OSU Professor of Geology, Alan Niem (aka Captain Niemo), gave a group of Otter Crest owners a geological tour of our beach. I've always wondered what created the many interesting rock formations that make up the beautiful Otter Crest Beach...now, I know...volcanic eruptions from Eastern Oregon, earthquakes, landslides, erosion, and underlying volcanic pressure. Professor Niem explained that the Oregon Coast lays on the edge of the North American Plate, that eventually (sometime between tomorrow and the next 300 years) will cause a huge earthquake (Japan size).
I liked Professor Niem. He loves, loves, loves geology. Looking like a cross between a road crew guy and the nutty professor, with charts tucked under his arm and his pockets full of paper towel wrapped samples, he actually made geology fun. His lecture was peppered with geology jokes...his favorite...when someone would ask..."How old is this rock?"...he'd answer "so and so million years and three days" and he'd laugh and laugh at his own joke. At one point he even pulled out a jar of small rock samples from his backpack. He showed us a red one, telling us it was jasper, and then he popped it in his mouth and chewed it up...it was candy...again he cracked himself up at his own joke.
 |
| Professor Niem starts the tour on the cliff overlooking the beach. He had charts and diagrams galore showing...this guy is passionate about geology...and pretty funny too. |
 |
| Down on the beach, Professor Niem shows us how the cliff formations were made (hardened sand and mud raised through volcanic pressure), and told us where the best place to look for fossils is. |
 |
| Found these fossils...Professor Niem said they were 10 million years and 3 days old. (His favorite joke...everything is millions of years old..plus 3 days.) |
 |
| Professor Niem shows us a crab fossil he found at a beach not too far from ours. |
 |
| The land actually used to go all the way out to Gull Rock (about 1 mile in the distance). Erosion has washed away all the softer soil, leaving Gull Rock, which is made of volcanic rock. |
No comments:
Post a Comment