Our life living off the land in our log cabin, breathing fresh mountain air, and getting back to basics.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Cool Coquina Rock

Coquina rock is everywhere around our river home.  Coquina is a sedimentary rock made from shells, phosphate, calcite and a little clay that builds up over time.  It is relatively soft when in the ground, (which explains how the natural holes can be created by trees that grow while the rock builds around it and eventually die then disintegrate), but when dug up it hardens as it is exposed to the air, making a great building material (it has been used in Florida for over 400 years)

It's pretty, not polished and very organic looking, and makes for good habode establishment along the river, for many creatures big and small.  We've even seen everything from the tiniest crawdads crawling on the banks to huge racoons nesting in large crevices!

It also makes a good sunbathing spot for the birds...(I have no idea what that green spot is in the water, I didn't notice it until I looked at the picture)...

It's a one of a kind and interesting yard decoration...(many people use what has been dug up when making room for a septic tank, and also use it to fortify the wall between their yard and the river)... 

 It makes a good holding place for seaweed and therefore a lovely spot to manatee's to come graze...

It also makes for attractive dead wood on the rivers edge...

But beware, don't walk bare footed across it, it's very sharp! 

Thanks for reading my blog, you are the best f/f/r/s/f's, see you tomorrow,
Lise

1 comment:

Powell River Books said...

I've never heard of that kind of rock. It makes lovely natural sculptures. - Margy