Castle Hayne 9-2012
Thirty one members participated in the Fall Castle Hayne club trip. Sunny skies and warm temperatures greeted the group. We were lucky that no shot (dynamite blast) occurred so we had the whole day to hunt. Due to the fact that the quarry was in full operation, we had the usual areas to hunt as in seasons past. We just appreciate the opportunity to get in Castle Hayne and hunt! Fortunately some nice piles of overburden with a mix of Cretaceous and Eocene material were available. A portion of the group accompanied Linda McCall to the difficult Eocene hills in the front while the remainder of the group braved the thick underbrush to hunt the PD / Eocene area in the back. Libby Smalley found two perfect Maretia subrostrata (echinoids). These were very clean with very little matrix and should clean up into perfect specimens! She also found the largest Rhombodus binkhorsti (ray crusher tooth) I've ever seen! Al Klatt found a beautiful Coelopleurus carolinensis (echinoid) in matrix. George and Karen Marrier & Linda McCall found a whole slew of common echinoids. In addition Linda found some nice Eocene bryozoa, brachiopods and a whole handful of squid beaks! Todd Daughtry and his son Perry brought their Dad / Granddad (Tommy) for his first fossil hunting experience. In true beginner fashion, Tommy proceeded to find the largest Carcharocles auriculatus tooth of the day! Only a portion of the root was missing! Bruce Hargreave also found a small auriculatus tooth with a complete root and Trish Kohler found a beautiful small auriculatus complete except for a missing cusplet. Todd found the largest mosasaur tooth that I've ever seen come out of Castle Hayne an absolute monster!!! Mark & Lisa Mckoy and their sons Skylar and Kellon had great luck! Mark found two nice croc teeth while Skylar found a large Anomaedus phaseolus tooth battery (Cretaceous fish). With the help of Don Clements, Skylar and Kellon found multiple Cretaceous crab carapaces in matrix (Avitelmessus grapsoideus). Amy Plaster's son Wyatt found a Serratolamna koerti shark tooth as well as a Squalicorax pristodontus Cretaceous shark tooth. Both Diane Willis and Eric Sadorf found Enchodus sp.teeth (Cretaceous fish). The Brinton family, Troutman family, Asolt Frecska & Fruzsina Toth, Mary Harbison and Gerry Case also participated. Our sincere thanks go out to Burnie Freas with Martin Marietta for the opportunity to allow our club to hunt in Castle Hayne. This quarry always offers some great surprises!!