July 31, 2004 - Monroe Co, AL

This month BPS members headed to Monroe County in South Alabama, where we collected in the Lisbon Formation and Gosport Sand. Steve and Gilbert took their boats, so we spent the day scouting several miles along the riverbanks. Due to rain earlier in the week, the water level had risen 6-8 feet since the scouting trip, so the ledges were mostly underwater, and our collecting was restricted to the upper reaches. Numerous gastropods, turritella and trace fossils that appear to be burrows of some kind were found, also a few shark teeth, echinoids, and even a piece of permineralized wood were found. Some of the bivalves were complete and hardened. Many of the turritella and other shells found in the Gosport Sand were so fragile that it took careful digging to keep the shells from dissolving as they were touched. When broken open, a number of the "burrows" had shells inside them. Wildlife was also spotted, including an alligator and alligator tracks, numerous herons, and Steve spotted the largest water moccasin he had ever seen in his many years in the outdoors, startled him so much he threw his fossils in the river beating a path back to the boat! Sorry 'bout that, Steve!

Members participating in this long trip were Greg, Jan, Steve, Leisa, Gilbert, Carolyn, Vicki, Nancy and Miss Daisy.

(Photos courtesy Nancy Kenfield, Steve Corvin, and Vicki Lais)

Along the shoreline.

Greg and Steve, getting ready to check out this landing.

Shells in matrix. Sand is wet, and shells will disintegrate at the slightest touch. Careful excavation is essential.

At slightly higher elevations, the shells are dry and hard. Leisa found these.

A representative sampling of shells in this locality.

Shell impressions.

Shell layers in the bank.

Turritella found by Steve.

Sand dollar found by Steve.

Nice collection of sand dollars found by Steve.

Large boulders, appearing to be trace fossils, perhaps burrows.

Many of the burrows had shells inside.

Tooth found by Steve.

Gilbert after a long hard day on the river.

A view of the bluffs, mostly grown over now.

End of another great collecting day!

On the way down, some of us apparently took a wrong fork in the road.... that sign was deceiving.

And we entered into a strange land, populated by the most bizzare critters! (Forkland??)

For scale, note that Vicki is hugging the tin man's leg. Both the ship and car (above) are REAL.

Alabama countryside near Forkland.