Author: Donna Ardizzoni

Ardizzoni Photography, Business Manager, Grandmother, love living in Gloucester, love to swim, kayak, walk and of course take pictures. Our company does computer networking, Office Management, Medical Billing, transcription, networking software updates and virus protection

What are Sand Dollars?

Posted on by Donna Ardizzoni

February 7, 2016 Sand Dollars at Wingaersheek Beach
What is a Sand Dollar?

A sand dollar shell looks sort of like a round white coin, which is where it gets its name. When you see a sand dollar that’s washed up on the beach, it usually appears to be a round, white circular disk, typically one inch to four inches in diameter. When they’re alive they’re actually a dark color, covered with short dark spines that look almost like fur. These spines are moveable, and the sand dollar uses them both to move around on sea bottom and to push small pieces of food to its mouth. Just as the common sea star or starfish has five arms, most sand dollars have a pattern of five sets of pores on them. Those are used to move sea water into the sand dollar’s body, which is then pumped to where it’s needed to aid in movement or other internal functions. Sand dollars like smooth sandy or muddy ocean bottoms. They mainly live in shallow water, near land.  Sand dollars reproduce by releasing eggs and sperm into the water, where they join and develop into free-swimming larvae. These develop through several steps until the hard skeleton starts to form. Then they drop to the bottom and live the rest of their lives there. If the water is fairly calm where they live they will often stand on edge, partly in the mud and partly exposed to the clear water. If they live in an area with strong currents, sand dollars can hold their position by burrowing into the soft bottom. They will also swallow sand grains to build up their weight so they don’t get washed away!  If you find a sand dollar skeleton on the beach (looking at low tide is best), and it’s white (so you know it’s not still alive), and the rules for that beach say it’s O.K. to take it, then you may.

Seashellsandsuch.com

 

 

 

Seashellsand such.com

Sea Foam

Posted on by Donna Ardizzoni

Yesterday around 5:30 pm on Shore Road came across flying Sea Foam. So what is Sea Foam?    Definition from Wikipedia:  Sea foam, ocean foam, beach foam, or spume is a type of foam created by the agitation of seawater, particularly when it contains higher concentrations of dissolved organic matter (including proteins, lignins, and lipids)[1] derived from sources such as the offshore breakdown of algal blooms. These compounds can act as surfactants or foaming agents. As the seawater is churned by breaking waves in the surf zone adjacent to the shore, the presence of these surfactants under these turbulent conditions traps air, forming persistent bubbles that stick to each other through surface tension. Due to its low density and persistence, foam can be blown by strong on-shore winds from the beachface inland.

February 3, 2016 Light and fluffy

 

February 3, 2016 sea foam on Shore Road

 

 

The GMG Fitbit Challenge

Posted on by Donna Ardizzoni

gmgbeachsticker_400w

With so many of us starting to wear our Fitbits and with our New Year’s Resolutions to get into shape, how about doing a Fitbit Challenge?  Who is up for this challenge.  Wearing a Fitbit is a great motivator.  Who wants to join a weekly challenge?
Joey agreed to sponsor a Gloucester Beach Sticker Hoodie as a prize if we get 7 or more challengers and post our daily rankings.

Check out the details-

https://help.fitbit.com/articles/en_US/Help_article/Challenges-FAQs