Recently, locals of Bali, Indonesia were shocked when one of their iconic natural attraction, Batu Cincin has collapsed down to crumble. Batu Cincin is famous amongst the locals and travellers for its unique rock formation, a sea arch at the Mbawana beach.
Image source via Super Adventure
According to the local officials, Batu Cincin collapsed because of frequent earthquakes and waves. There were speculations among the locals that the destruction of Batu Cincin is caused by human activities, although the local's authorities have confirmed it is by the act of nature. Officials explained that years of nature acts just hasten the destruction.
Image source via Kompas.com
The tragic news of Batu Cincin, Indonesia, is not much different from what has happened to us Sarawakian not long ago. In February 2020, our very own Tusan Cliff in Miri has collapsed. The destruction was only known on the next day by workers doing construction nearby the sea arch. Some of the workers have said, on the night of the collapsed, it was raining heavily on Tusan Cliff, and that might have caused the sea arch to crumbled.
Tusan Cliff Sarawak Image source via Ansovina Valentina Chai
Although they were some speculations from the public that the on-going construction near the Tusan Cliff that causes it to collapse, but the officials have confirmed that Tusan Cliff was indeed destroyed by the erosion of the wave. The construction was meant to protect the Tusan Cliff from the wave erosion.
The Tusan Cliff looked like a horse’s head drinking from the sea. While Tusan Cliff has lost its iconic ‘head horse’ to nature, the beach still offers visitors its beautiful clean white sand with the background of the limestone and sandstone cliffs. If fellow visitors were lucky, they too could catch the rare sight of ‘Blue Tears’ at night. It is a natural phenomenon of bio-luminescence phytoplankton glowing bluish in the dark sea.
Image source via viator.com
Image source via theborneopost.com
Apart from Batu Cincin and Tusan Cliff, there are also other famous sea arches from our neighbouring countries.
Khai Island (Koh Khai), Thailand
Image source via Freepik
This egg shape island, Koh Khai, is great for travellers that are island hopping in the area of Satun, southern provinces of Thailand. Travellers that visit the island are not allowed to stay because there are no facilities around the island. But what Khai Island can offer to anyone that visit, is the beautiful photo opportunity with its sea arch, surrounded by white sands and blue sea.
Sabtang Island, Philippines
Image source via Flickr
This is one of the places to visit when in Batanes, the northernmost province in the Philippines. If you are into history, this island has many stories to tell. You will come across an old church built by earlier missionaries and also traditional houses. While walking on its white beach, you will stumble a sea arch, called Nakabuang Arch. The unique rock formation is the main attraction in Sabtang Island.
These are just a few of many sea arches that can be found around the world. So, what causes rocks to form uniquely into sea arches?
Sea arches are one of the rock formations like cliffs, sea caves and stacks happened when the land meets with the sea. The land and the rock along the shore get hit by waves continuously in what is called the ‘marine processes’. After a certain time, these rocks get eroded by waves, shaping into those unique rocks that we see.
Image source via DK Find Out!
Imagine, land by the seaside get cut by waves and the land formed into a cliff. This cliff then is pounded constantly by the waves, that it created caves inside these rocks. The waves keep pounding on the caves, bit by bit eroding the rocks until the cave become a tunnel, therefore a sea arch. But marine processes is a continues work of rock erosion. When sea arches can’t support its weight any more, it can collapse, leaving stacks of rock formation at sea.
Image source via Tenor
It is sad to see what happened to sea arches like Batu Cincin and Tusan Cliff. But throughout history, many iconic sea arches in the world has collapsed. It is an act of nature that is bound to happen. Maybe this can be a lesson to us about what nature can give and they can take it back too. STAY SAFE!!!
