Title: An investigation of the erosion and depositional features along the Hectors River and Turtle Bay in

Portland, Jamaica.

Candidate Names: Registration Number

Moya Clarke (group leader) 1000221528

Dadriana Gibson 1000220517

Nicaeda Morant 1000220602

Center Name: Convent of Mercy Academy ‘Alpha’

Year of examination: 2023

Territory: Jamaica

CARIBBEAN SECONDARY EDUCATION CERTIFICATE®

 SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENT

GEOGRAPHY FIELD STUDY

STRATEGY SHEET

To be completed by March 15 of the year of the examination. Insert at cover of field study report. Make a
duplicate copy of this sheet. Your teacher will return a copy to you.

CANDIDATE’S NAME: REGISTRATION NUMBER:

GENERAL TOPIC OF INTEREST:

POSSIBLE QUESTION TO BE INVESTIGATED:

STRATEGY

(A) What is the purpose of your Study?

(B) How will you obtain data?

(C ) How do you intend to present the data and findings in your report?

LOCATION OF THE STUDY AREA:

EQUIPMENT/RESOURCES REQUIRED:

ANTICIPATED CHALLENGES:

NAME OF TEACHER: Marelena Palmer SIGNATURE OF TEACHER:

DATE:

Table of Contents
 ● Introduction

● ·Aim of field study

● ·Location of study area

● ·Methodology

● Presentation and Analysis and Discussion of data

● ·Conclusion

● ·Bibliography

● Appendix

Introduction
The area of investigation was carried out at these two locations in Portland, Jamaica, they are Hectors River and

Turtle Bay Beach. We visited these fields to identify the erosional (destruction) and depositional

(constructional) features along the beaches.

Aim:

What are the depositional features identified along the sections of Hectors River and Turtle Bay in Portland,

Jamaica? How are their appearances and formations influenced by relief and wave action?

LOCATION OF STUDY AREA

MET
HODOLOGY

On May 27, 2022 Geography students of Alpha Academy conducted field studies along sections of Hectors
River and Turtle Bay in Portland, Jamaica.

Primary Data was collected using the following methodologies:

The width and length of the beaches were measured using a tape measure which was extended from one end of
the beach to the other.

The wave frequency was taken by counting the number of waves broken on the beach per minute. A stop watch
was used to check the time. This method was repeated 5 times and the average was calculated. This method was
done at both locations at all sites.

The height of the cliff was measured using a tape measure by tying a stone at the end of the tape measure. It
was dropped over the edge of the cliff and the height was read from the top of the tape measure.

Rock samples were taken from different sections of the beach and measured with a centimeter rule at its vertical
and horizontal axis.

The gradient was calculated with a clinometer. One measuring pole was placed at the foot of a slope and the
second pole was placed up the beach where the slope changed. Both were aligned and read in degrees.

Wave run up was taken using a tape measure which was extended to where the wave broke to how far up the
beach it extended.

Secondary Data

Additional data was taken from an atlas and topographical maps to show location and relief of the areas
studied.

Internet sources, journals, articles and textbooks provided supporting data.

photographs of features identified were taken with a camera and Observations of the study area and
features provided much information
Presentation, Analysis, and Discussion of Data

Hector’s River and Turtle Bay lies along the coast of Portland Jamaica and most of the area is composed of

cliffs with few low-lying areas. As seen in figure 3, the coastline was discordant, and this is because the rock

types in this area offered different resistances to erosion hence differential erosion produced such coastline

marked by numerous headlands and bays.

Figure 3: Coastline of study area.

Figure 4 shows that eastern Portland is made up of mainly white and coral limestone. Physically limestone can

be strong, but the presence of calcium carbonate makes the rock susceptible to chemical weathering and marine

erosion. The coral limestone offered greater resistance eroding at a slower rate and stood out as headlands and

cliffs while the white limestone eroded faster and produced the bays.

Figure 4. Geology of eastern Portland

The map shows that the area of study has a high amount of limestone within the area. The chemical and

physical structure of limestone can be altered by weathering and marine processes. Chemical weathering

changes the chemical structure of limestone causing it to be easily eroded. Carbonic acid can change the

carbonate in limestone to bicarbonate making it soluble in water. Due to the fact that where the limestone was

exposed at the coastline bays were carved out and beaches developed in some.
Depositional Features

According to ……………a beach is an area of loose, deposited material along the coast,

between high and low tide. The beaches studied at locations 1 and 2 had formed where bays were

enclosed by headlands. Beaches are built by constructive waves, but at times destructive waves

are necessary to remove excessive material to create a gentle platform as typical of most beaches.

As mentioned before two beaches were studied the first being a sandy beach at site 1 and at

site 2, a shingle beach

Plate 2 shows the first of the two beaches which was at Hectors River, the length of which was 68.4 meters

and was narrow as its width was only 12.5 m . The width would have been influenced by the cliffs that were

situated there and made up of coral limestone .

Plate 2

The picture shows the beach to be a bay beach. Looking at the headlands it could be concluded that they were

once joined. The headlands are made of coral limestone which is a harder type of limestone while the cliff walls

are made of white limestone which are softer. Constant wave action would act upon the coastline, weakening it

and eventually exposing the white limestone behind it as seen in figure 4. Eventually the bay would have been

created and material laid down to form the beach. Bayhead beaches are formed when constructive waves

deposit sand and other materials between two headlands such as the one in plate 2. This material can range

from very fine sand to large pebbles and cobbles. This beach was made up of fine sand while the one at Turtle

Bay was mainly cobbles.

This beach was hidden away in the bay which was 37.8m in length and 59.3m wide. This was a more

developed beach with a sand majority. The wave frequency in the bay is constructive as they were breaking at

10 waves per minute, but the frequency was around 9 waves per minute at the headlands. Wave refraction

occurring on the headlands would have caused the frequency difference. According to Mark Wilson “Wave

refraction involves waves breaking onto an irregularly shaped coastline such as the area in study”. Strong waves

would crash against the cliffs and headlands , altering their speed and direction, slowing them to become

constructive as they approached the bay. Materials deposited on the beach varied and this can be seen in plate 3

where different materials of size and texture were found at distinct areas of the beach.
Most of the material appeared to be coral sand identified by color and texture and Figure 5 illustrates this. From

the rock samples collected the dominant limestone type found in the area is that of coral limestone with some

white limestones.

Figure 5: Type of rocks identified at site 2

These materials came from all over the bay, including the cliffs, reefs, and longshore drift. The sand was

planted in a layered pattern, with coarse grains near the water's edge and finer grains near the foreshore. Other

material layering had been observed, and as shown in table 1, the largest and coarsest material had been found

on the right side of the shore. This is because the cliff is near the water's edge, and a rockslide occurs here.
Given the direction of the wave movement, the left and center beaches had small particles. The materials can

roll back and forth, enabling attrition to destroy them and smooth them out.

Size of Right Left Side Beach Middle of Backshore Texture of

Particles side of of beach Front beach particles
beach

20 cm or present not not not not present rough and

more present present present angular

10-20 cm present not not not not present rough

present present present

5-10 cm present not not not present rough

present present present

1-5 cm present not not not present smooth and

present present present rounded

1-5 mm present present present present present smooth and

rounded

< 1 mm present present present present present fine and

smooth

Table 1: Shows the types of rock particles found on different sections of the bay head beach

The table shown above shows rock particles found at various sections of the bay head beach. Sizes of particles

were as small as less than 1mm and as big as more than 20 cm. The particle that was size <1mm was present at

the right, left, front, middle and backshore of the beach. The texture of these rocks were fine and smooth. Rocks
that were sizes 1-5 mm were also present at the right, left, front, middle and backshore of the beach. These

rocks were smooth and rounded. The rock size 1-5 cm was present at the right and backshore only of the beach.

None was found at the left, front or middle of the beach. These rocks were smooth and rounded in texture. Rock

size ranging from 5-10 cm was present at the front and backshore of the beach. These rocks had a rough texture.

Rocks ranging from >10 cm were found only at the right side of the beach. These rocks were also rough in

texture.
At this site and as shown in Plate 4, this is a shingle beach, which means as shown it is made up of mainly

cobblestones and pebbles with a small area to the left consisting of sand.

Plate 3

The size of the material ranged from 1mm to 20 cm and appears to have come from the erosion of the

surrounding headlands and cliffs. Along the coastline of Hector’s River, the combination of destructive and

constructive waves worked together to create the beach. The material that fell from the headlands would have

been deposited in the bay by a strong swash of constructive waves. This along with material that fell directly

from the cliffs would cause piling due to the narrowness of the beach. The closest cliff had an approximate

height of 4.6m and was not very high so that when storm waves came in it was easily eroded especially because

they were made of a less resistant white limestone. The rocks were mainly white limestone which came from

the cliffs with coral limestone that came from the headlands. Pebbles and cobbles affect percolation rates as it

allows for fast infiltration as the waves flowed easily through the porous material, decreasing the effect of wave

backwash, and increasing the deposition of sediments to create a steep sloping surface. This created the steep
beach profile seen with gradients of 10.2 and 20.4 degrees. Strong backwash of the destructive waves overtime

helps to grade the area but on the day of the study, the frequency was 7 waves per minute.
Conclusion
In summary, the research was very fruitful and instructive. To identify the depositional characteristics along the

Hectors River and Turtle Bay in Portland, Jamaica, and how their appearances and forms were influenced by

relief and wave action, we have compiled graphical presentations such as graphs and maps. When the water

loses energy, it releases the sand, rock fragments, and pebbles it has been carrying, which is known as coastal

deposition. The type of rocks, the fetch of the waves, the force of the wind, and the angle of slope are only a

few of the variables that affect how depositional features on the shore seem. Sand and sediment buildup

continuously modifies beaches and alters the coastal landscape by bringing new shoreline features into

existence. This may lead to the distinctive formation.The coastline would gradually deteriorate due to

continuous wave action.The bay would eventually have been formed and the beach's building blocks would

have been placed. Sand and other materials are dumped between two headlands, like the one in plate 2, to create

bayhead beaches. Barrier islands frequently arise in regions where coastal sediments are plentiful and coastal

relief is low due to little or no recent coastal uplift.

Bibliography
Books

Bleasdell S. et al,: CSEC New Integrated Geography. Caribbean educational, published, 2008 Guinness, P .et

al.: Geography for CSEC Nelson Thornes Ltd, 2008.

Thornes, Nelson (2008) - Geography for CSEC

Wilson, Mark (2016)- The Caribbean Environment for CSEC Geography