Kazimiera
06-06-2017, 10:13 PM
Famous natural landmarks that have disappeared from the face of the earth
Source: http://www.thevintagenews.com/2017/03/29/famous-natural-landmarks-that-have-disappeared-from-the-face-of-the-earth/
When it comes to natural wonders, 2017 has not started so well. On 8 January, we said goodbye to the iconic and more than 1000-year old Pioneer cabin tree in California, and on 8 March, the small nation of Malta witnessed a major loss in natural heritage as their famous Azure Window collapsed into the sea. Some reports had indicated that with time, the Maltese natural wonder would eventually collapse, but most people did not anticipate it would happen so soon.
However, that’s how things go in nature, and these famous natural landmarks are neither the first nor last that have vanished from the face of the Earth. In history, many more wondrous natural sites have sadly disappeared. From some of them, there is not a single trace left, and some of them are far away from the full beauty and glory they once had.
1. Jump-off Joe, United States
http://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Jump-off_Joe_in_1890.gif
Jump-off Joe in 1890
http://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Jumpoff_Joe_1910.gif
Jump-off Joe in 1910.
Jump-off Joe used to be a massive sea stack formation that lay at the Nye Beach in Newport, Oregon. The unusual geological formation was a well-known tourist attraction before WWI, deemed to have been formed pictures before the 1880s when it was still attached to the mainland. The formation blocked the access to the beach, forcing visitors to jump off the side to cross over. Consequently, the formation got its name “Jump-off Joe.”
http://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Jumpoff_Joe_1970.gif
The site in 1970. There is hardly any trace of the huge sea stack
Some accounts suggest that Jump-off Joe may have been present in Native American mythology as well.
Jump-off Joe was detached from the mainland by the forces of nature sometime in the 1890s, and its large arch collapsed in 1916. Over the next fifty years, the rock formation continued to diminish, and by 1990 there was hardly any trace of it left.
2.The Twelve Apostles, Australia
Also known as the Sow and Pigs or the Pinnacles, the Twelve Apostles in Australia were never twelve in number but still served as a major natural wonder. Huge sea stacks formed by erosion, and victims of harsh weather conditions from the Southern Ocean, they once stood in full glory by the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia.
The proximity of the sea stacks has made the site turn into a popular destination over the years. However, the number of sea stacks is diminishing. In July 2005, the ninth sea stack collapsed dramatically into the ocean, leaving only eight left standing.
http://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/1200px-Apostles_3_GOR-640x480.jpg
Photo of the Twelve Apostles in 2003 before the collapse
The rock formations will continue to be eroded by the ocean waves in the future, eventually leading to their complete demise. On the other hand, the good news is that new sea stacks may be formed from the cliff facing the current formations. It remains an open question whether those new sea stacks will position themselves in another extraordinary setting as the Twelve Apostles did in the past.
http://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/1200px-The_twelve_apostles_Victoria_Australia_2010-640x428.jpg
Photo of the natural landmark in 2010 after the collapse of one of the sea stacks in 2005, which was 50-meter-tall
3. Wall Arch in Arches National Park, United States
Wall Arch was a natural sandstone arch located in the Arches National Park in southeastern Utah. It was one ranked 12th in size among the park’s 2,000 arches. The arch was found and named in 1948, and it collapsed in 2008 while temporarily blocking the park trail.
http://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/1200px-WallArch_Before-640x415.jpg
Wall Arch, a natural arch in Arches National Park, Utah, USA – as it was before the collapse on the night of 2008-08-05
The formation was comprised of Entrada Sandstone, a type of rock deposited during the Jurassic period (between 180 and 140 million years ago).
The deposition is disseminated in various environments such as tidal mudflats, beaches, and sand dunes. All arches are, but temporary features and all will eventually succumb to the forces of gravity and erosion. While the geologic forces that created the arches are still very much underway, in human terms it’s rare to observe such dramatic changes. No one reported seeing the arch collapse, and there were no injured visitors, according to the National Park Service.
http://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/1200px-WallArch_After-640x480.jpg
Wall Arch, a natural arch in Arches National Park, Utah, USA – after the collapse on the night of 2008-08-05
The Wall Arch was observed by park officials few days before it had collapsed, and it was noted to have stress fractures, leading them to think that it may collapse in the future. Little did they anticipate it would be so soon. Another grand arch collapsed in the park in 1991.
4.The Jeffrey Pine atop the Yosemite’s Sentinel Dome, United States
Sentinel Dome is a granite dome situated in Yosemite National Park in the United States, and what actually made the place famous was the unique Jeffrey Pine that grew from its peak. The tree counted as one of the most photographed trees of all time, with the first photographs appearing as early as 1867 thanks to photographer Carleton Watkins.
The Jeffrey Pine was made further notable by Ansel Adams, a famous American photographer, and environmentalist who created astounding black and white landscape photographs of the American West.
http://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Sentinel_Dome_-_August_1968.jpg
The iconic Jeffrey Pine photographed August 7, 1968. The tree formerly stood atop Sentinel Dome
After a severe drought in 1977, the iconic tree died. However, it remained standing until August 2003 when it fell most likely between August 9 and 11 following a series of severe storms in the park.
Part of the appeal of the Jeffrey pine, many say, was its improbable location. It grew atop a solid granite dome, seemingly without soil, on the second highest point (8,122 feet) on the rim of Yosemite Valley. Park rangers say the tree, which was up to 400 years old and stood nearly 12 feet tall, probably grew there after an errant seed dropped by a bird managed to take root through a crack in the granite.
5.El Dedo de Dios, Canary Islands, Spain
http://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/600px-Dedo_de_Dios_am_30.09.2005-426x640.jpg
Dedo de Dios as photographed in September 2005
Translated as “God’s Finger,” El Dedo de Dios is sea stack in the Atlantic Ocean, situated north of Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands.
The astounding rock composition lost its authenticity following the tropical storm Delta in November 2005. The storm came late in the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season and caused significant damage in the region, diminishing El Dedo de Dios on its way.
http://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/1200px-Dedo_de_Dios_am_05.12.2005-640x426.jpg
Dedo de Dios today
The uniquely shaped rock has served as an inspiration to many artists, and it is believed that author Domingo Doreste first named it. Geologically, the area is the oldest on Gran Canaria, having started to form approximately 14 million years ago. Reportedly, the oddly-shaped stalk developed over a period of 200-300,000 years and was created from basaltic materials.
6. Mukurob, Namibia
Down in Namibia, there was yet another Finger of God, a sandstone rock formation that lurked in the Namib desert and collapsed on 7 December 1988. Mukurob counted as one of the greatest tourist attractions in Namibia. For the local Nama people, it was almost sacred, as for generations it inspired countless tales and legends that explained the structure’s origin.
http://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Mukurob.jpg
Mukurob
One version of the tale reads as follows: “The Herero people had been at odds with the Nama people since time immemorial. One day a large group of Herero and their well-fed cattle came from the grazing areas in central Namibia to the Nama region in the arid south. “Look here, how rich we are, with our nice fat cattle”, they boasted. “And what have you got? Nothing but rocks!” they mocked. The quick-witted Nama, however, replied: “We have this very special rock.
You may own as many heads of cattle as you want – we are the lords of the country as long as this rock stands here.” This annoyed the Herero, and they decided to topple the rock. They tied many thongs into a long rope, wound it around the rock and hitched up their cattle. But hard as they tried, they were not able to topple the rock. “Mûkhoro!” the Nama shouted – “There you see!”
http://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/28426522253_5bbee981a4_z-422x640.jpg
The “Finger of God” before its collapse
According to the oral tradition of the Nama people, there is a political notion to the Mukurob, as they considered the power of the “white man” would cease once the sandstone formation collapse. Namibia was first made a Germany colony, and later it was South Africa that controlled the country. As historical events go, Mukurob did collapse on the night of 7 December 1988, just a few weeks after South Africa relinquished control of Namibia (then called South West Africa). Namibia gained independence on 21 March 1990.
It is still uncertain what really caused the Mukurob to collapse. Many believe it was a rainstorm that took place a week before the collapse, and which may have naturally weakened the formation. Another study suggests that it may have been an earthquake on that same night that happened far away in Armenia but was somehow heavily registered in Namibia, causing the pillar’s demise.
7. The Ténéré Tree, Niger
In French, it was called L’Arbre du Ténéré and for a long time, it was considered the most isolated tree on Earth. It was a solitary acacia, the single tree for over 248 miles (400 km), and made a landmark on caravan routes through the Ténéré region of the Sahara Desert in northeast Niger.
This tree was so lonely, that on a map at a scale of 1: 4,000,000 it was the only tree seen, along with another tree known as the “Lost Tree” to the north.
http://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Arbre-du-tenere-1961-640x480.jpg
Arbre du Ténéré in 1961. The tree was destroyed in 1973 and has been replaced by a monument
http://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Arbre-neu1-640x416.jpg
Metal sculpture of the tree (1985)
The tree was also special as it belonged to the last group of trees that grew when the Sahara desert was less dehydrated than it is nowadays.
The Ténéré Tree stood alone for decades, and just before WWII, when a 40-meter-deep well was dug near the tree, it was found out that its roots reached the water table approximately some 118 ft (36 m) below the surface. Unfortunately, the Tree of Ténéré was knocked down in 1973, allegedly by a drunk truck driver.
8. Te Otukapuarangi & Te Tarata, New Zealand
http://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/White_Terraces_-_Blomfield-300x206.jpg
Painting by Charles Blomfield: The White Terraces (1884)
A long time ago, Te Otukapuarangi & Te Tarata counted among the best natural wonders in the South Pacific. The first, also known as the Pink Terrace or “the fountain of the clouded sky” in Māori, and the former, known as the White Terrace or “the tattooed rock, were reportedly the largest silica sinter deposits on Earth. Sadly, they were lost after a violent eruption of Mount Tarawera in 1886.
The volcanic eruption was so rough that it was heard in Auckland and in the South Island. The blast left a 10 miles-long rift that crossed the mountain, passed through the lake, and extended beyond the area. These two notable New Zealand Springs used to be 1200 meters apart from each other.
http://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Pink_Terraces_-_Blomfield.jpg
Painting of the Pink Terraces, near Rotorua (Blomfield)
The White Terrace was at the north-east end of Lake Rotomahana, and Te Tarata settled to the lake edge some 25 meters below. After the eruption, what was left of this natural wonder was a crater over 100 meters wide.
After some years, the crater was filled with water and formed a new Lake Rotomahana, which was ten times larger and deeper than the old lake. However, the site never redeemed its former beauty and authenticity.
Source: http://www.thevintagenews.com/2017/03/29/famous-natural-landmarks-that-have-disappeared-from-the-face-of-the-earth/
When it comes to natural wonders, 2017 has not started so well. On 8 January, we said goodbye to the iconic and more than 1000-year old Pioneer cabin tree in California, and on 8 March, the small nation of Malta witnessed a major loss in natural heritage as their famous Azure Window collapsed into the sea. Some reports had indicated that with time, the Maltese natural wonder would eventually collapse, but most people did not anticipate it would happen so soon.
However, that’s how things go in nature, and these famous natural landmarks are neither the first nor last that have vanished from the face of the Earth. In history, many more wondrous natural sites have sadly disappeared. From some of them, there is not a single trace left, and some of them are far away from the full beauty and glory they once had.
1. Jump-off Joe, United States
http://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Jump-off_Joe_in_1890.gif
Jump-off Joe in 1890
http://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Jumpoff_Joe_1910.gif
Jump-off Joe in 1910.
Jump-off Joe used to be a massive sea stack formation that lay at the Nye Beach in Newport, Oregon. The unusual geological formation was a well-known tourist attraction before WWI, deemed to have been formed pictures before the 1880s when it was still attached to the mainland. The formation blocked the access to the beach, forcing visitors to jump off the side to cross over. Consequently, the formation got its name “Jump-off Joe.”
http://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Jumpoff_Joe_1970.gif
The site in 1970. There is hardly any trace of the huge sea stack
Some accounts suggest that Jump-off Joe may have been present in Native American mythology as well.
Jump-off Joe was detached from the mainland by the forces of nature sometime in the 1890s, and its large arch collapsed in 1916. Over the next fifty years, the rock formation continued to diminish, and by 1990 there was hardly any trace of it left.
2.The Twelve Apostles, Australia
Also known as the Sow and Pigs or the Pinnacles, the Twelve Apostles in Australia were never twelve in number but still served as a major natural wonder. Huge sea stacks formed by erosion, and victims of harsh weather conditions from the Southern Ocean, they once stood in full glory by the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia.
The proximity of the sea stacks has made the site turn into a popular destination over the years. However, the number of sea stacks is diminishing. In July 2005, the ninth sea stack collapsed dramatically into the ocean, leaving only eight left standing.
http://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/1200px-Apostles_3_GOR-640x480.jpg
Photo of the Twelve Apostles in 2003 before the collapse
The rock formations will continue to be eroded by the ocean waves in the future, eventually leading to their complete demise. On the other hand, the good news is that new sea stacks may be formed from the cliff facing the current formations. It remains an open question whether those new sea stacks will position themselves in another extraordinary setting as the Twelve Apostles did in the past.
http://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/1200px-The_twelve_apostles_Victoria_Australia_2010-640x428.jpg
Photo of the natural landmark in 2010 after the collapse of one of the sea stacks in 2005, which was 50-meter-tall
3. Wall Arch in Arches National Park, United States
Wall Arch was a natural sandstone arch located in the Arches National Park in southeastern Utah. It was one ranked 12th in size among the park’s 2,000 arches. The arch was found and named in 1948, and it collapsed in 2008 while temporarily blocking the park trail.
http://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/1200px-WallArch_Before-640x415.jpg
Wall Arch, a natural arch in Arches National Park, Utah, USA – as it was before the collapse on the night of 2008-08-05
The formation was comprised of Entrada Sandstone, a type of rock deposited during the Jurassic period (between 180 and 140 million years ago).
The deposition is disseminated in various environments such as tidal mudflats, beaches, and sand dunes. All arches are, but temporary features and all will eventually succumb to the forces of gravity and erosion. While the geologic forces that created the arches are still very much underway, in human terms it’s rare to observe such dramatic changes. No one reported seeing the arch collapse, and there were no injured visitors, according to the National Park Service.
http://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/1200px-WallArch_After-640x480.jpg
Wall Arch, a natural arch in Arches National Park, Utah, USA – after the collapse on the night of 2008-08-05
The Wall Arch was observed by park officials few days before it had collapsed, and it was noted to have stress fractures, leading them to think that it may collapse in the future. Little did they anticipate it would be so soon. Another grand arch collapsed in the park in 1991.
4.The Jeffrey Pine atop the Yosemite’s Sentinel Dome, United States
Sentinel Dome is a granite dome situated in Yosemite National Park in the United States, and what actually made the place famous was the unique Jeffrey Pine that grew from its peak. The tree counted as one of the most photographed trees of all time, with the first photographs appearing as early as 1867 thanks to photographer Carleton Watkins.
The Jeffrey Pine was made further notable by Ansel Adams, a famous American photographer, and environmentalist who created astounding black and white landscape photographs of the American West.
http://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Sentinel_Dome_-_August_1968.jpg
The iconic Jeffrey Pine photographed August 7, 1968. The tree formerly stood atop Sentinel Dome
After a severe drought in 1977, the iconic tree died. However, it remained standing until August 2003 when it fell most likely between August 9 and 11 following a series of severe storms in the park.
Part of the appeal of the Jeffrey pine, many say, was its improbable location. It grew atop a solid granite dome, seemingly without soil, on the second highest point (8,122 feet) on the rim of Yosemite Valley. Park rangers say the tree, which was up to 400 years old and stood nearly 12 feet tall, probably grew there after an errant seed dropped by a bird managed to take root through a crack in the granite.
5.El Dedo de Dios, Canary Islands, Spain
http://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/600px-Dedo_de_Dios_am_30.09.2005-426x640.jpg
Dedo de Dios as photographed in September 2005
Translated as “God’s Finger,” El Dedo de Dios is sea stack in the Atlantic Ocean, situated north of Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands.
The astounding rock composition lost its authenticity following the tropical storm Delta in November 2005. The storm came late in the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season and caused significant damage in the region, diminishing El Dedo de Dios on its way.
http://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/1200px-Dedo_de_Dios_am_05.12.2005-640x426.jpg
Dedo de Dios today
The uniquely shaped rock has served as an inspiration to many artists, and it is believed that author Domingo Doreste first named it. Geologically, the area is the oldest on Gran Canaria, having started to form approximately 14 million years ago. Reportedly, the oddly-shaped stalk developed over a period of 200-300,000 years and was created from basaltic materials.
6. Mukurob, Namibia
Down in Namibia, there was yet another Finger of God, a sandstone rock formation that lurked in the Namib desert and collapsed on 7 December 1988. Mukurob counted as one of the greatest tourist attractions in Namibia. For the local Nama people, it was almost sacred, as for generations it inspired countless tales and legends that explained the structure’s origin.
http://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Mukurob.jpg
Mukurob
One version of the tale reads as follows: “The Herero people had been at odds with the Nama people since time immemorial. One day a large group of Herero and their well-fed cattle came from the grazing areas in central Namibia to the Nama region in the arid south. “Look here, how rich we are, with our nice fat cattle”, they boasted. “And what have you got? Nothing but rocks!” they mocked. The quick-witted Nama, however, replied: “We have this very special rock.
You may own as many heads of cattle as you want – we are the lords of the country as long as this rock stands here.” This annoyed the Herero, and they decided to topple the rock. They tied many thongs into a long rope, wound it around the rock and hitched up their cattle. But hard as they tried, they were not able to topple the rock. “Mûkhoro!” the Nama shouted – “There you see!”
http://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/28426522253_5bbee981a4_z-422x640.jpg
The “Finger of God” before its collapse
According to the oral tradition of the Nama people, there is a political notion to the Mukurob, as they considered the power of the “white man” would cease once the sandstone formation collapse. Namibia was first made a Germany colony, and later it was South Africa that controlled the country. As historical events go, Mukurob did collapse on the night of 7 December 1988, just a few weeks after South Africa relinquished control of Namibia (then called South West Africa). Namibia gained independence on 21 March 1990.
It is still uncertain what really caused the Mukurob to collapse. Many believe it was a rainstorm that took place a week before the collapse, and which may have naturally weakened the formation. Another study suggests that it may have been an earthquake on that same night that happened far away in Armenia but was somehow heavily registered in Namibia, causing the pillar’s demise.
7. The Ténéré Tree, Niger
In French, it was called L’Arbre du Ténéré and for a long time, it was considered the most isolated tree on Earth. It was a solitary acacia, the single tree for over 248 miles (400 km), and made a landmark on caravan routes through the Ténéré region of the Sahara Desert in northeast Niger.
This tree was so lonely, that on a map at a scale of 1: 4,000,000 it was the only tree seen, along with another tree known as the “Lost Tree” to the north.
http://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Arbre-du-tenere-1961-640x480.jpg
Arbre du Ténéré in 1961. The tree was destroyed in 1973 and has been replaced by a monument
http://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Arbre-neu1-640x416.jpg
Metal sculpture of the tree (1985)
The tree was also special as it belonged to the last group of trees that grew when the Sahara desert was less dehydrated than it is nowadays.
The Ténéré Tree stood alone for decades, and just before WWII, when a 40-meter-deep well was dug near the tree, it was found out that its roots reached the water table approximately some 118 ft (36 m) below the surface. Unfortunately, the Tree of Ténéré was knocked down in 1973, allegedly by a drunk truck driver.
8. Te Otukapuarangi & Te Tarata, New Zealand
http://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/White_Terraces_-_Blomfield-300x206.jpg
Painting by Charles Blomfield: The White Terraces (1884)
A long time ago, Te Otukapuarangi & Te Tarata counted among the best natural wonders in the South Pacific. The first, also known as the Pink Terrace or “the fountain of the clouded sky” in Māori, and the former, known as the White Terrace or “the tattooed rock, were reportedly the largest silica sinter deposits on Earth. Sadly, they were lost after a violent eruption of Mount Tarawera in 1886.
The volcanic eruption was so rough that it was heard in Auckland and in the South Island. The blast left a 10 miles-long rift that crossed the mountain, passed through the lake, and extended beyond the area. These two notable New Zealand Springs used to be 1200 meters apart from each other.
http://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Pink_Terraces_-_Blomfield.jpg
Painting of the Pink Terraces, near Rotorua (Blomfield)
The White Terrace was at the north-east end of Lake Rotomahana, and Te Tarata settled to the lake edge some 25 meters below. After the eruption, what was left of this natural wonder was a crater over 100 meters wide.
After some years, the crater was filled with water and formed a new Lake Rotomahana, which was ten times larger and deeper than the old lake. However, the site never redeemed its former beauty and authenticity.