The geology along this coastline is unique to Portugal.
The cliffs and eroded rock formations that jut out of the sea here, are what make the area truly beautiful. A few days ago, we hiked around the massive headland these formations encircle, so it was intriguing today, to enjoy them from sea level.
The photos needed to be published as X-Large!
For those who may be interested, this is what Wikipedia says about the Geology ...
' The Algarve stands out as unique stratigraphic and morpho-tectonicregion. A peripheral Carboniferous unit of the Variscan orogeny, it constitutes the Mesozoic and Cenozoic sedimentary layers, deposited onto two totally distinct superimposed basins. Between the Middle-Upper Triassic to Hettangian, sediments evolved from continental (fluvial red sandstone) to shallow marine over the entire region, which included instances of evaporates, tholeiite fissural magmas, lava flows, volcanic ash and pyroclasts. ' ... Who Knew!
' The Algarve stands out as unique stratigraphic and morpho-tectonicregion. A peripheral Carboniferous unit of the Variscan orogeny, it constitutes the Mesozoic and Cenozoic sedimentary layers, deposited onto two totally distinct superimposed basins. Between the Middle-Upper Triassic to Hettangian, sediments evolved from continental (fluvial red sandstone) to shallow marine over the entire region, which included instances of evaporates, tholeiite fissural magmas, lava flows, volcanic ash and pyroclasts. ' ... Who Knew!
And, My Observations, for what they're worth ...
The rock is clearly, 'water and salt eroded and ocean wind-whipped' ... and yet, some of this landscape also reminded me of the red rock formations in Utah, USA and other parts resembled the wonderful hoodoo shapes in Alberta, Canada ... it's all sort of, a mixture of sedimentary rocks and clays, that mimic and combine the geology from both those regions of North America but have been detailed by centuries of relentless salt and wind exposure.
The cliffs are multi-hued; from the water line up, the colour transitions are not consistent. They graduate through deep purples & charcoals, through other grays - dark browns - reddish browns - various other browns - all the beiges - then creams - sometimes yellows and pale whites near the top. These are the kinds of rocks that are worn by the Atlantic Oceans' winds and waves into weird and wonderful shapes. I know these cliff faces will slowly and surely collapse into the sea, but that will happen over hundreds or thousands of years!
The sky colour stays fairly consistent though; the water varies through the blue/green palette, from shallow shoreline torquoises to the deeper ocean marine aquas.
The cliffs are multi-hued; from the water line up, the colour transitions are not consistent. They graduate through deep purples & charcoals, through other grays - dark browns - reddish browns - various other browns - all the beiges - then creams - sometimes yellows and pale whites near the top. These are the kinds of rocks that are worn by the Atlantic Oceans' winds and waves into weird and wonderful shapes. I know these cliff faces will slowly and surely collapse into the sea, but that will happen over hundreds or thousands of years!
The sky colour stays fairly consistent though; the water varies through the blue/green palette, from shallow shoreline torquoises to the deeper ocean marine aquas.
Crusty ... a stunning landscape; a place where the photos do not do justice!
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