Wellfleet Public Library

THE GEOLOGY OF BEACHCOMBING IN WELLFLEET WITH BOB STEWART

Have you ever wondered about that colorful (or drab) pebble underfoot during a walk along Wellfleet's beaches? What kind of rock is it_quartz, granite, basalt, sandstone, schist, or something else?How about the purple and black layers of sand above the high tide line near the beach cliff? What about the various layers of sand and clay in the beach cliffs? Not to mention the black, pale gray. yellow and brown layers that represent the modern soil buried by dune sand. Cape Cod is a result of glacial activity - erosion, transport and deposition of boulders, gravel, sand, silt and clay derived from bedrock to the north - the Boston area, Gulf of Maine, northern New England and perhaps Canada. Join Bob for a presentation that illustrates the geologic history of Cape Cod, and specifically Wellfleet. The presentation will include an exhibit of beach rocks, garnet-iron ore sand, and even a gold rocker sluice box. Bring your favorite beach pebble, and Bob will do his best to identify it.

Bob Stewart is a geologist and soil scientist whose career spans 40 years in academic research and teaching, mineral exploration, and the investigation and cleanup of hazardous waste sites. He presently works as a consultant to mining companies in northern Ontario, prospecting for copper, silver, and other metals, and bringing hazardous waste sites to closure in Connecticut.

Bob has been a Cape Cod beachcomber since childhood.