Cape Kiwanda Sea Stack

September 15, 2006

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Referred by: Philip A. Dombrowski
Summary authors & editors: Philip A. Dombrowski

The photo above showing a silhouetted slab of basalt was taken at sunset near Cape Kiwanda, Oregon in May of 2006. Coastal Oregon has many erosion resistant geologic features known as "sea stacks." They're formed by tilted coastal layers of rock having differing erosional durability -- harder basaltic units have resisted erosion while softer upper and lower layers have been removed by wave action over time. Note the glitter patch in the foreground (reflected sunlight off of rippled water).

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