Much of the enjoyment that comes along with a career in the geological sciences is the process of data collection in the field. For this
exercise, the fieldwork takes place at a local beach.
After arriving at the beach and selecting the site for beach profile measurement, students should split into groups of fours. The
first task is to mark a line in the sand parallel to the shoreline. Call this line the baseline. The beach profile (i.e. elevations) will
be measured along this baseline at specific intervals. These intervals will be designated the horizontal (along-the-coastline)
distance (x).
1.Each team of four students will have a "seaward surveyor", a "landward surveyor", a "geotechnical engineer" and a "data
recorder". The "seaward surveyor" is responsible for holding the seaward board and ensuring that the rope is level between the
two boards (by sliding the loop up or down) when fully extended. The "landward surveyor" is responsible for holding the landward