Sculpted by the sea

The sea has not yet completed its work of art sculpturing, and the shapes continue to evolve slowly in front of our eyes.

By ITSIK MAROM
Dor beach in Zichron Ya'acov (photo credit: ITSIK MAROM)
Dor beach in Zichron Ya'acov
(photo credit: ITSIK MAROM)
Israel is a small country, and its shoreline is short and precious.
Most of this limited treasure is already taken up by human needs that include cities, ports and power plants.
Fortunately, a few spots were saved from the hands of developers by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, and one such coastal reserve is Dor Beach.
Located just north of Zichron Ya’acov through Highway 4, this is mostly a calcareous (kurkar) ridge, rising from the shoreline and contrasting with the sandy coastline to its south. While the sand here is scarce, the stony coast has been influenced by the waves and wind for millions of years. Beautiful shapes from the relatively soft ridge are formed by the waves, and sunlight plays with the water to produce greenish- blue hues in daytime and golden hues towards sunset.
The sea has not yet completed its work of art sculpturing, and the shapes continue to evolve slowly in front of our eyes. To watch the relentless artist at work, there are a few trails along the ridge of the reserve.
As you walk along through the bays, you can find a few wonderful spots like the blue cave and shell bay. Also watch the lagoons, which are continuously being covered and exposed by the water to reveal sea creatures that adapt to changing high and low tides. You can observe crabs, fish and if you are lucky, a slippery octopus that camouflages itself with the colors of the lagoon and moves silently from one rock crevice to another.
The lagoons are created from sandstones that were flattened by the constant force of the waves. This sandstone originates from the mountains of Africa, making its way through the stream from the powerful Nile River.
Mixed with minerals and calcite, the sand particles combined into a mass of sandstone.
Dor is one of the finest beaches in Israel. Owing to differing angles of the sun, the beach view changes throughout the day and throughout the seasons.
Each period brings with it a different variety of plants and wildlife. Everyone can explore its hidden treasures for hours.
The most enchanting time to wander around the area is after sunrise and before sunset. It is at these times that the light creates wonder between the blue water that breaks on the rugged shore. For those magical hours, you may want to consider spending the night in the northern part of the reserve in the overnight campsite, in a tent or without.
Of course, don’t forget your camera.