The Razorback
Along the ridge, the sharp edges and bumps are caused by wind-blown spray, which hardens small areas of rock. The softer rock around these erodes away, leaving an uneven surface.
Wave energy channelled along the sides of the stack carves the deep smooth grooves just above sea level. With one wave every 14 seconds, there's a lot of erosion over a year, century or millennium.
The Razorback once extended much further out to sea. The force of the waves gradually eroded and undercut the base of the stack. Vertical cracks such as that clearly visible towards the outer end, were widened by rainwater, forming a line of weakness. Huge blocks of rock then collapsed into the sea, leaving rock shelf just under the sea's surface.
The Razorback
Along the ridge, the sharp edges and bumps are caused by wind-blown spray, which hardens small areas of rock. The softer rock around these erodes away, leaving an uneven surface.
Wave energy channelled along the sides of the stack carves the deep smooth grooves just above sea level. With one wave every 14 seconds, there's a lot of erosion over a year, century or millennium.
The Razorback once extended much further out to sea. The force of the waves gradually eroded and undercut the base of the stack. Vertical cracks such as that clearly visible towards the outer end, were widened by rainwater, forming a line of weakness. Huge blocks of rock then collapsed into the sea, leaving rock shelf just under the sea's surface.