Maui sand samples anyone

[Dale]

I was asked to bring back a sample of beach sand for a forum member, so there
must be something of microscopic interest in it. Sorry I didn't post earlier, as I'm
leaving Tuesday morning, but I still have time to get more.
Dale

[zzffnn]

Dale,

If you are sending sand sample to Kurt or Rod, please send them a little more.

There should be MANY interesting things to look at in Maui sand:

https://sierraclub.org/sierra/2014-6-no ... croscope#1

http://www.microlabgallery.com/gallery-Sand.aspx

http://www.microlabgallery.com/gallery/ ... d%202.aspx

http://webecoist.momtastic.com/2011/07/ ... each-sand/

And Maui has good diatom diversity too (see Figure 15 of the PDF):
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4222836/

From my collection experience:

1) collect after a big tide;

2) collect at various beaches and screen with portable scope at 100x total magnification; I collected pounds of sand, but did not get chance to screen/go back and eventually found that only a tiny bag has diatoms;

3) diatoms were found in submerged surface sand at tidal front line, at least that was what I found.

If you find radiolarian, you may be able to sell the raw sand.

[zzffnn]

Dale,

Kurt would like some Maui sand samples too (he has no stable internet connection now, so he told me to ask you here).

Thank you!

[rnabholz]

Hi Dale,

I would be glad to cover your costs if you would send me a sample.

Just let me know.

Thanks,

Rod

[Charles]

Dale,

Add me tho the list. I am very interested in some sand samples.
Thank you

[zzffnn]

Dale,

Bag the sand and sell it like hot cakes maybe that would buy you another flight/stay in Maui.

I thought Kurt, Rod or Charles was the member who asked you first. Apparently not. The Diatom Hunter Club is getting bigger

[Dale]

Looks like 4 samples, plus 1 for myself. When I get home I'll need addresses.
No shipping fees, just glad to return something for all the help, and enter-
tainment I get here.
Next year I'll be better prepared to collect from Kauai.
Dale

[zzffnn]

Dale,

Would it be cheaper to ship Maui sand, via USPS, to someone in US, while you are in Maui? Sand is quite heavy and may take away your fight's carry-on baggage allowance, if you have lots of other stuffs. You can collect more and send more that way too.

My family may be going to Hawaii in the future too, with 2 children. After Hawaii, we will travel to Asia, before returning to US (so I likely won't be able to carry lots of sand). I am just thinking about the logistics here.

Last time we went to Pensacola Florida, my family brought back 15 lbs of sea shells and 5 lbs of sand. My wife and kids love sea shells. Of those 5 lbs of sand, less than one lbs is pure diatoms/forams/macro shells. I like the sand sample though, as it mainly has 3 ingredients (and rarely anything else): true mineral particles (of over 500 micron in size and won't pass through my sieve), water and diatoms/forams.

Diatoms can be easily separated (from sand and water) with 500 micron kitchen sieve (and better, plus a hand crank portable centrifuge). Forams and radiolarian would be difficult to separate from sand, because they can be the exact same size as true mineral particles (Pensacola diatoms are much smaller than Pensacola mineral particles).

[lorez]

I was asked to bring back a sample of beach sand for a forum member

I am the guilty party.

Besides microscopy, I am also involved in a sand collection program for a college and am doing a project with the local library where we are using polariscopes. It's a fun project.

I don't have a lot of sand varieties to swap, but have a million tons of one kind. I will not purchase any samples, but will be happy to swap.

If anyone would like to help me with the college project I would greatly appreciate it. What I would like to have are clean, dry, samples of about 30ml volume. Please carefully identify the location of collection as precisely as possible.

edit addition: You can PM me for details if you are interested.

lorez

[Charles]

Looks like 4 samples, plus 1 for myself. When I get home I'll need addresses.
No shipping fees, just glad to return something for all the help, and enter-
tainment I get here.
Next year I'll be better prepared to collect from Kauai.
Dale

Dale,

In that case, I'll send you some sand from Virginia Beach and Chesapeake Bay as payment!

Please do not clean my sand sample. Just straight from the beach into a baggie will do for me!
I can see you going through TSA inspection with bags of sand in your luggage...

Enjoy your vacation in Maui!

[zzffnn]

Why don't we have a sand exchange program here?

I still have some interesting Pensacola sand sample left, that has very little diatoms (I sent all diatom samples to Kurt and Rod). But what I currently have still has lots of macro shells and/or Foraminifera (that fills a 4x objective). See a typical abundant example here at my last post of this thread (and you may find some that were photographed by Kurt there too): viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3697&p=34158&hilit=Pensacola#p34158

Anyone is interested in trading sand with me? Lorez? Charles? Chesapeake Bay rings a bell - I have heard it (related to diatoms or Foraminifera) before.

Here is how it works best for me (and I am willing to change for my trader too, just PM and ask):

1) I will send you my sample for free. I still have around 6 small zipper bags, I think. Maybe even more.

2) if your sample has mainly diatoms, send it to Rod on my behalf. If your sample has mainly macro shells or forams, send it to me (and I will pass on half to Kurt).

As you all know, Rod can clean and mount strew diatoms very well now. Eventually, Kurt will be able to mount forams and radiolarian (he is planning to do it). I will do other leg works, then get my mounted slides from Rod and Kurt.

[Dale]

As I sit here poolside, sipping my 1st MaiTai, I am planning my sand forray. I
brought the ice pitcher down, thinking I could wade out to the moist sand area. Most of the
water would be poured off, and I would fill the few ziplock's with perhaps 3 cups of sand.
Now, I guess just plain ol dry sand is ok. Weight is no problem, as I won't have that
much sand. Is 30ml about the volume of a pill bottle?
Dale

[zzffnn]

Dale,

A shot glass is about 1.5 oz or 43 ml. A typical pill bottle holds more than 30 ml.

For those who want diatoms, such as Kurt and Rod, submerged sand is highly preferred over dry sand. Though I am sure Kurt and Rod won't mind some dry sand either, if you want to send both types. Please go for wet sand for diatom people, if you send only one type.

[lorez]

A shot glass is about 1.5 oz or 43 ml

There you go, Dale, a shot of Wild Turkey, a shot of sand, a shot of Wild Turkey, a shot of sand,..... etc.

lorez

[zzffnn]

Dale,

If you want my Pensacola sand sample (which does not have many diatoms now), I can send you some. It likely won't be as exciting as Maui sand though. In return, you can simply double the amount you are sending to Rod.

[Dale]

Lorez...........,! Most of our drinks are like 500ml! Still a good idea, but there are no turkeys
on diz islan mon. I hope the lat-lon of the sample is sufficiently precise. Damp sand it will
be, at collection time, but by the time you receive it??
Please don't send me any sand, yet, I have a ways to go to get up to speed
with my new scope. Hunting for diatoms with phase ought to help!
If everyone who wants a sample would pm me their address I will mail them
out Thursday. I will keep a good supply if any more requests come along.
Dale

[Dale]

Back in Seattle and preparing to ship sand. Hoping to put ziplocks of samples in USPS
small one-size-fits-all box, and ship at book rate. Other option, that I have never used is
to put the sand into a pill bottle, and then into a plastic fedex envelope.
I kinda lean toward the ziplock as it would maintain the moisture better.
The shipments are: 2 bags to Fan, 1 to Lorez, and 1 to Rod. OK?
Dale

[zzffnn]

Thank you very much, Dale.

I thought Charles also aksed for a bag.

Please send Rod 2 bags and me 1 bag.

I don't think moisture will affect diatomists. USPS may be more convenient in terms of packing and waiting time (which is zero, if you prepay online).

[Dale]

I did miss him, but just pm'd for address, thanks for reminding me. I'm still reading all those links!
Bag list updated. I should keep everybody's address for next years trip to Kauai, after that trip we intend
to just rotate the same islands.
BTW, I was asked 3 times why I was scooping sand from the surf line, but TSA let the stuff
pass in my checked baggage.
Dale

[zzffnn]

Thank you, Dale.

Yes, please keep our addresses.

When I scooped sand at Pensacola beach (many times!), nobody seemed to pay attention. Were you asked by Maui locals or other tourists?

You know Dynamite has diatomaceous earth in it and may look like sand Did TSA check/stop you?

[Dale]

2 were tourists, the other was the beach attendant. Perhaps because I was using our
room ice bucket, or perhaps why was someone my age playing in the sand! They were
all entertained by my explanation. My suitcase is almost always opened, surely not because
it is neon green. This time they skipped it, but as I waited to board the plane I jumped
whenever they paged for passengers to return to the TSA area. I've been all over the
world, and Maui seems to have the most recalled passengers.
It might have been Lorez, but someone wanted the exact location of the sample site. Is
the name of the beach and Island enough? Lat.-long. might be overkill.
Dale

[zzffnn]

I doubt most people know what diatom is. Was that what you told the beach people? I usually tell them "micro-shells".

Yes, that was Lorez who asked for exact collection site. I can help you with that, Dale. Just tell me what is the name of the beach. Google Map can let you drop a pin to where you were and gives you the two coordinates for exact location.

[lorez]

Dale,

Although I did not specify, the GPS numbers are quite important. Short of that, the name of the beach property and island will work. My purposes are not of a "microscope" leaning, but more geologic.

In addition to my microscope interests I am also a sand man. I would be most appreciative if anyone would like to mail me a 30ml sample from their neighborhood.

lorez