A Rocky Beach near Portland Bill

December 18, 2013December 18, 2013

A Rocky Beach near Portland Bill

Beach stones with holes, tunnels, and burrows, made by marine invertebrates such as bivalve molluscs, worms, and sponges, are a common find on British beaches – and the seashores around the Isle of Portland are no exception.

As well as the small-scale evidence for damage to the Upper Jurassic Limestone rocks by various sea creatures, you can also see large scale evidence for the extensive quarrying of the stone on the seashore. At this particular spot, the vertical face of the cliff, and the flat rock platform at its base, show tool marks where the blocks of stone were removed and transferred to boats for transport around the country. Portland Stone is a famous building stone of great quality used in some of the finest architecture of Great Britain.

A pair of gulls on a flat-topped rock outcrop surrounded by sea

Wave-worn limestone outcrops among pebbles on the beach

Looking upshore over limestone outcropping amongst pebbles to quarried cliff face on the beach

Seaweed, pebbles, and limestone on the seashore

Limestone outcrop on beach showing network pattern of furrows.

Low tide exposure of Fucoid seaweed growing on limestone

Close-up of a cobble-size beach stone with holes made by sea creatures

Cobble-size beach stone with holes made by sea creatures

Pebbles on the beach, including many with holes made by marine invertebrates.

Close-up of possible damage by seashore creatures on limestone

Close-up of a smooth limestone outcrop on lower shore with small marine worm burrows

A pair of seagulls enjoying the view out to sea

Dried seaweed on pebbles at the beach

Quarried cliff face on the Isle of Portland

Smooth limestone outcrop on lower shore with small marine worm burrows

Cobble-sized limestone boulder on the beach with marine worm burrows.

Smooth limestone outcropping amongst pebbles low on the seashore.

Quarried cliff face on the Isle of Portland

COPYRIGHT JESSICA WINDER 2013

All Rights Reserved

3 Replies to “A Rocky Beach near Portland Bill”

Amanda says:

December 20, 2013 at 8:14 pm

Great post and enjoyed looking at the photos…..

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winderjssc says:

December 20, 2013 at 8:31 pm

Thank you, Amanda.

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Pingback: Common Piddocks – rock-boring molluscs | Jessica's Nature Blog

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