34 02' 96 N
119 43' 61 W

Pelican Bay is a well known area on the northern side of the island. It is found on the portion of the island that was acquired by the Nature Conservancy. A permit is required to land on the island. There is a hiking trail that leads from Pelican Bay to Prisoners Harbor.

Constant wave activity batters the coastline. Small waves deposit or remove particles of sand and gravel bit by bit. The larger, stronger winter storm waves and high tides cause the most cliff and coastal retreat. In the images below, the weaker areas of the cliffs have been carved out by the waves. These areas are weak because there may be fractures, joints or faults within the cliff rock. Furthermore, the rock itself may be made of a softer sedimentary or less consolidated material.

Wave scouring occurs when the waves contact the cliffs and cause sand removal or erosion. When the weight of the cliff becomes too much for the weakened base to bear, the top collapses as seen in the picture below.

Click on a thumbnail photo to view a full screen image.

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