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Staffa - or Goodbye North America


Staffa - or Goodbye North America
Photo Information
Copyright: James Parker (Jamesp) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1252 W: 0 N: 4842] (14380)
Genre: Landscapes
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-05-27
Categories: Seascape
Camera: Canon 1D Mark II, Canon 24-70 mm f 2,8 L-USM
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/125 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Date Submitted: 2007-05-21 16:11
Viewed: 604
Points: 18
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
For an explanation of the title, read the last paragraph. I took this and the workshop picture on a boat trip to Staffa and the Treshnish Islands. So, as usual, conditions were not perfect – rocky boat and bright, but overcast sky.

Staffa (Old Norse for stave or pillar island) is an island of the Inner Hebrides in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The Vikings gave it this name as its columnar basalt reminded them of their houses, which were built from vertically placed tree-logs.

Staffa lies about 10 kilometres (6 mi) west of the Isle of Mull. The area is 33 hectares and the highest point is 42 metres (135 ft) above sea level.

The island came to prominence in the late eighteenth century after a visit by Sir Joseph Banks. He and his fellow travellers extolled the natural beauty of the basalt columns in general and of the island's main sea cavern which Banks re-named 'Fingal's Cave'. The most famous feature on Staffa. This is a huge sea cave near the southern tip of the island some 20 m high and 75 m long formed in cliffs of hexagonal basalt columns. This cliff-face is called the Colonnade or The Great Face and it was these cliffs and its caves that inspired Felix Mendelssohn's Die Hebriden (English: Hebrides Overture opus 26), which was premiered in London in 1832. The original gaelic name for Fingal's Cave is An Uamh Bhin - 'the melodious cave' - but it was subsequently renamed after the 3rd century Irish warrior Fionn MacCool. Mendelssohn was nonetheless inspired by the sound of the waves in the cave and waxed lyrical about his visit, claiming that he arrived in Scotland: "with a rake for folk-songs, an ear for the lovely, fragrant countryside, and a heart for the bare legs of the natives.

Staffa is entirely of volcanic origin. It consists of a basement of tuff, underneath colonnades of a black fine-grained Tertiary basalt, overlying which is a third layer of basaltic lava lacking a crystalline structure. By contrast, slow cooling of the second layer of basalt resulted in an extraordinary pattern of predominantly hexagonal columns which form the faces and walls of the principal caves. The lava contracted towards each of a series of equally spaced centres as it cooled and solidified into prismatic columns. The columns typically have three to eight sides, six being the modal number. The columns are also divided horizontally by cross joints. Similar formations are found at the Giant's Causeway In Ireland, on the island of Ulva and Ardmeanach on the Isle of Mull. Grooves in the roof of MacKinnon's cave indicate either a pyroclastic flow or a series of eroded ash falls in the rock above the columnar basalt. The 'Staffa Group' is the name given to the series of olivine tholeiite basalts found in the vicinity of Mull which erupted 55-58 million years ago.

The most important fact, however, is that the volcanic activity was due to the opening of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the separation of Eurasia and North America. Originally, the Appalachians formed a continuous – much higher mountain range, with the mountains of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Norway.
nglen, horia, garyfudge, deblink, gypsygirl58 has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1991 W: 5 N: 5557] (20998)
  • [2007-05-21 16:16]

Hi James. they say the old one are the best. well this is a great seascape.the rocks look like tree big cakes.good shot under the conditions. well done TFS.
Nick.

  • Great 
  • horia Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2082 W: 216 N: 3759] (12474)
  • [2007-05-21 16:21]

Hi James

I see you've been very busy posting these past few days while i was gone :) I'm affraid it's quite impossible to critique all lovely photos i've missed, but i will tell you that i had a look at them and i liked them all, particularly "Strangler Fig - Biological Weathering" :)

This, too, is a lovely landscape and again one with stunning textures.
The difference here between the layers are amazing and so very clear!
The POV is very good as well as the contrast and natural colors. Also, good manage of the exposure.
The workshop photo is just as beautiful to say the least :)

Bravo and TFS
horia

Hi James,

can I say, I prefer the workshop image. it gives a lovely full impression of this magnificent island.
I lived on Barra for three years and really love the Isles.
You certainly went out on a very calm day!

TFS

Gary

Hi James

I love the effect that basalt gives and I do believe that these columns date back to the same period as the giants causeway on the north west tip of Ireland.

I have to agree with Gary on this one though in that I prefer the workshop posting.

Regards
Paul

What amazing formations were caused by the volcanic activity in this area James. A very interesting composition and considering that the boat was being tossed around a bit you did very well. Very nice indeed.
Cheers,
Debbie

Hi James,
Wow, interesting looking rock formations, great notes! Wonderful sharpness and details really showing the different layers of rock. Well done and TFS
Cheers Tina :-)

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2007-05-21 23:50]

Hello James

They look like giant cupcakes or muffins.I really like the composition.This is a unique place on earth.Well focused,with very good exposure.Very well photographed under difficult conditions.TFS

Rob

  • Great 
  • PaulH Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1033 W: 26 N: 2998] (10820)
  • [2007-05-22 3:56]

Hi James,

impressive basalt pillars, i've wanted to these for some time now1 There's very similar formations on the north east tip of Skye too. I think the workshop compliments the orginal nicely, putting it in context. Great stuff...

Paul

  • Great 
  • delic Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 530 W: 6 N: 340] (936)
  • [2007-05-23 16:58]

Hi James,
Obviously a very tough photo to make. It's very interesting and educational with the note. Perfect for TN. Regards,
Hakan

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