PHYSICAL FACTORS
(relate to the vacation/holiday season) |
CATEGORIES |
| 1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
| 1. Beach width at low tide |
<10 m
narrow |
10-30 m |
30-60 m |
60-100 m |
>100 m
wide |
| 2. Beach material |
cobbles |
sand/cobbles |
coarse sand |
----- |
fine sand |
| 3. Beach condition or variation |
erosional |
----- |
stable |
----- |
depositional |
| 4. Sand softness |
hard |
----- |
----- |
----- |
soft |
| 5. Water temperature |
cold/hot |
----- |
----- |
----- |
warm
(70°-80° F) |
| 6. Air temperature (midday) |
< 60° F
> 100° F |
----- |
----- |
----- |
80°-90° F |
| 7. Number of sunny days |
few |
----- |
----- |
----- |
many |
| 8. Amount of rain |
large |
----- |
----- |
----- |
little |
| 9. Wind speeds |
high |
----- |
----- |
----- |
low |
| 10.Size of breaking waves |
high/dangerous |
----- |
----- |
----- |
low/safe |
| 11. Number of waves/width of breaker zone |
none |
1-2 |
3-4 |
5 |
6+ |
| 12. Beach slope (underwater) |
steeply sloping bottom |
----- |
----- |
----- |
gently sloping bottom |
| 13. Longshore current |
strong |
----- |
----- |
----- |
weak |
| 14. Rip currents |
often |
----- |
----- |
----- |
never |
| 15. Color of sand |
gray |
black |
brown |
light tan |
white/pink |
| 16. Tidal range |
large (>4 m) |
3-4 m |
2-3 m |
1-2 m |
small (<1 m) |
| 17. Beach shape |
straight |
----- |
----- |
----- |
pocket |
| 18. Bathing area bottom conditions |
rocky, cobbles, mud |
----- |
----- |
----- |
fine sand |
| 19. Turbidity |
turbid |
----- |
----- |
----- |
clear |
| 20. Water color |
gray |
----- |
----- |
----- |
aqua blue |
| 21. Floating/suspended human material (sewage, scum) |
plentiful |
----- |
----- |
----- |
none |
| 22. Algae in water amount |
infested |
----- |
----- |
----- |
absent |
| 23. Red tide |
common |
----- |
----- |
----- |
none |
| 24. Smell (eg, seaweed, rotting fish) |
bad odors |
----- |
----- |
----- |
fresh salty air |
| 25. Wildlife (eg, shore birds) |
none |
----- |
----- |
----- |
plentiful |
| 26. Pests (biting flies, ticks, mosquitoes) |
common |
----- |
----- |
----- |
no problem |
| 27. Presence of sewage/runoff outfall lines on/across the beach |
several |
----- |
----- |
----- |
none |
| 28. Seaweed/jellyfish on the beach |
many |
----- |
----- |
----- |
none |
| 29. Trash and litter(paper, plastics, nets, ropes, planks) |
common |
----- |
----- |
----- |
rare |
| 30. Oil and tar balls |
common |
----- |
----- |
----- |
none |
| 31. Glass and rubble |
common |
----- |
----- |
----- |
rare |
| 32. Views and vistas - Local scene |
obstructed |
----- |
----- |
----- |
unobstructed |
| 33. Views and vistas - Far vista |
confined |
----- |
----- |
----- |
unconfined |
| 34. Buildings/Urbanism |
overdeveloped |
----- |
----- |
----- |
pristine/wild |
| 35. Access |
limited |
----- |
----- |
----- |
good |
| 36. Misfits (nuclear power station, offshore dumping) |
present |
----- |
----- |
----- |
none |
| 37. Vegetation (nearby). Trees, sand dunes |
none |
----- |
----- |
----- |
many |
| 38. Well-kept grounds/promenades or natural environment |
no |
----- |
----- |
----- |
yes |
| 39. Amenities (showers, chairs, bars, etc) |
none |
----- |
----- |
----- |
some |
| 40. Lifeguards |
none |
----- |
----- |
----- |
present |
| 41. Safety record (deaths) |
some |
----- |
----- |
----- |
none |
| 42. Domestic animals (eg, dogs) |
many |
----- |
----- |
----- |
none |
| 43. Noise (cars, nearby highways, trains) |
much |
----- |
----- |
----- |
little |
| 44. Noise (eg, crowds, radios) |
much |
----- |
----- |
----- |
little |
| 45. Presence of seawalls, riprap, concrete/rubble |
large amount |
----- |
----- |
----- |
none |
| 46. Intensity of beach use |
overcrowded |
----- |
----- |
----- |
ample open space |
| 47. Off-road vehicles |
common |
----- |
----- |
----- |
none |
| 48. Floatables in water (garbage, toilet paper) |
common |
----- |
----- |
----- |
none |
| 49. Public safety (eg, pickpockets, crime) |
common |
----- |
----- |
----- |
rare |
| 50. Competition for free use of beach (eg, fishermen, boaters,
water-skiers) |
many |
----- |
----- |
----- |
few |