westward into the shallow South Bight. 



The survey commenced at latitude 24''13'08.6"N., and longitude 

 77°36'11.0"W., and followed a bearing of 125° from the eastern 

 side of the island. The surface of the cay is covered with low 

 shrubs and bushes, except the eastern margin where various grasses 

 prevail. No soil covers the cay, but instead a hard, extremely 

 rough, irregular limestone constitutes the surface (Plate 12). 

 The eastern shore of the cay is distinctly different from the 

 shore at the previously discussed sites. Instead of a sandy, 

 gently sloping beach, an essentially vertical, bare rock wall 

 descending to a water depth of 25 feet is present. No barrier 

 reef protects the cay from surf action. Therefore the full 

 force of all waves coming in from the Tongue of the Ocean is 

 sustained along the eastern shore (Figure 8) . 



Between Go 1 ding Cay and the rim escarpment, the sea bottom 

 supports a luxuriant and varied community of organisms. From 

 the shore to approximately 1,500 yards seaward, the bottom is hard, 

 rough, and covered with coral heads as much as 10 to 15 feet in 

 height and diameter (Plate 13). Locally, ripple-marked, sandy 

 areas separate the heads (Plate 13D). Approximately 1,400 

 yards from shore, the virtually continuous coral growth breaks 

 into isolated clumps separated by areas of coarse sand. Beyond 

 this to the break-in-slope, a barren sand with scattered 

 gorgonians and soft green algae prevails (Plate 14). The 

 outer platform edge displays an increase in organisms and a 

 rough, hard surface (Plate 15). 



DEEP CREEK (SITE 6) 



Site 6 is located on the Andros shoreline, 60 miles south of 

 New Providence Island and 1 mile north of the entrance to Deep 

 Creek. The survey track commenced at latitude 24*'00'23.3"N., 

 and longitude 77°31'44.0*'W., and proceeded along bearing 035°. 

 Bathymetry along the survey track is presented in Figure 9. 

 The backshore area consists of low shrubs and bushes growing 

 atop a well-indurated, eroded limestone (Plate 16). Seaward, 

 the bushes give way to a row of coconut trees and then to an 

 area approximately 100 yards wide consisting of sand dunes 5 



19 



