One of the most striking features of the Atlantic Coast South of St. Augustine Florida is the Coquina rock and shell sand beaches of Washington Oaks Gardens State Park. Coquina is a sedimentary rock made of loosely bound shells and shell bits…very soft in its native state…and easily carved by the waves into fantastic shapes. It is also easily broken up by those same waves, so the “sand” on the beach is actually mostly broken shell fragments.

Coquina Stone is only exposed in half a dozen places along the coast from the Carolinas South. It can be used for construction and was a common building material along the coast during colonial times. It has to be cured by stacking it to sun dry until it gets hard enough to use.

It is attractive stone and never more attractive than as the natural sculptures the waves carve…especially as the clear sea light of the Florida coast plays with the forms.

Even in its final form, as sand, it holds its appeal.

Canon SX40HS. Program with iContrast and – 1 /3EV exposure compensation. Processed in Lightroom for intensity, clarity, and sharpness.