Rocky Point 9-2011
Eighteen members of the North Carolina Fossil Club gathered on September 23, 2011 for the annual Fall collecting trip to Martin Marietta Limestone Quarry at Rocky Point, NC. Many members had trouble driving to the quarry due to heavy rains and road closures. After the usual paperwork and a safety orientation, the group caravanned through very heavy mud to the usual collecting site. Anticipations ran high due to several previous weeks of rain, which left the collecting area well-weathered and with a lack of footprints. Members slowly spread in all directions as the collecting began. The day turned out hot and humid, with the rain holding off until after 3:00. The group collected the entire day. Although Eocene echinoids are common, Linda and Bruce McCalls Linthia harmatuki in matrix was certainly an uncommon find and one that excited the entire group. The Charcharocles auriculatus shark tooth has long been a prized tooth of Rocky Point. During the course of the day, four were recovered by the group. Eric Sadorfs was outstanding and one that would bring a smile even to a veteran collector such as he is. Two were also collected by Earl Guertin and one by Jill Mitchell. Both of Earl's ricks had beautiful burlettes and nice serrations. The rarest tooth find of the day was Tracy Mayos Brachycarcharias lerichei along with her Comatulid Crinoid and sawtooth rostral cartilage. There were many beautiful Cretaceous echinoids found with an astonishing ten Hardouinia kellumi reported. Chris Mayo found one while Todd Powers, the Debbie Young & Billy Palmer team, and Eric Sadorf each found three! The fossil collecting duos of Chris and Tracey Mayo as well as Debbie Young and Billy Palmer spent a good deal of time collecting in the Cretaceous. Their efforts afforded them a bounty of Hardouinia mortonis (echinoid). Roxada Storys labor of the day was an exceptional Hardouinia mortonis in matrix. Other finds, included Ralph Brinton's Mako, a Sawfish rostral tooth and disc found by Jill Mitchell as well as an assortment of spinal discs and shark vertebrae by Charlotte and Oscar Jones. Don & Theresa Muller as well as George Marrier found a nice assortment of teeth and echinoids. All-in-all, everyone seemed to have a good time. To tops things off at the end of the day, we had a very fortunate encounter with nature .a beautiful rainbow. Our thanks go out to the generosity of Doug Pope and Martin Marietta.