Geschichte: The rock was not the only thing delicately balancing on this hike. It had rained so much in the previous days and weeks that parts of the trail were completely flooded. Not wanting to soak my shoes, I took them off and waded through the ice-cold puddles, balancing from rock to rock and over sharp-edged pebbles. I never thought this evening hike would turn into one hellishly long Kneipp therapy.
Geologie: The cliffs of Long Island are made of basalt. It was formed in volcanic eruptions around 200 million years ago when the Atlantic Ocean started to open. As the basaltic lava cooled, it formed columns. These are most often 6-sided, but may have anywhere from 3 to 7 sides. Erosion by sea caused many of the columns to break off and disappear into the water. The balancing rock will also meet that fate.