perhaps it is a bit out of the ordinary to enter monomad challenge with a post only about stone but these are not ordinary rocks. ancient glaciers have carved and polished the rock smooth making Rakke a delightful place to explore and scramble around .
the wind was moderate and the surf light. the gray sky produced a suitably low contrast of light and shadow on the bare stone.
the elements are constantly at work on the rock creating cracks of different sizes and ages. the dynamic of the toughness and durability of the stone versus the forces of nature and time create a strikingly beautiful and powerful scene
pools of rainwater form in the dips and hollows. the ones closest to the sea get waves or splashes of seawater as well. the shallow ones dry out and leave patches of salt and color while the deeper pools get enough supply to remain year round.
either way algae, grasses and wildflowers grow where water gathers while a variety of lichens thrive on the marvellously sculptured rock surface
the rock is larvikite with occurrences of clearly marked wide veins of pure crystal. the roughness and sharpness of the crystal veins completely contrasts the surrounding smoothly polished stone. here the vein is partially submerged in a pool
while the sea is calm here, on a stormy day sea spray and foam cover the rock making it dangerously slippery.
Stavernsodden lighthouse is on an island about 1.5 km out to sea to the east. i took the image to intentionally make it appear like the lighthouse was on the mainland but if you look closely on the left side of the image you can see that there is a gap between the island and the nearby islet which is a stone's throw (or two) away from land. that gap is the western entrance to the sound between the island and the town of Stavern
there is another group of islands well worth visiting 5 km to the south with rock formations at least as dramatic as here
in this shot i have reduced the contrast to try to make the rocks appear soft and fanciful. the place is indeed fabulous, both powerful and magical
thanks for joining
while i have never previously posted any of these images i have posted in color from this same place and time:
@eolianpariah2/the-rocks-of-rakke-9e712c28a3c73
