Geo 730: September 19, Day 627: Faulty Cove

In this overview of the cove on the north side of Yaquina Head, we can see the fault-mediated cave on the west side, the smaller fault-mediated cave on the east, and we can see that these faults are essentially parallel to each other. This suggests that the cove itself is the result of a broad fault zone creating a weak brecciated area between the two walls, where wave action has managed to erode out the broken rock. Though a casual tourist is not in a position to do so, what further observations could support or undermine this hypothesis? Getting a good look at the end of the cove, directly below where I was standing, would allow an observer to see if the rock is heavily brecciated. One could potentially rappel down, but a small boat would be a more appealing option to me.

But there's a problem. See those white areas on the cliff, with small black spots? The white is guano, and the black spots are nesting seabirds. While the water was fairly peaceful on this mid-July day, disturbing those birds is a Federal offense. I'll just stay up here, for now.

Incidentally, the odd, black, corrugated thing on the lower left is a drain pipe to get runoff from the road down to the shore without eroding the soil around the cliff edge.

Photo unaltered. July 15, 2014. FlashEarth Location.