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Why is clearwater sand so soft?

In fact, the soft, white sands of Clearwater Beach came from the Appalachian Mountains. Clearwater Beach sands are made of quarts rather than sea shells. This light colored rock is responsible for the brilliant color of Gulf Coast sands.



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For millions of years in the Gulf of Mexico and along the coast the constant grinding and pulverizing motion of the waves have broken down the sand. That creates a situation where the sand becomes so fine it doesn't take more than a small breeze to displace it on the beach. This is called “saltating”.

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The smaller and rounder the grains become, the softer the sand feels. Different minerals in rock weather differently. Some don't hold up well. Others, such as quartz and feldspar, are much tougher.

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Clearwater, Florida, USA You see that while officially, Clearwater's trademark white sand is natural, many believe some or all of the sand has been imported from Mexico in recent years due to beach erosion, citing that they've seen barges carrying it in from the sea.

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Pristine White Sand Beaches The main draw of Clearwater Beach is its wide, white sand beaches that stretch over two miles. It's the perfect place to relax and unwind, whether visitors want to simply soak up some sun or get active with a variety of water sports.

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Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Island, Australia Whitehaven Beach is consistently ranked as the world's best beach, and with good reason: It's almost surreally beautiful. Besides its crystal clear waters, it's known for its white sand, consisting of 98% pure silica which gives it a bright white color.

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Olivine Sand Sand of almost exclusively olivine grains is very rare, and Papakolea is one of only four green sand beaches in the world.

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Literally translated Clear Water from the Native American Pocotopaug, the area was named for its abundant fresh springs along the shore. Settled by colonists in the mid-1830s, it was not until the 1890s that Clearwater gained a reputation as a resort community.

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Yes, you can swim at our beaches, year 'round!

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