Beach Santa Maria del Mar
Powdery beach of shell and coral-algae sand, tinged pink by billions of microscopic marine organisms.
This guide to Santa Maria del Mar beach near Havana starts with a handful of its sand, asking you to look closely at what it is actually made of rather than assume it is quartz like most beaches near a big city. You'll hear what scientists found under a microscope, from pink foraminifera to coralline algae and broken shell fragments, and how those pieces connect to the reefs and seagrass beds of the Straits of Florida, home to thousands of marine species. The guide follows where all that material comes from and what keeps it moving onto this shore. Run the sand through your fingers while you listen.
Audio guides are written and narrated by AI.