Alaska Nature Photography

Stories

The Cliffs of Moher

The Cliffs of Moher were my favorite part of my visit to Ireland. I was shocked by their scale. Almost imperceptibly large, they evoke the same kind of disorientation as the granite cliffs of Yosemite Valley and the expanse of the Grand Canyon.

It is wonderfully frightening to stand at the edge of the Cliffs, which rise up to 700 ft above the Atlantic Ocean. Even from such grand height, you can hear the crash of waves where water meets land. Their resting sound is a tranquil slosh that belies their size. The occasional thunderclap, as an exceptionally large wave breaks on the cliff, reminds you of the incredible power directly beneath you - truly sublime.

 

 

The sublime, in art terms, is the pleasure of the overwhelming.

 

 

A rare birdseye view makes you realize that the ocean is an intricate landscape. The water's dynamism is what makes the Cliffs so compelling. 

I wonder if these birds also share a sense of awe about their nesting place.

I am fascinated by geology and the immense questions each rock layer poses about the history of the earth, the present, and the future. How did the Cliffs form? How much longer will they be around for us to marvel at?

Tim Davis