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Geology of the Seal Rock Area

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https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/defaults/t722hd73c

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  • Twelve years ago I was new to the Oregon coast and eager to learn about the natural setting. Field guides were available to birds, marine mammals, tide pools, seaweeds, and forest plants. Not so geology. I looked at a field guide to rocks and minerals, but it was hard to connect those photos with the basalt and the bluff I saw at the beach. I wished for a nontechnical book about local landforms to tell me about their origin and age. To my knowledge, that volume still doesn’t exist. This work is one layperson’s attempt to fill the void and share what I’ve learned. I discuss how the sedimentary rocks, basalt, marine terraces and sea cliffs in this area were formed and where they are visible. Also included are sections on paleontology and buried forests. Finally, a discussion of earthquakes and tsunamis looks at evidence of past activity in our locality and how these forces may affect the geomorphology of the coast in the future. Marcel Proust once wrote, “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” Learning local geology has helped me develop a fresh eye to my surroundings and live with greater awareness of the meanings and attachments that connect us to this place, this earth: home. This article is intended for residents and visitors interested in learning more about their surroundings. Geological information can make for dense reading, best absorbed a little at a time. I’ve kept the use of abbreviations and technical language to a minimum. Only four geologic time periods are mentioned frequently: the Oligocene and Miocene for local bedrock and basalt, and the more recent Pleistocene and Holocene for marine terraces and sand dunes. Those who wish to read in greater depth may find the list of references helpful. Since I am not a geologist, I first read popular and scientific works, then communicated with knowledgeable people.
  • Keywords: Geology, Lincoln County, Oregon, Seal Rock, Oregon
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  • Preface 6I. Introduction 7II. Early Origins 10III. Sedimentary Rock 12IV. Basalt at Seal Rock 27V. Other Coastal Basalts 41VI. Paleontology 51VII. Weathering, Erosion, Wave Action 54VIII. Changing Sea Levels 58IX. Marine Terraces, Sea Cliffs and Sand 61X. Buried Forests 73XI. Earthquakes, Tsunamis, Subsidence, Uplift 77XII. The Past Hundred Years 81XIII. The Future 83XIV. References 84
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