The Fen

[gf beranek]

8-30-09 It was a cool, foggy and blustery Sunday morning on the coast. Terri and I got up early, had breakfast and then went for a ride to Westport and took pictures along the way. We stopped at Chadburn Gulch and was treated to a spectacular view of the morning sun breaking over the mountains and burning off the fog. Chadburn Gulch is always a great photo opportunity.

On the way back from Westport we stopped in Inglenook and hiked across the dunes to see the Fen. The hike was short. Only about 3 miles round trip, but the dunes being mostly soft sand, and at angles of repose, made it feel much longer and strenuous.

The Fen is a curiosity here because as a shallow body of water in the middle of the dunes, only about 30 feet deep, it should have filled in years ago, but it continues to maintain its depth. The winds forever blow the sand from the dunes into the Fen and yet it persists. Theories abound over where the sand goes but neither have really answered the question to satisfaction. And so the Fen remains a curiosity.

 

[Blinky]

Nice place. Walking in loose sand is like walking x3.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I don't get it.

I wonder how it got that name?

 

[gf beranek]

Don't know the origins of the word, Butch, but the def is;

A fen is a type of wetland fed by surface and/or groundwater. Fens are characterized by their water chemistry, which is neutral or alkaline. Fens are different from bogs, which are acidic, fed primarily by rainwater (ombrotrophic) and often dominated by Sphagnum mosses.

 

[OTGBOSTON]

There is an area of Boston knowns as 'the fens'. Pretty sure thats why the ballpark is called Fenway....

 

[gf beranek]

How about that. Now every time I hear of the park or a fen I'll always think of the two.

 

[Knotahippie]

Cool spot Gerry, kind of reminds me of some parts of Pt. Reyes St. park.

Very nice.

 

[gf beranek]

Never been to Point Reyes by land route but have by sea going vessel, so I didn't have the chance to go inland, but I could see how these fens could be common place there.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Surprised that there are no birds in Jerry's photo of the Fen. It looks like a place where they would like to chill.

Once lived in Pt. Reyes Station, just off the main street, then later moved up to Marshall, a neat place. I loved rowing around the Tamales Bay. Isn't that Davey Tree Service area...I seem to recall seeing their trucks?

 

[gf beranek]

Indeed it is, Jay. I was hoping for a photo-op of the many species of water foul that congregate there, but it just didn't happen that day. Just the time of year I guess.

In a couple of months migration will be going strong and might be a good time to go. Though the fen is so small it possibly couldn't attract many numbers during the nesting seasons.

 

[Paul B]

. Isn't that Davey Tree Service area...I seem to recall seeing their trucks?

Dude, they are everywhere.... http://twitter.com/DaveyTree

 

[woodworkingboy]

Wow, never knew they were such a big outfit.

 

[Frans]

'fen', 'angles of repose'. My my Ger, quite the wordsmith today.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Frans, ya think Jerry could write testimonials on grave markers? Make anybody seem like a dandy person.

 

[gf beranek]

The angle of repose is different for all alluvial fans depending on whether the material is fine, course, wet or dry. Transported by gravity, wind, water or earthquake.

There's some actual data on it all. Though too much to elaborate on here.

Walking on loose sand deposited at the angle of repose is a MF!

 

[treesandsurf]

Man I love the Northern California coastline, so raw and powerful and beautiful. Thanks for sharing the pics Jerry.

jp

 

[Paul B]

The angle of repose is different for all alluvial fans depending on whether the material is fine, course, wet or dry. Transported by gravity, wind, water or earthquake.

There's some actual data on it all. Though too much to elaborate on here.

Walking on loose sand deposited at the angle of repose is a MF!

LOL, yeah, what He said! hahahaha

 

[vharrison]

Dude, they are everywhere.... http://twitter.com/DaveyTree

That is what I was thinking!

Gerry, very cool, thanks for sharing!

 

[stehansen]

Angle of repose (rest): maximum angle at which loose material, such as talus or sand, is stable. For sand, angle of repose is 30-34¾.

 

[Bodean]

Pt. Reyes is an awesome little National Park.

Marshall has an outstanding hole in the wall fish shack. With Beer.

I'd love to live out there, though it's tough to make too much money there.


Tomales bay is a shark tank.