A major goal of the West-Central Florida Coastal Studies Project was to investigate linkages between the barrier-island system along the west coast of Florida and offshore sedimentary sequences. High population density along this coastline and the resultant coastal-management concerns were primary factors driving the approach of this regional study. Key objectives were to better understand sedimentary processes and sediment accumulation patterns of the modern coastal system, the history of coastal evolution during sea-level rise, and resource assessment for future planning. A series of nine "swath" transects, extending from the mainland out to a depth of 26 m, was defined to serve as a focus to merge the data sets and for comparison of different coastal settings within the study area.

Transect #9 extends seaward from Casey Key (see location map to left). Information from seismic and vibracore studies is combined to derive a 2-D stratigraphic cross section extending from the offshore zone, through the barrier island, and onto the mainland. This stratigraphic record represents the late Holocene evolution of the coastal-barrier system and inner shelf following the last sea-level transgression and present highstand conditions. A comparison to surface-sediment distribution patterns indicated by side-scan sonar imagery and bottom grab samples illustrates the importance of spatial variability in sediment-distribution patterns offshore when considering stratigraphic interpretations of seismic and core data.