The Earth Story

Thor's well

While it resembles a bottomless hole draining the sea, and known colloquially as the 'drainpipe of the sea', this hole in the rock is only a few metres deep. The illusion results from a dangerous tidal phenomenon, and is best seen around high tide or during a storm, when waves pound in from the Pacific ocean onto this stretch of the Oregon coast. As the waves hit the rock, they spray upwards in a huge surge known as the Spouting Horn, before crashing into the hole and draining out. Be careful while visiting, as the waves can wash you into the maelstrom, with little chance of survival. The Well is on Cape Perpetua, discovered by Captain James Cook in 1778 while seeking a route from the Pacific to the Atlantic, (the fabled Northwest Passage, that climate change may finally open up for us by melting the sea ice of the northern ocean. The area was long used by Native Americans, whose middens of empty mussel shells testify to their feasts of yesteryear.

Loz

Image credit: Bill Young http://www.amazingplacesonearth.com/thors-well-usa/ http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/thor-s-well https://roadtrippers.com/us/or/nature/thors-well-cape-perpetua

Waves splashing at Thor’s Well, Oregon.

Live shot of Thor’s Well splashing, which I wrote about here. 

Thor’s Well

This hole in the ground is found along the Oregon coastline in Siuslaw National Forest. Best viewed from a distance, the process seen in this shot actually makes it quite hazardous. At low tide it shows up as nothing but a hole in the ground, but when the high tide is right or there are storms kicking waves in, the ocean can live up to the anger of its namesake. When conditions are perfect, water will pour into the well, as seen in this photo. What isn’t seen here is that Thor’s well is a partially collapsed sea cave, so somewhere deeper down it is open to the ocean. When the next wave comes in, it will create pressure in the cave that forces the water from the last wave to rush back out. Water comes in as one wave retreats, then as pressure builds anew that water is forced back out the top in a mighty and dangerous burst.

You can see several of these cycles, including slow motion shots of bursts several meters in the air, in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAheQ6ldM3U

-JBB

Image credit: Bill Young https://flic.kr/p/jmrtD7

References: http://www.oregongeology.org/pubs/og/OBv33n02.pdf http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/siuslaw/recreation/recarea/?recid=42265

Thor's well While it resembles a bottomless hole draining the sea, and known colloquially as the 'drainpipe of the sea', this hole in the rock is only a few metres deep. The illusion results from a dangerous tidal phenomenon, and is best seen around high tide or during a storm, when waves pound in from the Pacific ocean onto this stretch of the Oregon coast. As the waves hit the rock, they spray upwards in a huge surge known as the Spouting Horn, before crashing into the hole and draining out. Be careful while visiting, as the waves can wash you into the maelstrom, with little chance of survival.  The Well is on Cape Perpetua, discovered by Captain James Cook in 1778 while seeking a route from the Pacific to the Atlantic, (the fabled Northwest Passage, that climate change may finally open up for us by melting the sea ice of the northern ocean. The area was long used by Native Americans, whose middens of empty mussel shells testify to their feasts of yesteryear. Loz Image credit: Bill Young http://www.amazingplacesonearth.com/thors-well-usa/ http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/thor-s-well https://roadtrippers.com/us/or/nature/thors-well-cape-perpetua