Fossil Hunt

Our family went on a fossil dig with a local fossil expert.  The kids and I had been taking classes with Jamie earlier this spring.  We had to temporarily stop unexpectedly while Jamie looked for a new place to hold his fossil shop.  We hope to resume classes as soon as his new shop opens up in a month or so:)  The kids really enjoyed his classes.

Kings Dyke Quarry.  This rock is a glacial erratic rock which means it it geologically doesn't belong in this region but was carried here from Scotland during the Ice Age by the glaciers that covered Britain. 

Jamie pointing out the Quarry

Short hike from the car park to the fossil area

Types of fossils and creatures known to lived here

Our guide paperwork to help identify fossils. 

Little Man pointing out a fossil in the clay

A boy and his tool

Ammonite 

Little man trying to break a rock

Princess found something!

Little Man still banging on rocks:)  this one was fossilized wood

More Ammonites this one with pieces of the shell visible

Princess examining the shale

Family spread out and looking for fossils.  As a family we found belemnites, ammonites, fish scales fossils and calcite crystals.

Other people found Pleisosaur teeth, fish bones, and crocodile bone...I so wanted to find a tooth but had no luck..I felt slightly better when Jamie the guide said it took him two years to find his first tooth...mind you he was a teenager when he found it:)

Now Daddy is splitting rocks that Little Man brings to him

Some of our finds:)  We actually came home with several bags of fossils -- hint for future expeditions, keep in mind that you have to carry out of the quarry what you find and are determined to take home... our kids wouldn't leave any fossil behind that they found which meant Mom and Dad had to carry the bags it back to the car, uphill...whew!

Family portrait with Jamie who says he has contacts in the States and when we go back can set us up with some behind the scenes adventures in Fossil areas near our home in the states.  We will be taking him up on that and we invited him to come stay with us when he needs to dig in our local home in the states. 

My fossil hunters:)

We had a lovely time, and since this was the first sunny day we have had in our area in ages it was absolutely wonderful being outdoors, enjoying the weather and the task at hand.  I am going to set up something with Jamie for a future scout or home ed trip.  We had so much fun we want to go back again.