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Rancho Palos Verdes in Los Angeles County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
 

Portuguese Bend

 
 
Portuguese Bend Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Eric Polk, January 9, 2008
1. Portuguese Bend Marker
Inscription. The Palos Verdes Peninsula is an up lifted block of land forced out of the sea at a rate of about 0.4 millimeters per year over the last 2 million years. Once an island, the peninsula is encircled by thirteen wave cut terraces. These broad "benches" were cut out of the rock by ocean waves when the rising land was still at sea level.

Portuguese bend is surrounded by the Abalone Cove and Portuguese Bend Landslides, and stands as a sentinel against the waves of the Pacific Ocean. The strata on the Portuguese Point illustrate layered resistant basalt capped by Altamira Shale that can be seen dipping toward the ocean. The toe contains an abundance of rock formations that create tide pools that are especially evident during low tide. Portuguese Point is illustrative of the geology found on the peninsula.

Portuguese Bend received its name because of the Portuguese whaling company that operated on the peninsula in the middle of the nineteenth century.
 
Erected 2000.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Natural Features.
 
Location. 33° 44.597′ N, 118° 22.774′ W. Marker is in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, in Los Angeles County. Marker is on Palos Verdes Drive South, ¼
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mile east of Sea Cove Drive, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Rancho Palos Verdes CA 90275, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Santa Catalina Island (here, next to this marker); Palos Verdes Peninsula Habitat (here, next to this marker); Harden Gatehouse (approx. 0.4 miles away); Villa Francesca (approx. 0.6 miles away); Portuguese Bend Whaling Station (approx. 1.6 miles away); Point Vicente Lighthouse (approx. 1.8 miles away); Site of the First Japanese American Farm on the Palos Verdes Peninsula (approx. 1.9 miles away); “The Farmery” (approx. 3.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Rancho Palos Verdes.
 
Portuguese Bend Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Eric Polk, January 9, 2008
2. Portuguese Bend Marker
Portuguese Bend image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Michael Kindig, September 25, 2010
3. Portuguese Bend
Portuguese Bend image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Michael Kindig, September 25, 2010
4. Portuguese Bend
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 2, 2011, by Eric Polk of Lakewood, California. This page has been viewed 1,194 times since then and 28 times this year. Photos:   1, 2. submitted on May 2, 2011, by Eric Polk of Lakewood, California.   3, 4. submitted on December 29, 2011, by Michael Kindig of Elk Grove, California. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.

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Mar. 19, 2024