page_title: Basin Head Provincial Park
section_title: Natural attractions
hierarchical_section_title: Basin Head Provincial Park / History / Natural attractions
caption_attribution_description: Singing Sands are located there, I went swiming in the ocean, and we enjoyed the sun on the beach!
context_page_description: Basin Head Provincial Park is a provincial park located in Basin Head, Prince Edward Island, Canada. It is best known by its nickname "Singing Sands", in reference to the pure white sand that "sings" when stepped on, due to a high silica content. This sand is geologically unique to the area.
  Basin Head Provincial Park features a fisheries museum, souvenir shops, and interpretive center. The beach itself is split into two sections, divided by a channel. A bridge spans the 'run', and is a popular attraction for jumping and diving. It is open as a tourist attraction, operated by Tourism PEI, during the summer months.
context_section_description: The Basin Head area is rich in natural attractions. As mentioned above, one of the most unusual aspects of the beach is the sands high silica content. This silica, when heated by the sun and rubbed together, produces a high-pitched squeaking sound. Dragging one's feet through the sand is enough to elicit this effect.
  The tidal lagoon behind the dunes is the only natural habitat for a variety of giant Irish moss called Chondrus crispus. To protect the unique strain, the Basin Head watershed is designated a Marine Protected Area. The moss is distinctive because it has a unique life cycle, does not attach to the bottom and is significantly larger than the varieties found elsewhere. It also has a higher concentration of carrageen, a stabilizing and thickening agent used in many household products.
caption: Rocky formation
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