GLACIAL HISTORY AND QUATERNARY GEOLOGY OF THE WHITE BAY REGION

Evidence of the last (late Wisconsinan) glaciation was found in the White Bay area. During ice build up, ice flowed toward, but not across, White Bay from the Long Range Mountains. At the glacial maximum, ice flowed north-northeastward along the bay. Later, as ice thinned, ice caps developed on peninsular uplands that flank the bay. Calving and drawdown in White Bay occurred at the same time. The change in ice source areas brought about a gradual change in ice-flow directions, until ice was flowing into White Bay from either side. Ice flowed actively during retreat in most of the study area. Till deposited during the late Wisconsinan is generally thin and discontinuous, and is almost non-existent along the shoreline. An exception is the Micmac Pond area, where till is thicker and locally, hummocky; large boulders litter the surface over much of this area. As ice retreated and thinned, glaciofluvial and glaciomarine sediments were laid down; however, the volume of these deposits in comparison to till is minor. Isostatic rebound during deglaciation caused relative sea level to fall as these deposits formed.