Another day at the seaside

[neuropteris]

Hi Folks,

The nodule cupboard was looking a bit bare so decided to have another trip to the seaside today . We've had a week of easterly winds (and Siberian snow storms) here in the UK so had high hopes that the ever productive Yorkshire coast would be kind to me and give me something nice to bring home. Set off at 5am and went to Kettleness - site of a big landslip a few years ago which when its good can be very good. Sadly it was not to be good. Large amounts of sand had been thrown onto the beach burying the nodules and not a dead ceph was to be seen. Headed south scouring the cliff foot as I went. Not a lot was to be found but finally hit a good patch in the Grey Shale formation. 4 Dactylioceras tenuicostatum and a Grey Shale crustacean in the bag. Also came a cropper whilst boulder hopping - jumped onto what appeared to be a dark rock only to find it was a light rock covered in dark slime, rucksack flew into the air, hammers flew into the air, I flew into the air . Upon landing, lay there for while contemplating the seagulls wheeling in the sky above before slowly (and carefully) continuing on my way. Anyway, not a bad haul for the day. Here's one of the tenuis which popped quite nicely

All the best

Andy

 

[Architeuthoceras]

Nice Fossil Andy

You gotta watch out for those slimy rocks

 

[Phil]

...rucksack flew into the air, hammers flew into the air, I flew into the air . Upon landing, lay there for while contemplating the seagulls wheeling in the sky above before slowly (and carefully) continuing on my way...

Oh goodness. Sounds like that scene from Bad Taste with Peter Jackson lying unconscious on the beach, head split open with his brains being pecked at by seagulls....well I hope you are not too bruised!

Nice Dacty. Have you ever carved one into a snakestone?

 

[neuropteris]

Slimey rocks can be a major hazard. Barely a trip goes by without me doing a graceful (?) pirouette on a seemingly dry boulder and ending up flat on my back watching the seagulls. Brain has remained free of seagull interference so far Phil but they do seem to be giving me a funny look some time!

Not carved any snake heads yet but must have a go one day. For those who don't know the legend is that the ammonites found on the beaches around Whitby are actually snakes turned to stone by Saint Hilda (after whom Hildoceras is named) who was active in the local abbey and there was a thriving industry in days gone by carving snakey features onto ammonites for sale to the tourists.

Have now popped the remaining nods brought home and all proved to have a good tenui within. Heres the best of the bunch.

All the best

Andy

 

[neuropteris]

Hmmm......no picture - here's another attempt. Tried a new splitting method this time. Soaked in a pan of warm water for a few hours then frozen overnight in the freezer. Repeated twice then gently tapped with hammer - et voila!

 

[Phil]

For those who don't know the legend is that the ammonites found on the beaches around Whitby are actually snakes turned to stone by Saint Hilda (after whom Hildoceras is named) who was active in the local abbey and there was a thriving industry in days gone by carving snakey features onto ammonites for sale to the tourists.

Kettleness is just a couple of miles along the coast from Whitby. Ammonites are even featured on Whitby's town crest. Here's a nice example of this on this old jug currently on e-bay:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=64960&item=7304210951&rd=1

I think you should bid on it Andy!

Nice nodule-pop, by the way.

 

[neuropteris]

Hi Phil

Thanks for the tip off - I'll keep an eye on it. I can just see it sitting on my kitchen windowsill.

Now I'm going to show off again. Just got this back from Mike Marshall at Yorkshire Coast Fossils who's done the prepping for me. I found it in a Grey Shale nodule (same formation as the Tenuis above) at Hawsker Bottoms a few years ago but the body chamber sheared through when I split the nodule. Its been enjoying the outdoor air as a garden ornament for a few years but I finally decided it had too much potential to leave out there forever. Passed it to Mike and received it back in this mornings post - a very nice Dactylioceras semicelatum!

All the best

Andy

 

[chrono_war01]

looks great!

 

[spartacus]

nice, very nice, very very nice !
Chrono, freeze thaw, freeze thaw !
Had a go yet ?

Keef

 

[Phil]

Beautiful find and a fantastic preparation job.

Did you bid on the vase in the end, Andy?

 

[neuropteris]

Yes, it is a nice one - can't believe how well it came out considering what it looked like before hand (must remember to take some 'before' pics next time aswell). Well worth the 20 quid prepping cost.

Unfortunately I made a mental note to bid on the vase at the last minute and then went to the pub. Remembered the next day I was supposed to do something on return. Thats what comes of having the memory of a goldfish. No doubt the antique shops of Whitby will have something similar.

Andy