Presentation and Analysis of Data

Stop1: Folly Ruin

The wave cut platform observed at Folly Ruin was partially visible, however it
appeared as a dark-brown, rocky, linear structure and it was located offshore
from the headland. This caused incoming waves to break at this point,
causing a reduction in strength as it approached the shore. A wave cut
platform is formed by the process of wave erosion. When a wave breaks
against a cliff, it erodes the soft rock near the high tide line, causing a cavity
in the cliff. Over a period of time (usually hundreds of years) this cavity gets
deeper until the cliff cant support its own weight thus collapsing. After a
continual series of cavities in the collapsed cliff, the cliff line will gradually
retreats, in its place a gently sloping rocky platform called a wave cut
platform. This platform is usually smooth due to abrasion, which is when rock
fragments are picked up and hurled by the sea at a cliff. Eroding the cliff,
scraping it smoothly giving it a sand paper like effect.

Wave Cut
Platform

Plate 1 showing the Wave cut platform observed at Folly ruin

Figure 1 showing the Wave cut platform observed at Folly ruin

A wave cut notch which was observed at Wood Island it is an undercutting or

crevice which has been formed by erosion due to wave action, this action
occurred when waves break against a cliff. Waves erode the cliff near the
high tide line, forming a cavity in the cliff forming a feature called a wave-cut
notch. At this point, the greatest erosive power is concentrated. The notch at
Wood Island was medium sized but will most likely increase in size due to
continuous wave erosion.
A bay head beach was observed at Folly Ruin, this is as a result of is a beach
formed at the head of a bay between two headlands. The beach is an
accumulation of deposited materials due to constructive waves these are
waves that move gently towards a coast at a rate of 6-8 minutes. They have
a strong swash but a weak backwash this result in the sediments to be
moved up the slope of beaches depositing it helping to build up the beach.

The landscape was shown to be influenced by constructive waves since the

beach was sloped and also the presence of materials on the beach such as
pebble, sand, mud and shingle.

The bay observed at Folly Ruin was medium sized with a wide opening. A bay
is a wide and curved coastal inlet with head lands on either side. This feature
is formed by erosion of softer rock of a cliff face by destructive waves. These
waves are waves with a weak swash and a strong backwash it also moves
towards a coast with rapid succession at a rate of 10 15 per minute. When
these waves break on a beach it has a slight vertical plunge of water which
drags beach material seawards. The effect this has on the coastline is that
after it has been affected by destructive waves the amount of beach material
has a chance of being reduced.
Bay

Plate 2 showing the Bay at Folly Ruin

Types of Waves
When waves break, a range of different breaker types occur, at this site
spilling breakers were observed. The waves consisted of a low wave height
and a short wave length; they also showed a white foam substance as they
break and surge up the beach. This gives evidence of deposition this means
that constructive waves were influencing the nature of this site. But the
frequency at which the waves break were due to the effect of the gust of NE
winds. The average wave frequency was 11.4 waves per minute.
Time

Wave Frequency

Average

10

12

12

Average: 11.4

14

Table1 showing the wave frequency

Constructive waves occurred 9 times per every 4 minutes this would aid in
the depositing of sediments to help build up the beach. But destructive
waves occurred more often than constructive waves due to the geological
characteristics of the coast at Folly Point the coastline was once affected by
destructive waves only.

Features of the

Features made by

Features made

Beach

constructive waves

by destructive
waves

Tombolo

Beach

Bay

Stack

Bay head Beach

Stump

Stump

Stack

Wave cut

Wave cut

platform

platform

Bay

Wace cut

Bay head

notch

beach
Wave cut
Notch

Table2 showing the features of the beach and the type of waves that aids in
their creation

Constructive waves which are widely spaced have a strong swash and a
weak backwash and deposits sediments to form beaches. Destructive waves
are close together having a strong back wash and a weak swash and
materials (sediments) are swept seawards in the process. These waves also
move forward with a steep plunge on top of the beach. Sediments are pulled

away thus causing an erosive effect on soft rock creating features such as
Bay, Stump, Stack, Wave cut platform and wave cut notch.

Types of Beach Material

Particle

longest axis

size
Boulder

Over 200

Cobble

60-200

Pebble

5-59

Shingle

2-4

Sand

0.5- 1.9

Fine Sand

Less than 0.5

Table 3 showing the type of beach materials found

Pebble,
shingle

Sand

The beach material observed were smooth in texture due to being constant
wave action making them smooth. The materials observed at the first beach
were pebble, shingle and sand. The material of the second beach which was
located near the accumulation of deposited cobble was made up of fine
sand.

Stop 2: Wood Island

Wood Island which was located offshore away from Folly Ruin, it had
vegetation and the base was basically fully eroded due to hydraulic action
caused by destructive waves. There was a small slab of eroded rock near it
called a stump which is another feature of wave erosion. Wood Island was
formed by the process of wave erosion on a headland.
This then leads to an arch being formed then under further wave action
occur the arch collapses which then leaves the part of the headland isolated
in the sea and is termed as a stack. A stump is formed when a stack is
affected by further wave erosion leading to the stack becoming reduced
creating a stump.

Wood Island
Stum
p

Plate 3 showing Wood Island and the Stump

Wood Islands position had an influence on the wave direction it influenced
the waves to be refracted (abruptly change direction) from going into the bay
depositing sediments, the waves instead mirror the position of the stack
causing the waves to collide into each other causing sediments to deposit on
the sea floor creating an accumulation of cobble size material.
A tombolo is a bridge of sediments linking an island to a coastline. The
cobble sized material is deposited between the coastline and Wood Island,
this leads to a linear deposit of material creating a shallow stretch of water
between the coastline and Wood Island.

Waves converging
depositing cobble sized
materials
Cobble size
Deposit

Plate 4 showing the Cobble size Deposit

Stop 3: The Lighthouse

The rock type in the light house area was dominantly limestone. The cliff
observed was indeed limestone rocks. Honey comb weathering occurs
mostly at seaside since it occurs due to the deposition of salt on the surface
of the rock via salt water or by wind or sea breeze. The moisture allows the
salt to settle so that as the salt solution evaporates the salt begins to
crystallize within the pore spaces of the rock thus giving the rocks a pitted
appearance and a coarse texture.

Pitted
appearan
ce and
coarse
texture
due
honeyco
mb

Plate 5 and 6 showing Honey Comb Weathering

A cliff is formed by wave erosion acting on a steep rocky face. Eventually
creating a notch along the coast, the process of cavitation also occurs
eroding the soft rock. Cliffs were observed since they are a common feature
of the coastlines of Folly Point due to its geology and the exposure to
destructive waves initiated by the NE trade winds. Cliff retreat is subjectable
here since the base of the cliff is affected by hydraulic action and over time
will form notches and the will cliff retreat.

Figure 2 showing Cliff retreating

A blowhole was observed at the final stop. This feature was formed due to
destructive waves with a very tall wave height. This eroded the base of the
cliff, creating a narrow tunnel. Then hydraulic force of the water enters
through the tunnel which is then compressed with air until it expands at the
top of the cave, expelling it in the air.

Blowhol
e

Plate 7 showing the blowhole

Figure 3 showing a blowhole

Conclusion
Due to the results of the field exercise at Folly Ruin we founded that waves
had a profound effect on the make up and physical appearance of the area

and the creation of the features of observed such as Wood Island a stack in
the middle of the bay. This was created by wave action which eroded a
headland thus creating an arch and eventually the arch collapses leaving
part of the headland isolated in the sea. Over time the stack is affected by
further wave erosion creating a stump.
The bay is created similarly by destructive waves which erode a projection of
land into the sea giving it a round shape and due to sediments being
deposited in this bay creating a bay head beach which is a beach formed in a
bay between two headlands.
At Wood Island there was a cave which is also formed by wave erosion
caused by waves which act upon a wave cut notch creating an opening
which will get wider due to constant wave erosion.
Another factor was the type of waves present in the bay constructive waves
which ended up crashing into each other due to the presence of wood island
which changed some of the waves direction into going around it crashing
into other waves causing sediments to deposit on to the seafloor eventually
leading to an accumulation of sediments linking wood island to Folly Ruin.
The rocks present around the area were pitted and porous this was due to
the deposition of salt on the surface of the rock via salt water breaking onto
rocks close to the coast or by sea breeze which brings the salt in contact with
the rocks leaving it with enough moisture to settle on the rock creating a

solution to evaporate leaving the salt to crystallize within the pores spaces of
the rocks.

Bibliography
Books:
Guinness, P., James, K., Nagle, G., Oliphant, K., Rae, A., Rocke, J., Rutter, J.,
Ross, S. and Wyllie, A. Geography for CSEC Nelson Thornes Ltd. United
Kingdom, 2008.
Rahil, V, AM. New Caribbean Geography with map reading Eniaths Printing
Company .Trinidad, 2002
London ,N.A., Senior,M. Principles of Geography for CXC Carlong Publishers
Ltd. Kingston, Jamaica, 1983.
Maps:
Port Antonio, Jamaica, 1:50,000, Exam Extract NO 806/ JAM 14, 1998
Atlas:
Caribbean Junior Atlas, Malaysia, Macmillan Publishers Ltd, 2002