CONNECTING MANHEAD CAY STRATIGRAPHY TO EXISTING SAN SALVADOR LATE CENOZOIC STRATIGRAPHIC FRAMEWORK IN THE BAHAMAS

Manhead Cay is a small islet or cay located off the northeast corner of San Salvador Island, Bahamas. Formations and their characteristics have been studied in great detail on San Salvador Island, and correlate regionally. However, the stratigraphy of Manhead Cay has not been emphasized in the scientific literature. The lack of research and literature regarding Manhead Cay stratigraphy presents a gap in the regional stratigraphy. This paper correlates Manhead Cay exposures tentatively to the upper, unnamed eolian facies of Cockburn Town member of the Grotto Beach Formation, already determined to have been deposited during Marine Isotope Stage 5e in a regressive-phase Pleistocene eolian setting. Our correlation suggests that an earlier proposed and rejected Dixon Hill member be reinstated, as we believe Manhead Cay stratigraphy correlates most closely with Dixon Hill sedimentological characteristics. South to southeast paleowind directions are measured in 3 overlapping dune units, which built the cay. A paleosol sample from Manhead Cay is analyzed with X-Ray Diffraction and when compared to the XRD analysis of three paleosol samples from 2 horizons exposed on San Salvador Island provided inconclusive results. Further research will be needed to definitively correlate Manhead Cay strata to uppermost facies of the Cockburntown Member, Grotto Beach Formation.