santa cruz area beaches with black sand?

[auntiebling]

i have an unusual quandary, so i come to the home of unusually knowledgeable people...

i want to entertain my kids with this huge Radar Magnet i recently acquired. Magnetic sand is very fun to play with combined with a large magnet, and it's available for purchase but Fuck That. We have beaches nearby and magnetite is in just about every beach in norther california. I want to go find our own (or at least some to show it can be done, and then probably order some off the internet)

this is what i'm trying to replicate at home. this exact exhibit is still one of my favorites at the exploratorium only now it's "not cool" to push other kids out of the way because they're MY Kids and i'm an "adult"
https://www.exploratorium.edu/exhibits/black-sand
They got their sand at Ocean Beach in san francisco, i'd rather not go to SF.

so, anyone know of any beaches in the santa cruz area that have obvious areas with black sand? ideally it's above the high water line because dry sand is kinda required for this adventure

thanks!

 

[Yakoo752]

black sand but without meth needles?

might be a challenge...

 

[auntiebling]

i dunno, it's supposed to be educational.

"don't touch that!"

is a good lesson.

also, i thought meth is usually smoked?

 

[buellistic]

Earth map?
Bet there's alot of iron here...

 

[CDONA]

Gold panning, the last in the pan is black sand with the gold flakes.

I would look in free running creeks, for black sand with a magnet.

 

[berth]

Gold panning, the last in the pan is black sand with the gold flakes.

I would look in free running creeks, for black sand with a magnet.

Panning the sand seems like a slow way to go.

I remember as a kid we'd play with magnets in the sand box, the one in 3rd grade was particularly rich.

Maybe just tie the magnet to a cord and dredge whatever sand you have handy.

Perhaps a local playground.

I dunno how much you're looking to collect.

 

[westie]

The only black sand I know is because so much wood is being burned on the beach.

 

[auntiebling]

Earth map?
Bet there's alot of iron here...

is there a river coming in there? the boat is, was, concrete. certainly more than a little rebar in there

Panning the sand seems like a slow way to go.

I remember as a kid we'd play with magnets in the sand box, the one in 3rd grade was particularly rich.

Maybe just tie the magnet to a cord and dredge whatever sand you have handy.

Perhaps a local playground.

I dunno how much you're looking to collect.

magnets are the plan and i'm sure we'll find it just about everywhere. i'm hoping for the black streaks that i've seen where water has receded, similar to the edge of a goldpan i guess the magnetite concentrates.

how much? a half gallon sounds abot right, i don't expect we'll get that much. hopefully enough to get the kids interested then spend the rest of the time trying to keep them out of the ocean