A stack or sea stack is a rock formation made up of a steep or upright column or columns of rock in the sea near a coast. They are formed when part of a headland is eroded by water crashing against the rock or as a result of wind erosion. These impressive formations are intricately created by nature only through time, tide and wind. Here are 10 famous sea stack formations from around the World.
1. Dun Briste, Ireland
Dun Briste, a spectacular sea-stack, estimated to be approximately 50 metres (165ft) in height, stands 80 metres (260ft) off Downpatrick Head, in the town-land of Knockaun, east of Ballycastle, Ireland.
Downpatrick Head is where the Atlantic has gouged a huge bay from the
mighty cliffs and their summits scoured of all vegetation except grass
by the ceaseless ocean winds.
Each year, Downpatrick is frequented by birdwatchers,
who come to observe and record the many different species which take up
positions on the stratified face of the stack as the seasons change. In
May and early June, the headland itself is a blaze of colour when the
sea-pink comes into bloom.Link
2. Sail Rock, Russia
Sail Rock is a natural sandstone monolith located on the shore of the Black Sea, in Krasnodar Krai, Russia.
It resembles the outline of a ship’s sail, hence its name. The monolith
lies 17 km (10.5mi) to the southeast of Gelendzhik, near the village of
Praskoveyevka (which is about 500 meters (1,650ft) from the coast) and
the farmstead of Dzhankhot (approximately twice that distance from the
coast).Map
3. Old Man of Hoy, Scotland, UK
The stack is probably less than 400 years old and may not get much older, as there are indications that it may soon collapse. On maps drawn between 1600 and 1750, the area appears as a headland with no sea stack. William Daniell,
a landscape painter, sketched the sea stack in 1817 as a wider column
with a smaller top section and an arch at the base, from which it
derived its name. A print of this drawing is still available in local
museums. Sometime in the early 19th century, a storm washed away one of
the legs leaving it much as it is today, although erosion continues. Map
4. Risin og Kellingin, Faroe Islands
Risin og Kellingin (Risin and Kellingin) are two sea stacks just off the northern coast of the island of Eysturoy in the Faroe Islands
close to the town of Eiði. The name Risin og Kellingin means The Giant
and the Witch and relates to an old legend about their origins. The Giant (Risin) is the 71m (233ft) stack further from the coast, and the witch (Kellingin) is the 68m (223ft) pointed stack nearer land, standing with her legs apart.Link
The stacks can be viewed by walking north from Eiði
then turning east towards the coast and following the low cliffs for a
short way. Other good views can be had on a clear day from Tjørnuvík on the island of Streymoy. Faroese geologists predict that Kellingin,
which currently stands on two legs, will fall into the sea sometime in
the next few decades during the winter storms. Already part of the stack
broke off at the beginning of the twentieth century.Map
5. Ko Tapu, Thailand
Ko Tapu is a limestone rock about 20 metres (66 ft)
tall with the diameter increasing from about 4 metres (13 ft) near the
water level to about 8 metres (26 ft) at the top. It lies about 40
metres (130 ft) to the west from the northern part of Khao Phing Kan (a pair of islands on the west coast of Thailand). Link
6. Ball’s Pyramid, Australia
In 2001, a large species of insect commonly known as a tree lobster or Lord Howe Island stick insect was discovered clinging to the stack eighty years after it was believed to have gone extinct. Rats introduced to the larger islands are to blame for the six-inch insect’s demise. Scientists captured several insects to breed, which they finally did successfully, and may be introduced to the mainland. Link1, Link2, Map
7. Kicker Rock, Galapagos, Ecuador
Kicker Rock, also called the Sleeping Lion is a rocky formation and popular dive destination on the western side of Isla San Cristobal, the easternmost island in the Galápagos archipelago. Link
8. Old Harry Rocks, UK
The Old Harry Rocks are two chalk stacks located on the Dorset coast in the south of England.
The rocks mark the eastern end of the Jurassic Coast. The cliffs here
are mainly made up of chalk, with some bands of flint within them.
The sea stacks are continuously being eroded by the sea and are therefore an ever-changing feature. In the 18th century, people could still walk from the mainland to Old Harry, which is the stack at the end nearest to the sea.
9. The Twelve Apostles, Australia
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The Twelve Apostles is a collection of limestone stacks off the shore of the Port Campbell National Park, by the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia. Their proximity to one another has made the site a popular tourist attraction. Tourism activities
(including helicopter tours) are conducted from a visitor centre,
situated on the inland side of the Great Ocean Road; with parking and
viewing areas. Parks Victoria classifies the structure as nationally
significant, with the area being one of Victoria's major tourist
features; attracting approximately two million visitors a year. Parks Victoria was responsible for the construction of board-walks, tracks, and viewing areas. Link
10. Tri Brata, Russia
The name is Russian which literally means "Three Brothers". Legend has it that three brothers who went to defend a town from a tsunami turned into pillars of stone. Link
The link to all of these wonderful and informative articles is Link
Until we meet again,
Claudia
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