On this cool morning a light mist covers a section of Sonoma Coast State Beach. Portuguese Beach is just one of a handful of California's picturesque beaches between the towns of Bodega Head and Jenner.
Few beachgoers realize they are standing on an unique geological location. The beach sands contain a mix of rock that has been subducted and uplifted long ago. The area's sea stacks were formed eons ago as the soft (mélange matrix) rock has been washed away by relentless waves. The beach is made up of common quartz, sandstone, sea shell particles and pebbles. The beach sand is also sprinkled with peridotite, micas, blue schist, red garnet, omphalite and pyroxene, making one exotic mixture.