diff --git a/src/transformez/grid_engine.py b/src/transformez/grid_engine.py
index 4baadf6..93a9a59 100644
--- a/src/transformez/grid_engine.py
+++ b/src/transformez/grid_engine.py
@@ -190,6 +190,10 @@ def smart_blend(in_grid, background_grid, blend_pixels=50):
         dist = ndimage.distance_transform_edt(mask)
         alpha = np.clip(dist / blend_pixels, 0.0, 1.0)
 
+        # --- Hermite Interpolation ---
+        # This converts the linear gradient into a smooth S-curve
+        alpha = alpha * alpha * (3.0 - 2.0 * alpha)
+
         nearest_indices = ndimage.distance_transform_edt(
             mask, return_distances=False, return_indices=True
         )
@@ -210,26 +214,13 @@ def coastal_aware_composite(
         shapefiles=None,
         decay_pixels=100,
         buffer_pixels=10,
-        max_discontinuity=0.5,
+        blend_pixels=50,
     ):
         """Handles inland decay vs. offshore blending, while
         filtering out low-resolution global artifacts.
         """
 
         final_grid = vdatum_grid.copy()
-        vdatum_mask = np.isnan(vdatum_grid)
-        if not vdatum_mask.all():
-            nearest_idx = ndimage.distance_transform_edt(
-                vdatum_mask, return_distances=False, return_indices=True
-            )
-            nearest_vdatum_vals = vdatum_grid[tuple(nearest_idx)]
-
-            fes_anomaly_mask = (
-                np.abs(global_grid - nearest_vdatum_vals) > max_discontinuity
-            )
-
-            global_grid[fes_anomaly_mask] = np.nan
-
         land_mask = None
         if shapefiles:
             land_mask = GridEngine.create_land_mask(region, nx, ny, shapefiles)
@@ -244,14 +235,13 @@ def coastal_aware_composite(
 
         if is_offshore.any():
             blended_ocean = GridEngine.smart_blend(
-                vdatum_grid, global_grid, blend_pixels=50
+                vdatum_grid, global_grid, blend_pixels=blend_pixels
             )
             final_grid[is_offshore] = blended_ocean[is_offshore]
 
         if is_inland.any():
-            source_for_decay = vdatum_grid if is_vdatum.any() else final_grid
             decayed_inland = GridEngine.fill_nans(
-                source_for_decay,
+                final_grid,
                 decay_pixels=decay_pixels,
                 buffer_pixels=buffer_pixels,
                 land_mask=land_mask,
diff --git a/src/transformez/transform.py b/src/transformez/transform.py
index 9031f8a..73df39c 100644
--- a/src/transformez/transform.py
+++ b/src/transformez/transform.py
@@ -563,7 +563,6 @@ def _get_vdatum_chain(self, datum_name, geoid_name):
                         shapefiles=coast_shapefiles,
                         decay_pixels=self.decay_pixels,
                         buffer_pixels=10,
-                        max_discontinuity=5,
                     )
                     desc.append(f"Blended w/ Global({proxy_name.upper()})")
                 else: