1St Fossil Trip Ever - Calvert Cliffs Brownies Or Matoaka Cottages?

[IKatelin]

I'm posting for my daughter Katie...

We are planning our FIRST FOSSIL HUNT EVER and decided on the Calvert Cliffs in Maryland (3 hour ride). Maybe Big Brook, NJ in late October.

We're all excited since this will be the first time we will find a treasure instead of just buying one. Bragging rights are on the line.

I don't care about admission fees, we will probably only get to do this 2-3 times a year.

From all the great info everybody has posted, it seems like the 2 best places to try are Brownies and Matoaka Cottages.

(If I am wrong, please let me know...and you don't have to post the exact location of you favorite dig spot, but a PM with that info would be nice... )

We wanted to go on the official group outing to say hi to everybody who has been so nice to us, but we already have plans for that weekend that can't be changed.

Our goal is simply to have fun and find September's Fossil of the Month....

(even though i'd like to find a meg, I think for this trip, quantity and variety is probably more important than quality)

Please let me know which would be best for the kids (Katie-8 and Will-4, but a great shell finder)

Also, what kind of gear should we take?

(food, water, 1st aid, phone, camera, ziplocks...etc are a given)

Brownies has a porta-potty, how bout the cottages?

Should I take a shovel and a sifter? Can somebody email a picture of a regular home-made sifter? 1/4" or 1/8" mesh? The bucket one on the fossil forum looks to be too much for the kids.

We plan to go Sept 26th when low tide will be early afternoon (if the chart i found is correct)

Thanks in advance for any help.

Rob

[Metopocetus]

I'm posting for my daughter Katie...

We are planning our FIRST FOSSIL HUNT EVER and decided on the Calvert Cliffs in Maryland (3 hour ride). Maybe Big Brook, NJ in late October.

We're all excited since this will be the first time we will find a treasure instead of just buying one. Bragging rights are on the line.

I don't care about admission fees, we will probably only get to do this 2-3 times a year.

From all the great info everybody has posted, it seems like the 2 best places to try are Brownies and Matoaka Cottages.

(If I am wrong, please let me know...and you don't have to post the exact location of you favorite dig spot, but a PM with that info would be nice... )

We wanted to go on the official group outing to say hi to everybody who has been so nice to us, but we already have plans for that weekend that can't be changed.

Our goal is simply to have fun and find September's Fossil of the Month....

(even though i'd like to find a meg, I think for this trip, quantity and variety is probably more important than quality)

Please let me know which would be best for the kids (Katie-8 and Will-4, but a great shell finder)

Also, what kind of gear should we take?

(food, water, 1st aid, phone, camera, ziplocks...etc are a given)

Brownies has a porta-potty, how bout the cottages?

Should I take a shovel and a sifter? Can somebody email a picture of a regular home-made sifter? 1/4" or 1/8" mesh? The bucket one on the fossil forum looks to be too much for the kids.

We plan to go Sept 26th when low tide will be early afternoon (if the chart i found is correct)

Thanks in advance for any help.

Rob

Matoaka for shells, Brownies for teeth.

[Phoenixflood]

Yes, the two places you named will be very good for kids. Matoaka especially for shells.

Brownies is better for sharks teeth; however without waders or getting wet it doesn't have that long a beach whereas Matoaka does. I don't know about bathrooms at Matoaka, but I would think they would because they have people staying there overnight.

I think it's like 4 bucks to walk the beach there per person where as brownies is free.

Yes, I'd take a sifter. I normally will just walk the beach and pick things up but I have seen people doing that there and finding some things.

[erose]

Big Brook in late October can be cold. It is possible to hunt without getting wet but if it's a first trip it might be frustrating. Once the leaves start falling the gravel banks get harder to surface collect. Having waders extends the season but you still get wet.

[IKatelin]

Thanks for the help... I think it's going to be Brownies.

THe kids can't stop talking about finding shark teeth.

Hopefully we'll find some treasures and post the pictures.

Thanks again,

Rob, Katie & Will

[Phoenixflood]

I know that fees aren't important to you but I happened to stumble across this:

http://www.ecphora.net/mgs/brownies.html

However, it seems like after labor day you don't have to worry about fees.

Keep in mind you can't go very far down the beach unless you are willing to get wet to get around to the cliffs. But you should have a good 100 yards of beach. Also be careful of jelly fish.