The Jurassic Coast

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The Jurassic Coast video shows the geological values and beauty of this part of the UK coastline. Stretching from Exmouth in Devon in the west to Studland in Dorset in the east, it is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as the "Dorset and East Devon Coast," though it is commonly referred to as the "Jurassic Coast." It reveals the full extent of the Mesozoic era—185 million years from 250 million years ago to 65 million years ago. From west to east, cliffs line the landscape with rock formations from the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods. It's worth revisiting my Facebook post from August 18, 2022, and   / 16igfw1ndf   While admiring the cliffs of East Zealand, Denmark, it's worth visiting Stevns Klint (also a UNESCO site), where the iridium-rich Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary layer is clearly visible to the naked eye. This layer is the "smoking gun" left by the asteroid that wiped out the entire Mesozoic dinosaur world.

Returning to the Jurassic Coast – through its geology it offers an incredible experience as far as the landscape is concerned. The red rock formations of the Triassic, mainly sandstones and mudstones, are truly red, and because they are soft and therefore easily washed away by water, the sea beneath them is also red. In contrast, the almost snow-white cliffs of the Cretaceous, composed of rock formations named chalk, rise above the turquoise sea. The Mesozoic rocks – entirely sedimentary – are soft, so erosion occurs easily, creating niches, caves, tunnels, or even stacks separated from the coast. However, if these are not "strongly" metamorphosed formations – such as shales, etc. – approaching, or even worse, paddling into, is not a good idea – they are very unstable and easily lead to landslides.

The Jurassic Coast is also a historically important site. It has significantly contributed to the proper understanding of time and geology. To keep this post short and to the point, I'll just mention the legendary Mary Anning from Lyme Regis on the Jurassic Coast, who became famous for her passion for collecting fossils. A paleontologist and discoverer of ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs, pterosaurs, among others, she was underappreciated at the time, because the role of women in science was underappreciated at the time, but it was her work and discoveries that significantly contributed to the transformation of views on Earth's history. The abundance of fossils of now-extinct animals she discovered were the ultimate proof of the theory of species extinction, proposed by Georges Cuvier in the late 18th century. The acceptance of the "extinction" of some species and the creation of new species through evolution, a better understanding of stratigraphy and the genesis of sedimentary rocks – all this began to displace the "biblical theories" that had dominated in the 19th century and gave rise to the fully modern science of geology at the turn of the 20th century.

Strictly speaking, I "paddled" far beyond this section of the English coast, as it stretches for 153km, while I paddled 312km one way – a total of 624km. This clip also lacks "heavier action," to maintain the calm, reflective nature of the presentation, but while there were many days with calm seas, there were also those of the choppy seas. Suffice it to say, I twice rescued myself using self-rescue techniques, and I consider those conditions more challenging than those on The Needles. After these rescues, I continued paddling for many more kilometers – the conditions made landing on the shore impossible. I consider such true self-rescue operations invaluable. They are a huge enrichment of experience and a validation of what I did during training. Had they not been successful, I would have been forced to call for help.


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