Ever wonder how old that sand on the beach is?  The beaches on the gulf coast of Florida are famous for their stretches of pure white sand with the consistency of powdered sugar.  It is mostly comprised of fine quartz grains that originated from the southern Appalachian Mountains millennia ago.  Carried into the Gulf by rivers and washed down the Florida coast by currents.

The Beach on Anna Maria Island Florida. White sand and emerald ocean. ©TBGP2014