Yesterday we had another school visit, this time year 10 girls from Loreto-Mandeville Hall. They seemed to have a great time, and asked a lot of questions about everything from volcanos to fossils.
We were also visited by some of the scientists who have been involved with the dig for many years - Tom Rich (Museum Victoria), Pat Vickers-Rich and Barbara Wagstaff (Monash University).
Pat requested that we remove a large block of rock covering all of our fossil-bearing strata layers to be taken whole to the Monash labs to be mapped in detail. A rock was chiselled from the hole, and passed inspection (it had a few fossils on the outside including a beautiful turtle vertebra). This left us with the logistical problem of transporting a 50kg+ lump of rock back to the lab. A wheelbarrow was duly produced, and the rock wheeled "the long way" across the sand to where the road was close to the beach. Although it was better than carrying the rock up the stairs to our usual carpark, Pat still gave us express permission to curse her as we pushed!
A last-minute ornithopod tooth by Mary just on knock-off time won "bone of the day".
Thursday 28 February 2008
Tuesday 26 February 2008
Finally some sunny weather
We were finally treated to some sunny weather today after what seemed like an eternity of grey skies and drizzle. We were also visited by 70 Grade 2 and 3 students from Inverloch Primary School, who were very enthusiastic. We had a great day of finding fossils - a lovely complex curly bone which might be part of a skull, and also 4 teeth.
Monday 25 February 2008
Saturday 23 February 2008
Early morning at Prep Rock
Week four crew photo
Friday 22 February 2008
Breaking Rock at the house
Pre-dawn...
This morning a small band of diggers were at the site before Dawn so that Angela the photographer from The Age could take some atmospheric shots.
The Intrepid included Paul (Hammer Man), Bill (Pump Man), David (Indie Hat Man), Sheahan (Background Meanderer), Dave (the Leader) and Wendy (Kneeling Girl).
Our regular readers are invited to check out tomorrow's Age which is scheduled to have a big spread on Dinosaur Dreaming.
The Intrepid included Paul (Hammer Man), Bill (Pump Man), David (Indie Hat Man), Sheahan (Background Meanderer), Dave (the Leader) and Wendy (Kneeling Girl).
Our regular readers are invited to check out tomorrow's Age which is scheduled to have a big spread on Dinosaur Dreaming.
Thursday 21 February 2008
Day at house
Today was "change-over day" - spent at the house because neither the morning or afternoon tides give us enough time to collect rock from the beach. We reached #400 in the catalogue of bones and teeth.
Mary's centrum won "bone of the day" and Mary is proudly wearing the Koolasuchus hat.
We were unpacking the toilet paper kindly brought to the dig by Zeina, and discovered bags of Suga lollies hidden within. A big thanks to Hala!
Tomorrow we plan to do some prospecting with Mike.
Mary's centrum won "bone of the day" and Mary is proudly wearing the Koolasuchus hat.
We were unpacking the toilet paper kindly brought to the dig by Zeina, and discovered bags of Suga lollies hidden within. A big thanks to Hala!
Tomorrow we plan to do some prospecting with Mike.
Wednesday 20 February 2008
Rained out
Catriona with the coveted hat |
Nothing terribly exciting was found.
Catriona won "bone of the day" in an extremely poor field.
With too much time on our hands, we spent some time colouring dinosaur pictures and visiting local "Op shops".
Due to a lucky purchase by Matthew, we have instituted a new tradition. "Bone of the Day" gets to decide the fate of the coveted "Koolasuchus" hat (which looks a little like Dorothy the Dinosaur). The winner can either wear it everywhere for 24 hours, or nominate anther crew member who must wear it instead of them...
Tuesday 19 February 2008
Gerry's dinosaur femur
Moulding the theropod footprint
Monday 18 February 2008
Friends of Dinosaur Dreaming Day
Friday 15 February 2008
Lovely bones
Week 3 crew
Wednesday 13 February 2008
Jackhammers, better rock and lots of water
Today I think that we arrived on the beach just a little early... The tide was still in, and our one pump currently working was difficult to start. We took the opportunity to remove the overburden with a jackhammer. But we found so many bones that there was mad scrambling wrapping after pack-up time. We're all feeling much more useful and competent now.
Dawn |
Rohan and Mike cleaning the rock rock off. We seem to spend lots and lots of time washing rocks... |
Rohan and Norman discuss mechanical things. |
Jeremy |
Mike gives Sue jackhammer lessons |
Norman and Rohan start work on the part of the fossil layer not under water... |
The rest of us spend some time breaking the sandstone just in case it there's a really good fossil in it: |
Lesley drew a picture of her Koolasuchus for the visiting college group |
Tuesday 12 February 2008
Breaking rock under grey clouds
Threatening grey clouds this morning, but fortunately no rain. However it was so cool on the beach that there were no requests for "swim o'clock".
We fished out a lot of "Prep Rock" rock from the pond where we store it overnight. This rock didn't have too many fossils in it, and we were glad when it had all been processed.
Of course, we were assuming that the new rock would be more prolific!
Dave led the intrepid hole crew (of Sue and Holden), working Bridge East.
Sledges were slung, and after a slow start, some very large chunks of rock were extracted.
No bones long enough for orientation measurements were extracted, but we did find a very pretty vertebra.
We fished out a lot of "Prep Rock" rock from the pond where we store it overnight. This rock didn't have too many fossils in it, and we were glad when it had all been processed.
Of course, we were assuming that the new rock would be more prolific!
Dave led the intrepid hole crew (of Sue and Holden), working Bridge East.
Sledges were slung, and after a slow start, some very large chunks of rock were extracted.
No bones long enough for orientation measurements were extracted, but we did find a very pretty vertebra.
Vertebra |
Dave swings a sledge |
The hole crew |
Saturday 9 February 2008
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