike) produces some metamorphism of the original material (rhyolite) along the “chilled margin”.
![](http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu300/150fromfundy/Spicer%20Cove%20-%20Squally%20Piont/WrenchFault4.jpg)
Photo 11 – Keyhole Arch
Now that we’ve covered 1,500 yards, we’re finally nearing that keyhole arch off in the distance. The rock here is fragmented lithic tuff, another volcanic rock.
![](http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu300/150fromfundy/Spicer%20Cove%20-%20Squally%20Piont/KeyholeArch1.jpg)
Photo 12 – Gateway to Another World
Go on through … there’s a whole other world of discovery waiting on the other side.
![](http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu300/150fromfundy/Spicer%20Cove%20-%20Squally%20Piont/KeyholeArch2.jpg)
Photo 13 – Raised Beach
Now that we’ve walked 1,900 yards, take a careful look at the top 10 foot thick layer of sand and gravel. It was once a beach! When the glaciers were melting about 10,000 years ago, the weight of the ice sheets held this bedrock down at sea level where the beach was formed. As the weight of the ice was released, the land rose up (glaciostatic rebound) to an elevation of about 50 feet above the current sea level beach. There is evidence of raised beaches at other locations, but this is probably the most pronounced uplift, providing testament to the forces of nature.
![](http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu300/150fromfundy/Spicer%20Cove%20-%20Squally%20Piont/RaisedBeach3.jpg)
Photo 14 – Squally Point
Having walked 2,000 yards, we have reached the headlands that form Squally Point. The headlands are made of diabase, which is more resilient to erosion than the rhyolite cliffs that have been cut away from behind them. If you look closely, you will see two dark grey/black vertical bands on either side red rhyolite cliff face. These are two more diabase dikes that will likely form pinnacles (like the one in the foreground) when the rhyolite erodes from around them.
![](http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu300/150fromfundy/Spicer%20Cove%20-%20Squally%20Piont/SquallyPoint1.jpg)
Photo 15 – The Three Sisters
About another mile off in the distance you can see the next headland known as The Three Sisters. Given that the tide has been rising for the last two hours, and the fact that we are standing on the ocean floor, this location will have to wait for another time. Now that we’re on the return journey back, it’s time to gather samples along the way.
![](http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu300/150fromfundy/Spicer%20Cove%20-%20Squally%20Piont/TheThreeSisters2.jpg)
Photo 16 – Diabase Boulders
Now that we are back and safely within sight of our starting point, you can do a little more gathering amongst the diabase boulders. But remember, even this safe area will soon be covered by the incoming tide. That’s rock weed, not moss hanging off those boulders.
![](http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu300/150fromfundy/Spicer%20Cove%20-%20Squally%20Piont/AndesiteBoulders1.jpg)
Photo 17 – Assorted Rhyolite
Back home in time for a late lunch, even with a 90 mile drive to, and from the beach, but I forgot to tell you we had to hit the highway at 4:30 AM to catch the morning tide. Here’s what I found. How did you do?
![](http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu300/150fromfundy/Spicer%20Cove%20-%20Squally%20Piont/AssortedRhyolites1.jpg)
Photo 18 – Assorted Rhyolite
A collection of porphyritic and flow banded rhyolite with some metamorphic rock collected along the contact zones.
![](http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu300/150fromfundy/Spicer%20Cove%20-%20Squally%20Piont/AssortedRhyolites2.jpg)
Photo 19 – Assorted Rhyolite
A collection of porphyritic and flow banded rhyolite with some metamorphic rock collected along the contact zones.
![](http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu300/150fromfundy/Spicer%20Cove%20-%20Squally%20Piont/AssortedRhyolites3.jpg)
Well it’s been a blast. I can think of no better way to spend a Saturday morning together. Let me know if you enjoyed our geologic journey. I can always pack an extra sandwich and bring you along with me next week if you’re interested.
150FromFundy
So grab your boots and your bucket! We’re going to catch the 7:00 AM low tide at Spicer Cove, and walk about a mile towards Squally Point. This is a beautiful region on the northern boundary of Cape Chignecto Provincial Park. We will see three distinct bedrock formations and a number of other geological formations, some of which you may not even believe.
Photo 1 – Spicer Cove and Squally Point
We’ll access the beach where Cove Brook flows into Spicer Cove. You can see the headlands (Squally Point) a little over a mile off in the distance. Unfortunately, it looks like you’re going to get you feet wet crossing Cove Brook. You can take a run at it and jump, but I’ve got the wheelbarrow.
![](http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu300/150fromfundy/Spicer%20Cove%20-%20Squally%20Piont/SpicrCove1.jpg)
Photo 2 – Ragged Reef Formation
We’ve only walked about 100 yards, and already we have come across the Ragged Reef Formation (Late Carboniferous, 300 million years old). We’re looking at blue/grey sandstone and siltstone with some coal layers. If you want to spend some time here, you can find plant fossils.
![](http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu300/150fromfundy/Spicer%20Cove%20-%20Squally%20Piont/RaggedReefFormation2.jpg)
Photo 3 – Contact Zone
Now that we’ve walked 200 yards down the beach, you can see the first contact between the Ragged Reef Formation and the Falls Formation. The fault is running at about 30 degrees from the horizontal where blue/grey sandstone and siltstone (Ragged Reef) has been overlain by red conglomerate (Falls).
![](http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu300/150fromfundy/Spicer%20Cove%20-%20Squally%20Piont/Contact1.jpg)
Photo 4 - Falls Formation
Having walked about 500 yards down the beach, some uplifting is now becoming evident. The once horizontal layers of sandstone and conglomerate layers of the Falls Formation are running at about 30 degree from the horizontal.
![](http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu300/150fromfundy/Spicer%20Cove%20-%20Squally%20Piont/FallsFormation1.jpg)
Photo 5 – Conglomerate
This is an interesting photo in that most of you are probably guessing that we’re looking down at the beach gravel beneath our feet. Wrong! It’s a good thing that you’re here with me, or you would probably not believe that we are looking at a vertical cliff face of the Falls Formation conglomerate. If you’re getting tired of bending and picking up your samples, you can always just stand here and chisel out the low hanging fruit. See any you like?
![](http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu300/150fromfundy/Spicer%20Cove%20-%20Squally%20Piont/Conglomerate1.jpg)
Photo 6 – Contact Zone
Now that we’ve walked 800 yards down the beach, the bedrock once again changes, but it is a little harder to see here. The bottom left of the cliff face is dark red conglomerate of the Falls Formation. The top right of the cliff face is yellow red rhyolite of the Fountain Lake Formation. The contact is running at about 30 degrees from the horizontal through the cliff face.
![](http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu300/150fromfundy/Spicer%20Cove%20-%20Squally%20Piont/Contact2.jpg)
Photo 7 – Sea Caves
At high tide, the beach we are standing on will be under water and the Bay of Fundy touch the cliff face. Less resilient areas of rock will scour out forming sea caves which are a kayakers dream at high tide.
![](http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu300/150fromfundy/Spicer%20Cove%20-%20Squally%20Piont/SeaCaves1.jpg)
Photo 8 – Wrench Fault
Here’s another interesting formation at 1,100 yards down the beach. The wedge shaped section of rock in the middle is a diabase dike that has intruded along the wrench fault. The rock on the left is porphyritic rhyolite. The rock on the right is flow banded rhyolite.
![](http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu300/150fromfundy/Spicer%20Cove%20-%20Squally%20Piont/WrenchFault2.jpg)
Photo 9 – Wrench Fault – Contact Close-up Left
The rock on the left is the porphyritic rhyolite. The rock on the right is the diabase dike. The diabase dike has a “chilled margin” (silver-white stripe at 30 degrees) where the lave chilled suddenly as it flowed over the porphyritic rhyolite.
![](http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu300/150fromfundy/Spicer%20Cove%20-%20Squally%20Piont/WrenchFault3.jpg)
Photo 10 – Wrench fault – Contact Close-up Right
The rock on the left is the diabase dike. The rock on the right is the flow banded rhyolite. Contact zones almost always provide interesting collecting because the heat of the lava flow (diabase dike) produces some metamorphism of the original material (rhyolite) along the “chilled margin”.
![](http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu300/150fromfundy/Spicer%20Cove%20-%20Squally%20Piont/WrenchFault4.jpg)
Photo 11 – Keyhole Arch
Now that we’ve covered 1,500 yards, we’re finally nearing that keyhole arch off in the distance. The rock here is fragmented lithic tuff, another volcanic rock.
![](http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu300/150fromfundy/Spicer%20Cove%20-%20Squally%20Piont/KeyholeArch1.jpg)
Photo 12 – Gateway to Another World
Go on through … there’s a whole other world of discovery waiting on the other side.
![](http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu300/150fromfundy/Spicer%20Cove%20-%20Squally%20Piont/KeyholeArch2.jpg)
Photo 13 – Raised Beach
Now that we’ve walked 1,900 yards, take a careful look at the top 10 foot thick layer of sand and gravel. It was once a beach! When the glaciers were melting about 10,000 years ago, the weight of the ice sheets held this bedrock down at sea level where the beach was formed. As the weight of the ice was released, the land rose up (glaciostatic rebound) to an elevation of about 50 feet above the current sea level beach. There is evidence of raised beaches at other locations, but this is probably the most pronounced uplift, providing testament to the forces of nature.
![](http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu300/150fromfundy/Spicer%20Cove%20-%20Squally%20Piont/RaisedBeach3.jpg)
Photo 14 – Squally Point
Having walked 2,000 yards, we have reached the headlands that form Squally Point. The headlands are made of diabase, which is more resilient to erosion than the rhyolite cliffs that have been cut away from behind them. If you look closely, you will see two dark grey/black vertical bands on either side red rhyolite cliff face. These are two more diabase dikes that will likely form pinnacles (like the one in the foreground) when the rhyolite erodes from around them.
![](http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu300/150fromfundy/Spicer%20Cove%20-%20Squally%20Piont/SquallyPoint1.jpg)
Photo 15 – The Three Sisters
About another mile off in the distance you can see the next headland known as The Three Sisters. Given that the tide has been rising for the last two hours, and the fact that we are standing on the ocean floor, this location will have to wait for another time. Now that we’re on the return journey back, it’s time to gather samples along the way.
![](http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu300/150fromfundy/Spicer%20Cove%20-%20Squally%20Piont/TheThreeSisters2.jpg)
Photo 16 – Diabase Boulders
Now that we are back and safely within sight of our starting point, you can do a little more gathering amongst the diabase boulders. But remember, even this safe area will soon be covered by the incoming tide. That’s rock weed, not moss hanging off those boulders.
![](http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu300/150fromfundy/Spicer%20Cove%20-%20Squally%20Piont/AndesiteBoulders1.jpg)
Photo 17 – Assorted Rhyolite
Back home in time for a late lunch, even with a 90 mile drive to, and from the beach, but I forgot to tell you we had to hit the highway at 4:30 AM to catch the morning tide. Here’s what I found. How did you do?
![](http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu300/150fromfundy/Spicer%20Cove%20-%20Squally%20Piont/AssortedRhyolites1.jpg)
Photo 18 – Assorted Rhyolite
A collection of porphyritic and flow banded rhyolite with some metamorphic rock collected along the contact zones.
![](http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu300/150fromfundy/Spicer%20Cove%20-%20Squally%20Piont/AssortedRhyolites2.jpg)
Photo 19 – Assorted Rhyolite
A collection of porphyritic and flow banded rhyolite with some metamorphic rock collected along the contact zones.
![](http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu300/150fromfundy/Spicer%20Cove%20-%20Squally%20Piont/AssortedRhyolites3.jpg)
Well it’s been a blast. I can think of no better way to spend a Saturday morning together. Let me know if you enjoyed our geologic journey. I can always pack an extra sandwich and bring you along with me next week if you’re interested.
150FromFundy