The Squeaking Sands of Navarre Beach

The sand on Navarre Beach is famous for its bright white color and soft texture, which makes walks along the emerald waters one of everyone’s favorite pastimes when they visit.

 

What surprises many first-time visitors to the beach, however, isn’t how the sand feels. It’s how it sounds.

That’s because our sand literally squeaks — or sings, as some prefer to think — as it squishes beneath your feet when you walk on it.

At first, you may think you’re hearing things. Squeaking sand? But the fact is, this curious phenomenon is called “booming” sand, and it isn’t anything new. Booming sand has been around for thousands of years, and it’s caused by the unique composition of Navarre Beach’s sand.

Our signature white sand is actually made up of tiny grains of quartz – grains that have traveled a long way to end up on our beaches. They were created tens of thousands of years ago by minerals from the Appalachian Mountains that washed down America’s rivers to the Gulf of Mexico. As time passed, the other minerals eroded into dust and were washed away. However, the shiny white quartz grains remained and were ultimately deposited onto the shores of the Gulf.

The resulting sand gave Navarre Beach its signature look and softness, along with its signature sound.

So what are waiting for? The soft white sands of Navarre Beach are calling your name. And if you listen closely enough, you can hear it!