LIVE FROM CHARMOUTH, DORSET - 11th to the 16th of October 2003
Last update: 16th October 2003

Saturday 11th Oct 2004 - M25 Service Station & Charmouth

Whilst stopping at the M25 Service station, UK Fossils noted several large Inferior Oolite Blocks placed around the car park. Although for obvious reasons hammering was not possible, some fossils such as large oysters and shells were weathered out and waiting to be picked up.

Using Night Searching gear, we took a trip down to Black Ven, Charmouth. Although the sea is clearly washing out the clay, nothing appears to be coming out at present. With no rain, there has been little finds for many months. Stonebarrow is also completely covered up. The cliffs are so dry, that the next significant prolonged rainfall is likley to cause many cliff falls and landslides along the Dorset coast.

Sunday 12th Oct 2003 - Golden Cap

Our LIVE event starts here with a 'open to all' field trip. Our Dorset 2003 Leader, Neil Lovesey, explained about the geology and Palaentology of Seatown - Golden Cap, and showed all who attended this event, which nodules contain fossils and how to prepare and clean the fossils. Neil's own collection of ammonites collected from Golden Cap during the past 12 months was also on display, but for many months most of the Dorset coastline is completely covered up due to the wrong winds, lack of storms and lack of rain. Therefore collecting is limited. Many members found small ammonites and nodules containing ammonites which need further work to expose the fossil.

(Golden Cap)

Monday 13th Oct 2003 - Eype & Horn Park

Day two of UK Fossils Live, examined the Dorset Junction Bed at Eype, A`One metre thick bed which contains the whole of the Yorkshire Geology. Sledge hammers were required. Andrew and Paul found a star fish each and the rest of the crew collected ammonites, some which were spectacular. During the afternoon we visited Horn Park Quarry SSSI to examine the highly fossilferous Inferior Oolite, although collected was not permitted, it was fascinating to see the geology of this remarkable quarry. A third trip wad made to an unspecified private exposure which was rich in ammonites. Some superb specimens were found at this location, but the location remains top secret. We will be returning later during the week, but the location of this exposure will remain secret.

(Eype)

(Horn Park Quarry SSSI)

(Horn Park Quarry SSSI)

(Eype)

(Eype)

(Eype)

Tuesday 14th Oct 2003 - Ringstead Bay, White Nothe, A quarry in Sherbourne and Monmouth

The morning was spent at a highly fossilferious SSSI site located near Sherbourne, unfortunately due to the restrictions, this trip was not open as part of our members field events. Permission was sought by Neil from English Nature and the land owners. A large number of specimens, ammonites, nautili's, gastropods and brachiopods.

The afternoon trip was open to all, looking at Ringstead Bay and White Nothe. Once again due to the very poor state of Dorset beach's, not a great deal was found, but a sea urchin spine and shells were collected. Monmouth beach was also visited.

(White Nothe)

(Sherbourne SSSI Quarry)

(Sherbourne SSSI Quarry)

(Monmouth)

(Sea Urchine Spine, White Nothe)

(Shernbourne SSSI)

Wednesday 15th Oct 2003 - Torquay Area

UKF Visited two sites in the Torquay Area. The first, Daddy's Hole where a disused quarry can be accessed from the shore. Corals and shells can be collected from the Devonian Rocks. The second, Hopes Nose contains sandy deposits amongst the layers of rocks where a wide range of corals can be collected. Around five species of Coral were examines during our trip. At Hopes Nose Point, recent dumping of sea defence blocks from a local quarry also yielded some excellent specimens.

(Daddy's Hole)

(Hopes Nose)

(Coral from Daddy's Hole)

Thursday 16th Oct 2003 - Durlston Bay pt 2

The vast time UKF Visited Durlston Bay, the combination of high water, strong winds and double tides made examining this part of the coastline limited. Due to this limited time, samples were collected and wet sieving took place back at base. A number of Crocodile fragments, small teeth, turtle shell peace's and shells were found.

This year, more time allowed us to explore both ends up to Durlston head and near Pevil Point. Some large peace's of crocodile skin was found, a near complete Turtle Tile Strip, Fish teeth, Scales and fragments, a possible mammal limb bone and a possible bird bone. Finds were made both in the soft freshwater bed and from in the hard rocks on the foreshore. A sharks tooth was also found at Durlston Head.