please join me as we leave behind the clearly defined, recognizable shadows of a world dominated by human activity and enter a more enchanted terrain to be fascinated by an endless array of intricate patterns of ancient yet ever changing light and dark created by nature alone
these shadows are from where the glacial moraine meets the sea at Mølen which is one of several parts of Gea Norvegica Geopark in southeastern Norway.
glaciers are flowing rivers of ice which grow larger under cold and snow rich conditions and shrink when the climate warms, or there is less snowfall or both. as the glacier flows and grows it pushes everything in it's way forward and under the ice.
over millenia the rocks grind against the ice and each other to eventually become amazingly smooth and rounded. the glacier that covered this area receded at the end of the last ice age, leaving behind this awesome area of rocks on the seashore.
for centuries the sea continued to grind the stones even smoother. as the heavy ice receded the landmass rose to reach the present day level. while these stones are on dry land the moraine continues under water.
in the low winter sun the rounded shapes cast complex shadows with intricate designs compounded by the seemingly random positions of the stones
everywhere one looks patches of light and shadow are intermixed in endless
variety
the geometry of how shadows obtain their shape on a flat surface is quite straightforward, but these shadows are cast onto an uneven 3 dimensional surface of great complexity. predicting the shadow's shape would be a challenge to even an accomplished geometrist,
but for a shadow hunter the challenge is to stop searching for and photographing the new designs which appear everywhere you look
not only are the sizes and shapes different but the colors and mineralization reveal the many different types of rocks piled in this one place have astoundingly widespread places of origin which make Mølen a true geological wonder
but you don't have to be a shadow hunter or a geology buff to appreciate the beauty of this park. it's also an important historical site and the surrounding area is an important stopover for migrating birds before and after crossing the sea.
in winter pools of ice form among the stones so the few visitors that come can view a delightful feature which the flocks of summer tourists miss out on.
so if you are ever anywhere near consider visiting this unique site and experience the magic
i have taken all these photos on february 10 2021 with my lumix fx300