Film on island geology returns

Bainbridge Island’s shaking past, and possibly future, will return to the screen in a free second showing of the film, “The Geological Formation of Bainbridge Island,” in February at Bainbridge Cinemas.

The movie was presented earlier on the island as part of the Three Days of Preparedness event that was held in October.

The city of Bainbridge Island and Puget Sound Energy is inviting those who missed the movie to a repeat showing at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 8 at Bainbridge Cinemas.

Community members interested in attending the film can register for tickets at https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/the-geological-formation-of-bainbridge-2nd-showing-tickets-30864909776.

The upcoming screening includes Parts One and Two, a 75-minute film program, plus a short question-and-answer period with Gregory Geehan, geologist and narrator of the film.

In “Part One, The Blakeley Formation and The Blakely Harbor Formation,” the film explores the foundations, the oldest rocks and the oldest part of the geological history of Bainbridge Island.

The Blakeley Formation underlies the south end of the island from Restoration Point to Fort Ward Park, and marine fossils indicate that this sandstone was formed beneath the sea 25 million to 30 million years ago. Nearby, outcropping at Rockaway Beach, the Blakely Harbor Formation contains chunks of trees and basalt pebbles deposited by rivers 13 million years ago.

Both of these formations, thousands of feet deep, have been tilted up 60 degrees and more by movement on the Seattle Fault.

“In Part Two, Faults and Earthquakes,” the film looks at how rocks are folded and faulted – and the three sources of earthquakes in our area: the subduction zone beneath the Pacific Coast, the breakup of the subducting plate 30 miles under the Puget Sound region, and compression of the Earth’s crust, which creates the Seattle Fault and multidirectional faulting throughout the region.

After the film, Puget Sound Energy will be holding a drawing for five three-day emergency preparedness backpacks.

For more information on the event, contact Kellie Stickney at kstickney@bainbridgewa.gov.