[Chopin]

So yesterday, my family went up to New Hampshire to enjoy the beaches. We got there right when the tide was lowering, and when we left the tide was the lowest. As we were leaving, we noticed large amounts of water flowing from the seaweed into the ocean. Upon closer observation, there were actually these holes in the sand that were bubbling up copious amounts of water - indeed, when I stuck my finger into one of them, it was actually a hole - no sand there. I dug for about 4 inches, but found absolutely nothing.

Can anyone explain this phenomenon?

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Was it salt water or fresh bubbling up?

Edited by Major Payne, 01 September 2008 - 09:06 PM.

[Major Payne]

Was it salt water or fresh bubbling up?

Edited by Major Payne, 01 September 2008 - 09:06 PM.

[Chopin]

No offense, but I didn't really care to taste it

[Major Payne]

Smelling it would have been enough.

[TheQuickBrownFox]

I'm having quite a hard time imagining what you're describing. So since it's a lowtide, the seaweeds are already exposed? And water is flowing out from them (the holes) where the seaweeds are?

Maybe they're habitats of some sea creature/s?

[Chopin]

ditrackster: that's basically it.

I didn't really smell it either.

[BHowett]

I’m not 100% percent sure about this, but I will give it a shot.

You said when you first got there the tide was lowering, its typical for a tide to change 2.5 times a day, so I would guess you and your family stayed quite some time before you left for the day.

So my guess is that the tide was changing witch would refill any whole left in the sand weather its a habitat, whole from a rock, or seaweed thus expelling air (bubbles) or water up through the holes for several seconds.

Now if you stood there and watched it for 30+ minutes my theory would not be correct

[Troy]

Because the tide was lower, the higher water went down... it just had an "obstacle course" to get there... (thus slowing it)