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![Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes-Nature-Trail_02.jpg Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes-Nature-Trail_02.jpg: walkway, boardwalk, gulf of mexico, dunes, quartz sand, national park service, oak trees](/photos/Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes-Nature-Trail/thumbs/Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes-Nature-Trail_02.jpg.width.440.c.jpg)
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![Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes-Nature-Trail_03.jpg Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes-Nature-Trail_03.jpg: boardwalk, dunes, storm, cumulus clouds, quartz sand, barrier island](/photos/Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes-Nature-Trail/thumbs/Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes-Nature-Trail_03.jpg.width.200.c.jpg)
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![Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes-Nature-Trail_04.jpg Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes-Nature-Trail_04.jpg: walkway, boardwalk, parking lot, quartz sand, dunes, gulf of mexico, barrier island](/photos/Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes-Nature-Trail/thumbs/Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes-Nature-Trail_04.jpg.width.200.c.jpg)
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![Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes:-9.2-Miles_02.jpg Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes:-9.2-Miles_02.jpg: dunes, quartz sand, gulf of mexico, surf, sea oats, surf, barrier island, escambia county,](/photos/Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes:-9.2-Miles/thumbs/Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes:-9.2-Miles_02.jpg.width.440.c.jpg)
A diversity of gulls, terns and various shorebirds can be found year-round feeding at the shore.
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![Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes:-9.2-Miles_03.jpg Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes:-9.2-Miles_03.jpg: dune fence, quartz sand, sea oats, gulf of mexico, surf, beach, barrier island,](/photos/Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes:-9.2-Miles/thumbs/Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes:-9.2-Miles_03.jpg.width.200.c.jpg)
The initial step in restoration of deflated sand dunes is to use structures that can accumulate sand. Dune building fences can be erected in order to trap sand and reconstruct new dunes.
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![Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes:-Parking-Lot-9_02.jpg Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes:-Parking-Lot-9_02.jpg: sand dunes, quartz sand, sea oats, wild flowers](/photos/Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes:-Parking-Lot-9/thumbs/Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes:-Parking-Lot-9_02.jpg.width.200.c.jpg)
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![Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes:-Parking-Lot-9_03.jpg Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes:-Parking-Lot-9_03.jpg: driftwood, wild flowers, quartz sand, pensacola bay, sand dunes, national seashore](/photos/Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes:-Parking-Lot-9/thumbs/Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes:-Parking-Lot-9_03.jpg.width.440.c.jpg)
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![Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes:-Parking-Lot-9_04.jpg Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes:-Parking-Lot-9_04.jpg: sand dune, dune, wild flowers, scudding clouds, oak trees, quartz sand, crystal sand](/photos/Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes:-Parking-Lot-9/thumbs/Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes:-Parking-Lot-9_04.jpg.width.200.c.jpg)
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![Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes:-Parking-Lot-9_05.jpg Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes:-Parking-Lot-9_05.jpg: wild flowers, quartz sand, oak trees, scrub oaks, sand dunes](/photos/Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes:-Parking-Lot-9/thumbs/Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes:-Parking-Lot-9_05.jpg.width.200.c.jpg)
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![Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes:-Parking-Lot-9_06.jpg Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes:-Parking-Lot-9_06.jpg: cumulus clouds, quartz sand, dunes, wild flowers, sea oats](/photos/Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes:-Parking-Lot-9/thumbs/Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Dunes:-Parking-Lot-9_06.jpg.width.200.c.jpg)
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![Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Langdon-Beach_25.jpg Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Langdon-Beach_25.jpg: dunes, sea oats, dune fence, quartz sand, gulf of mexico, barrier island](/photos/Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Langdon-Beach/thumbs/Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Langdon-Beach_25.jpg.width.200.c.jpg)
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![Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Opal-Beach_07.jpg Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Opal-Beach_07.jpg: dunes, sea oats, boardwalk, parking lot, mixed skies, gulf of mexico, beach habitat, barrier island, quartz sand, fiddler crab](/photos/Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Opal-Beach/thumbs/Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Opal-Beach_07.jpg.width.200.c.jpg)
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![Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Opal-Beach_08.jpg Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Opal-Beach_08.jpg: barrier island, boardwalk, quartz sand, sea oats, mixed skies, surf, gulf of mexico](/photos/Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Opal-Beach/thumbs/Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Opal-Beach_08.jpg.width.200.c.jpg)
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![Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Parking-Lot-9_04.jpg Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Parking-Lot-9_04.jpg: dune fence, gulf of mexico, mixed skies, quartz sand, surf, sea oats, barrier island](/photos/Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Parking-Lot-9/thumbs/Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Parking-Lot-9_04.jpg.width.200.c.jpg)
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![Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Parking-Lot-9_05.jpg Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Parking-Lot-9_05.jpg: sea oats, mixed skies, quartz sand, barrier island, surf, dunes](/photos/Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Parking-Lot-9/thumbs/Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Parking-Lot-9_05.jpg.width.200.c.jpg)
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![Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Perdido-Key:-Boardwalk-I_02.jpg Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Perdido-Key:-Boardwalk-I_02.jpg: sand dunes, cumulus clouds, sea oats, barrier island, national park, quartz sand](/photos/Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Perdido-Key:-Boardwalk-I/thumbs/Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Perdido-Key:-Boardwalk-I_02.jpg.width.200.c.jpg)
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![Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Perdido-Key:-Boardwalk-I_03.jpg Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Perdido-Key:-Boardwalk-I_03.jpg: boardwalk, sound, quartz sand, sea oats, cumulus clouds](/photos/Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Perdido-Key:-Boardwalk-I/thumbs/Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore:-Perdido-Key:-Boardwalk-I_03.jpg.width.200.c.jpg)
A short boardwalk leads from the road to the water.
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![Pensacola-Beach:-1212-Ariola-Drive_27.jpg Pensacola-Beach:-1212-Ariola-Drive_27.jpg: stairs, beach view, emerald coast, white quartz sand, stairs](/photos/Pensacola-Beach:-1212-Ariola-Drive/thumbs/Pensacola-Beach:-1212-Ariola-Drive_27.jpg.width.200.c.jpg)
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![Pensacola-Beach:-1212-Ariola-Drive_28.jpg Pensacola-Beach:-1212-Ariola-Drive_28.jpg: louvered door, steps, deck, quartz sand, emerald coast, pensacola beach, beach house](/photos/Pensacola-Beach:-1212-Ariola-Drive/thumbs/Pensacola-Beach:-1212-Ariola-Drive_28.jpg.width.200.c.jpg)
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![Pensacola-Beach:-1212-Ariola-Drive_29.jpg Pensacola-Beach:-1212-Ariola-Drive_29.jpg: jonathan st. louis, pensacola beach, emerald coast, quartz sand, deck stairs](/photos/Pensacola-Beach:-1212-Ariola-Drive/thumbs/Pensacola-Beach:-1212-Ariola-Drive_29.jpg.width.200.c.jpg)
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![Pensacola-Beach:-1212-Ariola-Drive_30.jpg Pensacola-Beach:-1212-Ariola-Drive_30.jpg: stairs, deck, louvered door, bench, pensacola beach, quartz sand](/photos/Pensacola-Beach:-1212-Ariola-Drive/thumbs/Pensacola-Beach:-1212-Ariola-Drive_30.jpg.width.200.c.jpg)
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![Pensacola-Beach:-1212-Ariola-Drive_31.jpg Pensacola-Beach:-1212-Ariola-Drive_31.jpg: staris, deck, quartz sand, pensacola beach, glass balconies](/photos/Pensacola-Beach:-1212-Ariola-Drive/thumbs/Pensacola-Beach:-1212-Ariola-Drive_31.jpg.width.200.c.jpg)
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![Pensacola-Beach:-1212-Ariola-Drive_35.jpg Pensacola-Beach:-1212-Ariola-Drive_35.jpg: pensacola beach, beach houses, surf, quartz sand, white sand, emerald coast, cumulus clouds](/photos/Pensacola-Beach:-1212-Ariola-Drive/thumbs/Pensacola-Beach:-1212-Ariola-Drive_35.jpg.width.200.c.jpg)
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![Pensacola-Beach:-Hermosa-St-Homes_08.jpg Pensacola-Beach:-Hermosa-St-Homes_08.jpg: dunes, sea oats, quartz sand, santa rosa island, gulf of mexico](/photos/Pensacola-Beach:-Hermosa-St-Homes/thumbs/Pensacola-Beach:-Hermosa-St-Homes_08.jpg.width.200.c.jpg)
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![Pensacola-Beach:-Waterfront_01.jpg Pensacola-Beach:-Waterfront_01.jpg: gulf coast, dunes, seashore, gulf of mexico, quartz sand, sugar sand, rhizomes,](/photos/Pensacola-Beach:-Waterfront/thumbs/Pensacola-Beach:-Waterfront_01.jpg.width.200.c.jpg)
Sea oats have a deep stem that may reach several feet below the surface of the dune. As the dune continues to grow, this stem send out vigorous branching rhizomes at or just below ground level. As a result a sea oat may reach to the very base of the dune that supports it with a laybrinth of rootlike structures.
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![Pensacola-Beach:-Waterfront_09.jpg Pensacola-Beach:-Waterfront_09.jpg: seashore, wave, quartz sand crystal, emerald coast, shallow water](/photos/Pensacola-Beach:-Waterfront/thumbs/Pensacola-Beach:-Waterfront_09.jpg.width.200.c.jpg)
White sand makes for emerald green water.
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![Pensacola-Beach:-Waterfront_10.jpg Pensacola-Beach:-Waterfront_10.jpg: santa rosa island, gulf of mexico, seashore, dune, road, white sand, quartz sand crystal, wave, surf, barrier island, santa rosa sound, aerial view](/photos/Pensacola-Beach:-Waterfront/thumbs/Pensacola-Beach:-Waterfront_10.jpg.width.200.c.jpg)
This aerial shows the road that goes the length of Santa Rosa Island. All beach areas can be reached by road, but the road can't be seen from the water.
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![Scenic-Highway:-Bay-Bluffs-Park_05a.jpg Scenic-Highway:-Bay-Bluffs-Park_05a.jpg: bluffs, red clay, sand, pine trees, quartz sand, gulf of mexico, escambia bay,](/photos/Scenic-Highway:-Bay-Bluffs-Park/thumbs/Scenic-Highway:-Bay-Bluffs-Park_05a.jpg.width.200.c.jpg)
The red clay bluffs fade into the pink sandy beach. The colored sand is a stark contrast to the glimming white quartz sand along the Gulf of Mexico on nearby Pensacola Beach.