[Rockhounds] Assteague Island, area around

[Ted Kowalski]

Teri:
I'll use Jeff's reply as a springboard to respond to your email. I'm not
exactly clear on how you're getting to Assateague. As Jeff points out the
area is rich in young fossils (<16MYA), but you don't have to just hunt for
fossils at Calvert Cliffs. Almost anywhere you can get to the shoreline of
the tidal Chesapeake, Potomac you have the chance of finding fossils,
especially if certain clay banks are eroding nearby.

A word of warning, I believe it is illegal to metal detect within the
Assateague National Seashore. The good news is that you can ask permission
and perhaps do very well metal detecting in Chincoteague. Chincoteague is
the island resort town you pass through to get to Assateague. By all means,
make sure you stop for some ice cream
http://www.islandcreamery.net/about.html.

If you're coming from the south, be sure to pass through Amelia, VA.
http://www.toteshows.com/morefield.html

Out of currency, but not out of mind is a list of finds in Virginia (sadly,
Assateague is not included)
http://www.dmme.virginia.gov/DMR3/dmrpdfs/vamin/VAMIN_VOL33_NO01.pdf

http://varockhound.com/va/cities/index.shtml

At least bring your fishing gear and if you're there in warmer weather, clam
rakes. Good Luck!

Ted Kowalski
Fredericksburg, VA USA


-----Original Message-----
From: rockhounds-bounces at lists.drizzle.com
[mailto:rockhounds-bounces at lists.drizzle.com] On Behalf Of Jeffrey T. Cessna
Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2008 3:28 PM
To: Rockhounds at drizzle.com: A mailing list for rock and gem collectors
Subject: Re: [Rockhounds] Assteague Island, area around

Teri,

That depends on how wide a net you want to throw. Most things I could 
think of wind up being 3,4, or more hours away. Perhaps good for the 
trip in or out if driving.

I spent last weekend at Reedy Point digging in the spoil piles from 
the Chesapeake and Delaware canal. You can find the Delaware State 
Fossil, the Belemnite and some interesting shells. This is from the 
Late Cretaceous Mount Laurel Formation. As a bonus most of the 
belemnite fossils fluoresce yellow under UV, stronger in LW.

see... http://www.dgs.udel.edu/Geology/Paleontology/destatefossil.aspx

If you go to this site this weekend (1-2 March) continue on to 
Newark, Delaware for the Delaware Minerological Society annual show.

see... http://www.delminsociety.net/marchshow.htm

If you head to the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay (over the Bay 
Bridge) you will find the Miocene Calvert Formation in Calvert 
County, MD with abundant shark teeth and many other fossils. My 
anecdotal experience is that the teeth get larger, but fewer the 
further south you go. At the north end (Brownie Beach) examine any 
handful from the wrack line for at least 1-3 1/4" and smaller teeth.

see... http://www.mgs.md.gov/ (lots of MD info)

If you go to Calvert Co., it might be worth the longer trip down to 
the Calvert Marine Museum.

see... http://calvertmarinemuseum.net/index.html

Sorry I don't know of anything closer.

Jeff


At 02:05 PM 2/28/2008, you wrote:
>Hello All.
>
>A question for my vacation.  We will be spending 2
>weeks on or around Assteague Island,
>Maryland/Virginia, and I am wondering if anyone is
>from that area, and other than doing metal detecting,
>is there any minerals, mining, panning, or any gem
>digging around this area/the Eastern Seaboard.
>
>In the general area, we are not allowed to do
>anything, but we are willing to go to other places
>that might be of interest.
>
>Thank you in advance,
>
>Teri Jetter
>--
>_______________________________________________
>Rockhounds at drizzle Mailing List
>Subscription Services:
>http://lists.drizzle.com/mailman/listinfo/rockhounds
>List Home Page, with a link to the List Usage Policy:
>http://www.eclecticlapidary.com/Rockhounds/index.html


-- 
_______________________________________________
Rockhounds at drizzle Mailing List
Subscription Services:
http://lists.drizzle.com/mailman/listinfo/rockhounds
List Home Page, with a link to the List Usage Policy:
http://www.eclecticlapidary.com/Rockhounds/index.html