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during
vacation/holiday season |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
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Beach
width at low tide |
<10
m
narrow |
10-30
m |
30-60
m |
60-100
m |
>100
m
wide |
| |
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Beach
material |
cobbles |
sand/cobbles |
coarse
sand |
----- |
fine
sand |
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Beach
condition or variation |
erosional |
----- |
stable |
----- |
depositional |
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Sand
softness |
hard |
----- |
----- |
----- |
soft |
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Water
temperature |
cold/hot |
----- |
----- |
----- |
warm
(70°-80° F) |
| |
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Air
temperature (midday) |
<
60° F
> 100° F |
----- |
----- |
----- |
80°-90°
F |
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Number of
sunny days |
few |
----- |
----- |
----- |
many |
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Amount of
rain |
large |
----- |
----- |
----- |
little |
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Wind
speeds |
high |
----- |
----- |
----- |
low |
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Size of
breaking waves |
high/dangerous |
----- |
----- |
----- |
low/safe |
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Number of
waves/width of breaker zone |
none |
1-2 |
3-4 |
5 |
6+ |
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Beach
slope (underwater) |
steeply
sloping bottom |
----- |
----- |
----- |
gently
sloping bottom |
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Longshore current |
strong |
----- |
----- |
----- |
weak |
| |
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Rip
currents |
often |
----- |
----- |
----- |
never |
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Color of
sand |
gray |
black |
brown |
light
tan |
white/pink |
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Tidal
range |
large
(>4 m) |
3-4
m |
2-3
m |
1-2
m |
small
(<1 m) |
| |
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Beach
shape |
straight |
----- |
----- |
----- |
pocket |
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Bathing
area bottom conditions |
rocky,
cobbles, mud |
----- |
----- |
----- |
fine
sand |
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Turbidity |
turbid |
----- |
----- |
----- |
clear |
| |
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Water
color |
gray |
----- |
----- |
----- |
aquablue |
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Floating/suspended human material (sewage, scum) |
plentiful |
----- |
----- |
----- |
none |
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Algae in
water amount |
infested |
----- |
----- |
----- |
absent |
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Red tide |
common |
----- |
----- |
----- |
none |
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Smell (eg, seaweed, rotting fish) |
bad
odors |
----- |
----- |
----- |
fresh
salty air |
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Wildlife (eg, shore birds) |
none |
----- |
----- |
----- |
plentiful |
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Pests
(biting flies, ticks, mosquitoes) |
common |
----- |
----- |
----- |
no
problem |
| |
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Presence
of sewarage/runoff outfall lines on/across the beach |
several |
----- |
----- |
----- |
none |
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Seaweed/jellyfish on the beach |
many |
----- |
----- |
----- |
none |
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Trash and litter (paper, plastics, nets, ropes, planks) |
common |
----- |
----- |
----- |
rare |
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Oil and
tar balls |
common |
----- |
----- |
----- |
none |
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Glass and
rubble |
common |
----- |
----- |
----- |
rare |
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Views and
vistas - Local scene |
obstructed |
----- |
----- |
----- |
unobstructed |
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Views and
vistas -
Far vista |
confined |
----- |
----- |
----- |
unconfined |
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Buildings/Urbanism |
overdeveloped |
----- |
----- |
----- |
pristine/wild |
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Access |
limited |
----- |
----- |
----- |
good |
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Misfits
(nuclear power station, offshore dumping) |
present |
----- |
----- |
----- |
none |
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Vegetation
(nearby). Trees, sand dunes |
none |
----- |
----- |
----- |
many |
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Well-kept
grounds/promenades or natural environment |
no |
----- |
----- |
----- |
yes |
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Amenities
(showers, chairs, bars, etc) |
none |
----- |
----- |
----- |
some |
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Lifeguards |
none |
----- |
----- |
----- |
present |
| |
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Safety
record (deaths) |
some |
----- |
----- |
----- |
none |
| |
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Domestic
animals (eg, dogs) |
many |
----- |
----- |
----- |
none |
| |
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Noise
(cars, nearby highways, trains) |
much |
----- |
----- |
----- |
little |
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Noise (eg, crowds, radios) |
much |
----- |
----- |
----- |
little |
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Presence
of seawalls, riprap, concrete/rubble |
large
amount |
----- |
----- |
----- |
none |
| |
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Intensity
of beach use |
overcrowded |
----- |
----- |
----- |
ample
open space |
| |
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Off-road
vehicles |
common |
----- |
----- |
----- |
none |
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Floatables in water (garbage, toilet paper) |
common |
----- |
----- |
----- |
none |
| |
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Public
safety (eg, pickpockets, crime) |
common |
----- |
----- |
----- |
rare |
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Competition for free use of beach (eg, fishermen, boaters, water-skiers) |
many |
----- |
----- |
----- |
few |
