For those of you who have been following this blog for a while, I’m sure you were expecting to see an underwater shot from one of my scuba adventures. Surprise! I decided to take this challenge in a totally different direction! You see, I’ve been visiting Moab, Utah for the past few days and when I learned of this week’s challenge, I thought it might be more appropriate to share a photo from this beautiful place.
The challenge is to share something about the sea. So what does a photo of red rock cliffs in the desert have to do with the sea? Well, millions of years ago, Utah was covered by an inland sea. The sediment from that large body of water produced the raw materials for the sandstone that you see here. A geological journey through time, the red rock canyons throughout southern Utah tell the story of those inland seas, their ebbs and flows, and of the life that thrived in and near those waters. One can see dinosaur tracks, dinosaur bones embedded in rock, petrified wood and the evidence of the silt deposited in the multicolored layers of rock here.
This shot was taken this morning from Cane Creek Road looking west across the Colorado River to the rock walls on the other side.
To learn more about the Weekly Photo Challenge, click here.
Beautiful!
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Thanks, Russ! And thanks for stopping by!
Cathy
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This is simply beautiful and reflective Cathy ! I love the red rocks although I have never been to Utah only Arizona !
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Thank you, Kathryn! You would love Utah, especially the National Parks in the southern part of the state. Stunning views in all directions!
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I hope to get there one day!
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Beautiful photo – I like the way you interpreted the topic 🙂
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Thanks, Lorraine! I did it for two reasons: 1) I wanted to share this shot and, 2) I’m still in Moab and my underwater files are on a hard drive at home! 🙂
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Like this interesting take on the challenge…and so beautiful too!
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Interesting story. Beautiful, vivid picture. Always a pleasure Cathy. Cheers!
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Cheers to you, Audra! Hope you’re having a great holiday weekend!
Cathy
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Thanks, Georgia. It’s so beautiful in Moab and I was very lucky to be driving down the road by the river just as the sun hit the rocks! Timing is everything!
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Carpe diem, our best friend!
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[…] http://largeself.com/2013/08/30/weekly-photo-challenge-sea/ […]
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I thought you were going to say it was taken in Jordan! Interesting to see this kind of landscape in America.
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I’ve heard of the wonderful sandstone formations in Jordan, Laura. But, yes, these were taken in Utah in the American Southwest. There is a very large area in about four states of the this region that have red sandstone rock formations.
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There is such a huge variety of landscapes in America. Sometimes you just focus on the political comings and going in America and forget how beautiful it is.
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You got the perfect time of day, with light and shade, but the lower part of that rock-face, so smooth as if it is part of the water, creating that ambiguity, delights me.
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Thank you, Clare! What’s interesting about the shot is the middle dark area is formed from shadows from the tall rocks on the east side of the river and just catching the base of the ones in view here. It was delightful to see it and to be able to capture it!
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What an unexpected response to the challenge. I really enjoyed reading it.
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Thank you, Suzanne!
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I love this Cathy..and took it in another direction entirely..The sky represented the sea – in its calmest, bluest and most expansive glory. The juxtaposition of the red rocks (land) and the sea – it was perfect. Goes to show what I know – not! 😉 But I loved it!
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Thanks you, Mimi. I love your interpretation and I, too, thought about the blue of the sky and how it reminded me of the sea. You’re so funny! Of course, every artist hopes that her work inspires others to fill in their own story. Believe me it’s a huge compliment. I also thought about the mighty Colorado river and her return to the sea… 🙂
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[…] Weekly Photo Challenge – Sea « LargeSelf […]
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[…] Weekly Photo Challenge – Sea « LargeSelf […]
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[…] Weekly Photo Challenge – Sea « LargeSelf […]
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Love the unexpected direction of meeting the challenge … and the red rock with the clear, blue sky is stunning.
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Thanks, Frank. The complimentary colors of red/orange against the blue really does make those rocks pop! I think that’s part of the reason it is so stunning in Moab.
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an undersea photo where I would not drown! beautiful
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Cool! Glad to accommodate, LouAnn! 🙂
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http://2013weeklyphotochallenge.wordpress.com/ Cathy, this is such a great photo, you made the challenge a real beauty this week. The sky really is beautiful.
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Thanks so much, Jackie!
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Very nice surprise! Great photo.
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Thanks, Amy!
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[…] Weekly Photo Challenge – Sea « LargeSelf […]
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I did indeed expect one of your diving shots… but love what you did instead! The colors are bold and powerful, and the reflection of stone in water is so seductive. Nice job!
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Thank you, Dawn. That reflection really caught my eye as we drove down the Colorado River Canyon! I was so glad we stopped! It was early morning and the perfect time for these.
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[…] Weekly Photo Challenge – Sea « LargeSelf […]
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[…] Weekly Photo Challenge – Sea « LargeSelf […]
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Thank you so much to bring the story about the read rocks – I think it is a marvellous photo – and very greatful to learn something new. Thank you so much
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Thank you, Mariane for your lovely comment! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Cathy
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Beautiful photo! Interestingly, I just bought something called a Moqui Marble recently, which is a round concretion of hematite and sandstone from Utah. Have you seen these before? They have a lovely energy and are referred to as “Shaman Stones.”
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I haven’t heard of Moqui Marble, Jennifer. I will keep a lookout for it! We did go to a great rock shop today. My sister is visiting and she is here with Peter and I. We’re having a great time. Becky is a bead artist and owns a bead store in Georgia. She also does lapidary work and I’ll ask her about the marble. It sounds beautiful!
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They’re kind of odd looking, actually, but they do have a wonderful energy.
Check out this Wikipedia article, which discusses the marbles about halfway down.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navajo_Sandstone
There’s a lot of other information about their metaphysical properties online.
I’m sure you could find some while you’re there, if you like them. You’re certainly in the right spot!
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Thanks, Jennifer! Now that I know what they look like, I’ll keep my eyes out for them! I suspect the rock shop here in Moab has them.
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Picture perfect Cathy.
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Thanks, V! Hope you’re having a nice holiday weekend.
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Great photo. To me it looked eerily similar to the mountain and wadi landscape which one finds in Oman.
Shakti
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Thanks, Shakti. I’ve heard of the beauty of Oman and someone else here mentioned similar landscapes also in Jordan. Similar geological conditions there as here in the American Southwest, I suspect. Welcome, and thank you for your comment!
Cathy
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Insanely clever, Cathy.
Well done!
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Thank you, Robert!
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Gorgeous pic, Cathy! As usual. You are so talented! 🙂
XOXO
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Thanks so much, Crystal!
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Love the details in the picture. Geology is so interesting – history in rocks – ready to be read. Thanks for the viewing of time
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Thanks so much, Phil! You’re so right about the history in rocks. Whenever I visit this area, I find myself wishing I had a Geology degree!
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Beautiful image. We have some similar areas here, with rocky peaks of the same color.
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Thank you, Shimon. Yes, I’ve seen a few photos of the red rock formations in your region. I love the complimentary colors – red/orange rocks against a blue sky. The rocks seem to make the sky seem ever bluer!
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[…] Weekly Photo Challenge – Sea « LargeSelf […]
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Cathy … Off topic … Just so you don’t miss this one. http://afrankangle.wordpress.com/2013/09/03/on-satire-bits-vol-70/
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