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Waterside Waistline

2025-04-06 By Roger Edwards

Waterside Waistline
Formed and shaped by water throughout its history, southern Thailand’s Ko Rang Nok forms a splendid island example of the area’s characteristic tower karst. Here, warm “golden hour” light bathes the island, shortly after sunrise.  Reef limestones in the Permian Ratburi Formation, similar in age and development processes as the rock around Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico, likewise have developed numerous caves and caverns in their millions of years above sea level, while also differentially eroding softer parts away in the tropical maritime climate here.  “Maritime” also explains why karst towers facing the ocean (as islands or on the mainland) have “waistlines” just above the usual waterline.  Saltwater wave action atop the ebb and advance of tides adds erosive forces not present above, causing both the overhang around the island’s lower edge and the small sand beach on its right (northeast) side.  Underwater waistlines from times of lower sea level may exist too, hidden in younger sediment.  As outer-edge limestone wears, it spalls off and plunges into the water, causing sharp-edged overhangs such as visible on the lower near side of the eastern, higher tower.  Where legally permitted, and the surface stone is not too loose, these formations are popular for rock climbing.

Phra Nang Beach, Thailand (2 Feb 25) Looking WNW
8.0046, 98.8402

 

Filed Under: Water Works Tagged With: Andaman Sea, Asia, cirrus, clouds, geology, Indian Ocean, Krabi, landscapes, mountains, ocean, reflectives, seashores, Thailand, waterscapes

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About

Welcome to SkyPix, an online photo book of clouds, weather and water by Roger Edwards. As in a printed coffee-table book, every image has its own page with a unique story. After all, meaningful photography is much more than just picture-taking; it is visually rendering a moment in place and time from a perspective like none other. As a scientist and an artist, I hope my deep passion for the power and splendor of our skies and waters shines through in these pages. If you are a cloud and weather aficionado, outdoor enthusiast, outdoor or nature photographer, art lover, or anyone who craves learning, enjoy...

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Further images from this photographer may be found at:
Roger Edwards Image of the Week
Roger Edwards Digital Galleries
Storms Observed Chase BLOG

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