leeb180 Posted October 19, 2013 Share Posted October 19, 2013 Hi, We live around 30 minutes west of DC in Virginia, and was wondering where may be a good place to take our almost 6 and 4 year old children for their first time hunting fossils or sharks teeth. They both seem very interested, and would love to try and find some of their own. We were looking at somewhere hopefully within about 2-3 hrs of our location and thinking about it doing it next weekend , Sat 10/26/13 Any ideas or hints would be appreciated, as well as any ideas for making it even more fun for children! Thanks in advance Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gizmo Posted October 19, 2013 Share Posted October 19, 2013 Try here. http://www.chesapeake-beach.md.us/attractions_bayfrontpark.htm http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/41495-brownie-beachcalvert-formation-results-from-2-trips/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNGray Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 I second the motion. Be sure to pay close attention to the tides and take a sieve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowsharks Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 If you go to Bayfront park (aka Brownies) in MD, since you are taking your 4 and 6 year old children with you, I highly recommend that you stay away from the cliff area. The cliffs are located to the right (south) when you hit the beach. You can still find shark teeth on the main beach, but recommend that you bring a screen or colander for sifting. The main beach is safe for you and your kids, but the cliff area is quite unpredictable and very difficult to navigate; downed trees, large boulders, etc. Another beach worth considering is Flag Ponds state park in MD. It's also on the Bay about 15 miles south of Bayfront park. THe beach is even larger giving your kids more area to roam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeb180 Posted October 21, 2013 Author Share Posted October 21, 2013 We were thinking of trying this weekend coming as the long distance weather looks reasonable and the tides work for our timing We were looking west Moreland state park or places nearby Anyone had luck there in the past ? Thank you for your replies, will be sure to bring a sieve or two for the kids ! How far before low ride would you usually look at arriving ? Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeb180 Posted October 21, 2013 Author Share Posted October 21, 2013 I meant low tide. Spell checker beat me sorry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 The legally huntable area at Westmoreland is rather small (no one is allowed under the cliffs), but there are fossils to be had, and the kids can't get out of sight. "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowsharks Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 In this hobby the motto "early bird gets the worm" really does apply. Given that you'll be taking little kids along, you likely will not be the first ones on the beach that day. If the tide is changing from high to low while you are there, you'll have a better chance of finding something that the tide washes up or uncovers. Given the unpredicatable nature of everything, it's always a good idea to bring a screen/sieve for sifting. Once the surface gets picked over it gets pretty boring. If you sift you might be there all day finding little goodies A sieve with 1/8" or 1/4" size mesh would work good for that beach. Any smaller any you have too much gravel to sort through, and any larger and nothing will stay in the screen. Daryl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeb180 Posted October 23, 2013 Author Share Posted October 23, 2013 Well getting up early with our kids isn't an issue - anything past 6 am would be a miracle ;-) How long after high tide or before low tide would you recommend ? We may hit purse state park instead depending on the timing. We are going to make a sieve for each kid tomorrow..gotta stop the arguments They would be happy kids if we come back with a bunch of rocks and shells as we have explained to them we might not find anything and maybe we might.. Thanks for all the helpful information Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowsharks Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Well getting up early with our kids isn't an issue - anything past 6 am would be a miracle ;-) How long after high tide or before low tide would you recommend ? We may hit purse state park instead depending on the timing. We are going to make a sieve for each kid tomorrow..gotta stop the arguments They would be happy kids if we come back with a bunch of rocks and shells as we have explained to them we might not find anything and maybe we might.. Thanks for all the helpful information Lee One alternative to making a box screen for sifting is to buy something like a wire-mesh basket from the utensil isle at the super market. I've walked down the isle at my local Giant Food supermarket and have seen these wire-mesh baskets about the same size/dimensions as a 9"x12"x2" baking pan. To be honest I don't have a clue what you would use it for, but anything that looks like it could be a handy sifter always catches my eye. If you end up making a sifter, be careful about the sharp/pointy edges that result from the hardware cloth (wire mesh). Your children are liable to get cut on those edges if you don't cover them up properly. I usually use a type of outside corner molding to cover up that area. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeb180 Posted October 29, 2013 Author Share Posted October 29, 2013 Thanks for the information. We made a sifter and actually found one of the two for the day with it. We started off not finding anything, and a very friendly family gave the boys a small tooth each as they were leaving (I believe they are are lemon shark teeth according to my oldest son who id'ed it from pictures on the web) Then my wife found a snaggletooth shark tooth just wandering along the water line... and I christened the sifter, by finding what I think is a requiem shark tooth from a load my youngest dug up and dropped in it for me. I didn't get an edge round it before we took it, but did take the hammer and tap them all back into the wood so there wasn't too many sharp edges sticking out. I have a picture on my wifes facebook page I can steal and post too maybe Thanks again - looks like we are looking for somewhere else for this weekend now!!! Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowsharks Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 (edited) Thanks for the information. We made a sifter and actually found one of the two for the day with it. We started off not finding anything, and a very friendly family gave the boys a small tooth each as they were leaving (I believe they are are lemon shark teeth according to my oldest son who id'ed it from pictures on the web) Then my wife found a snaggletooth shark tooth just wandering along the water line... and I christened the sifter, by finding what I think is a requiem shark tooth from a load my youngest dug up and dropped in it for me. I didn't get an edge round it before we took it, but did take the hammer and tap them all back into the wood so there wasn't too many sharp edges sticking out. I have a picture on my wifes facebook page I can steal and post too maybe Thanks again - looks like we are looking for somewhere else for this weekend now!!! Lee Lee, congrats to you and the family on your first finds. Sounds like you went to Westmoreland state park which has Miocene age material. You can use www.elasmo.com (then go to Lee Creek links) to help ID some of your finds. One tip for sifting, especially for folks that are new to sifting. You might not be making this mistake, but in case you are, remember the adage "Less is More" when it comes to the volume of material you put in your screen. I've seen many folks new to the hobby put so much sand/gravel into their screen that when you try to sift out the small stuff in the water, so much material stays in the screen that it becomes really difficult to search through it and find the teeth. Small teeth love to "stick" or adhere to pieces of shells, rocks, etc. Instead of putting several shovel-fulls of sand/gravel, only put one (or less even) so that after you are done sifting out the stuff that falls through, you are left with a "single" layer of material laying in the screen, rather than one or two inches thick of the stuff. It will be so much easier to see any teeth/fossils, and it will be quicker to sort through, dump it, and repeat the process. I sent you a PM on the other fossil location/site. Edited October 29, 2013 by cowsharks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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