Photo of Aruba's Boca Grandi beach by Kjersti Joergensen

Though we very often take sand for granted, there are scientists called sedi­mentologists who study it to learn what is happening with the environment. “Sand” is so classified because of the size of its gra­nules, falling somewhere between what’s considered silt and what’s referred to as gravel. And all sand contains a unique geo­logical fingerprint that reflects where it comes from. For beaches, that ranges from the ocean floor to what filters down from higher ground. It’s these elements that de­termine sand’s color and consistency.

Finely crushed quartz makes up most sands as it does not break down to dust easily; other minerals combine with it to make it “sandy” brown, or what is called “dirty sand”. Black basalt lava sands are found in spots where volcanic action is fre­

quent, but some beaches boast more bril­liant hues. Both Hawaii and the Galapagos Islands have a rare emerald green sand beach saturated with a gem­quality min­eral called olivine. Pink beaches are more common, especially in the Carib bean; Bonaire’s Pink Beach gets its color from the crushed shells of millions of micro­scopic bright­pink sea creatures called foraminifera. Bonaire also boasts a black sand beach called Cocalashi, so named af­ter the tiny black snails whose crushed shell skeletons give the sand its dark hue. California’s Pfeiffer Beach turns a deep purple from manganese garnet washed down from the hills to the ocean; Greece has a brick­red beach colored by its volca­nic hills; and Sardinia has a bright orange beach thanks to a rare shade of limestone.

Understanding Sandby Susan Campbell

Sun, sand, and surf – it’s the holy triumvirate of winter-weary vacationers seeking rejuvenation in tropical climes. And the luxurious sensation of finally

digging your bare toes deep into soft, warm sand immediately alerts your senses to the fact that you are officially on vacation! But have you ever

considered what constitutes Mother Nature’s natural seaside carpeting?

Probably the most colorful sands in the world are found at aptly named Rainbow Beach on Fraser Island in Australia – they contain over 70 different strands of color! The white sands of New Mexico are made of gypsum crystals, but the white sands of the Caribbean are mostly made up of crushed coral and sea life and… parrotfish poop! The average parrotfish excretes up to one ton of pure white sand per year from digested coral. Aruba’s sands are blindingly white thanks largely to a healthy parrotfish population.

One of Aruba’s most treasured natural resources is its endless strands of powder­fine white sands and you can help keep them pristine by always taking your plas­tics and trash back with you, leaving the shells where they lie (they might be a

home for hermit crabs), and wearing eco­friendly sunscreen. You can also volunteer during the annual Aruba Reef Care beach clean­up event held each July. Every little bit helps to keep the sands of time clean for future generations to enjoy. K

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