Saturday, December 26, 2009

Gaspe!


photo by blackwell de (http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwing_de/3892622427/), some rights reserved, (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en_CA)

Perce Rock, Gaspe Bay, Quebec.

There is only a four hour window at low tide for walking to Perce Rock (pronounced Percy Rock), unless you approach by sea. Take a ferry to Bonaventure island (and bird viewing) or kayak if your timing isn't right.

Only one of the original two arches is intact, the first having collapsed about 200 years ago.  Apparently it is a "living rock", with stones falling every few minutes, echoing as they splash into the bay or sharply resounding with impact on the exposed rock base. The wind and rain continue to erode and sculpt it as you stand on the narrow path or beneath the arch.   The remaining opening is approximately 50 feet high and 60 feet wide so there is still more than a 100 feet of rock towering above, but how long will it stand?   Time sneaks fragments, snakes into cracks awaiting a storm or surge that will pair with gravity to change this vista forever.   What view will you see by the time you arrive? 

Friday, December 4, 2009

Brimham Rocks, UK


 "Covering an area of over 1 square kilometre on Brimham Moor in Nidderdale these millstone grit stacks have been eroded by glaciation, wind and rain to produce many fantastic shapes."

© Copyright Penny Mayes and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence:  SE2065
 
I was not able to copy successfully the official licence link but for further information, please check http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1184  

Breathtaking balance.  My partner has added this destination to our list of "must see" locations for our trip to the UK, and I fullheartedly agree.  This is only one of fascinating rock formations over 50 acres at Brimham Moor in North Yorkshire, England.  For details on how they were formed, go to http://brimhamrocks.co.uk/geology.htm.

She has a fondness for bears, so I expect that the rock that caught her attention is the Dancing Bear, below.  Once again I will do my best to credit the photographer, but it may be hampered by my inability to copy some of the labels and links.




photo by Adam Jennison, downloaded at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dancing_bear_wiki.jpg
"This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License.
This licensing tag was added to this file as part of the GFDL licensing update. "