Sand Overview
Wakimoto beach sand consists of light tan and white grains featuring predominantly marine fragments, including foraminifera species, and a small component of geological sand grains.
Thin sea urchin spine fragments are at the upper center and upper left of the lower magnification view. A small tan foram with visible segments is just above a round white foram in the center. At the lower center is a light tan coralline algae rod above and touching a round white foram with visible internal segments. A variety of other translucent and white marine sand grains, other forams and a dark red sand grains stand out in this lower magnification view. More detail of the sea urchin spines and the tan and white circular forams are easily seen in the higher magnification view.
Geographic Overview
Wakimoto Beach is a scenic 3-kilometer stretch of white sand and shallow, crystal clear waters known as a year-round top swimming and surfing spot and for spectacular East China Sea sunsets. The beach is also a sea turtle natural sanctuary. Its gently sloping shoreline and shallow nearshore waters create a calm, open setting characteristic of the area. The surrounding coastal environment supports a variety of marine and shoreline habitats.
Sand Location
See where this sand sample was collected on Google Maps.
Virtual Sand Tour
Explore an interactive map of Wakimoto Beach on Google Earth.
Sand Gallery
Large and small white, translucent, and clear marine fragments along with red and brown marine fragments provide a background for this sample. A light pink and gray rectangular mollusk fragment is present lower right of center and a large white ovular foram (possible a Spiroloculina sp.) stands out in the center of this image above a prominent mottled black, gray and tan geological sand grain.
This low magnification view includes relatively large and small predominately marine sand grains including clear, off-white, tan, and rod-shaped grains, some larger off white, tan, and brown likely mollusk fragments with angular contours, and many tiny clear, tan, and black grains too small to identify.
A circular white foram with visible internal chambers near the upper left edge and to the left of a tan and brown spiral mollusk shell stands out against a backdrop of clear, translucent, light yellowish tan, white, and black sand grains. A prominent linear sea urchin spine fragment is at the middle right edge above a clear sponge spicule. Most sand grains have moderately smooth edges as evidence of long exposure to wave action.
Several off-white round forams with distinct segments admixed with clear, white and translucent marine grains are present in this highly variable collection of sand grains. Some black grains, one larger one at the lower left and a nearby gray grain with black stippling, are likely geological grains. An oval tan and white grain (possible a Spiroloclulina sp.) is to the right of center next to a flat off white mollusk shell fragment and lying above an off white foram with visible compartments.
In this high magnification two round forams with visible internal segments, an elongated semitranslucent spiral snail shell, and a semitranslucent triangular mollusk fragment with parallel striations are present in the center below a dark brown and black sand grain.