This image may seem like just another pretty picture of Big Sur, California. But look closer. California is know for, among other things, its amazing coastline. I have driven along the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) and have been in awe of the beauty of this scenic part of the world. I never really thought much about what I was seeing. I just thought it was pretty.

The California coast is what one calls an erosional coast. With this type comes things that Californians have come to expect. Sea Cliffs and Wave-Cut Platforms (flat surfaces at the base of Sea Cliffs) are a favorite photo op for the masses. Sea Stacks, those large rock protrusions out in the water, are easily visible from beyond the beach, and, if you are lucky, you will be able to see erosion turn those stacks into Arches. Sea Caves are popular places to explore, but be careful. People have drowned after getting trapped on the wrong side of the tide!

While California is known for its rocky erosional coasts, there is another type you may have heard of. Depositional Coasts only make up about 30% of Earth's coastlines. These are the "beaches" people think about when they picture going to, well, the beach. The sand you put your towel down on to get that nice sunburn you are just asking for, that's depositional you are lying on. I mention Calcium Carbonate in SLO4, but it is an interesting mineral. In this case, it is what makes up those white sandy beaches you see on TV. Those are the beaches you mortgage your house to visit. Think sediment over rock (SLO1).

Works Cited

Image from https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=Awr9FqqaTrFhFgoAXFpuHmVH;_ylu=c2VjA2ZwLWF0dHJpYgRzbGsDcnVybA--/RV=2/RE=1639038746/RO=11/RU=https%3a%2f%2fdiscovery.cathaypacific.com%2fin-search-of-henry-millers-bohemian-legacy-in-big-sur%2f/RK=2/RS=ECAbR3vUUVz9Bga_Q_cc1QeUG8k-

Miracosta. "Erosional Coastal Landforms or Features", Geosciences, 14 Feb, 2021, https://geo.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Oceanography/Oceanography_101_(Miracosta)/12%3A_Coasts/12.04%3A_Erosional_Coastal_Landforms_(on_Secondary_Coastlines)

Textbook Webb Chapter 13 Coastal Oceanography

Terms like Rogue Wave, Tsunami, and Storm Surge are commonly used in films. But what are they?

Waves are more complex then you may know. First of all, there are many different types. Internal waves, for instance, are not visible from the surface. You read that right, waves below the surface. Cool, huh? These waves are caused by two masses of water with different densities hit each other and churns things up.

Tidal waves are really cool. Actually, they are giant, long waves that possibly span half the planet. Tsunamis (different from tidal waves) are massive waves triggered by seismic events or earthquakes. This is why they are also referred to as seismic sea waves. Japan, an island country that sits at the intersection of three convergent plates (Eurasian, Philippine, and Pacific), are known for intense earthquakes and thus their tsunami problem.

There are also splash waves. This happens when something splashes into the water causing waves (I know, it sounds a little too obvious).

Most waves are generated by wind. Have you ever seen water ripple in the wind. Those are called Capillary Waves. Don't forget that the harder the wind blows the stronger and larger the waves can be. This leads me to a term I needed to mention. Fetch* is "the distance over which the wind blows across the water in the same direction" (Webb Ch. 10).

*Side Note: For the movie junkies out there who saw the word Fetch and instantly went to "Mean Girls"...I went there too.

Waves can be created in different ways, and come in different types and sizes. The next time you see the waves crashing on the shore, maybe ask yourself, "What type am I looking at?"

Works Cited

Textbook Webb Chapter 10 Waves

What most people already know is that when the water is high up on the beach, it is high tide, and when the water level is low and out to sea it is low tide. But why does this happen?

Our planet has something that is really important and cool. It has our moon. Not only is is beautiful and a Hollywood favorite, but it is also responsible for our tides. The gravitational pull of the moon pulls at the water on both sides of the planet, causing the water to bulge (high tide). Earth rotates, so as your coast rotates through this area the tide will come in, and it will go out as you leave the area. The areas of the planet not experiencing these bulges is where low tide occurs. The technical term for this is tidal force. The side where the moon is will have the strongest pull and the side directly opposite from the moon is the weakest. This is important to remember.

This system is not perfect however. Because of the seven land masses that get in the way (continents), it's not quite that perfect and precise. When there is a full or new moon and the Earth Sun and Moon all line up, you will see the strongest and most extreme high and low tides.

Wind and weather systems can also effect the tides. Stronger winds offshore can exaggerate low tide, and storms like hurricanes can cause more dangerous high tides.

Works Cited

"What Causes Tides?" SciJinks, https://scijinks.gov/tides/#:~:text=The%20Short%20Answer%3A%20High%20and%20low%20tides%20are,moon%20and%20the%20side%20farthest%20from%20the%20moon.