Shepherds Chine to Whale Chine
Our second location for the day was to examine the coastline from Shepherds Chine to Whale Chine, again this trip was also done in 2005, but unfortunately beach conditions was poor. This year the beach conditions were also not favourable.
Just when we thought that the only finds would be the common Oysters and bivalves, Ian managed to split a nodule which contained a lovely bone. The bone was immediately preserved back at our base camp since it was very fragile and started to crack. The bone was carefully etched out, but because the bone was already half sticking out of the rock, we urgently needed something to support the bone. So down to the local town to find some modelling clay. The bone is currently waiting to be stuck together, but we have taken the opportunity to photograph whilst positioned using the modelling clay.
The find we believe is a tibia, but of what remains the question, perhaps anyone reading this LIVE event can help us!
Whilst our focus has always been on fossils and geology, Alister by chance managed to find a nice Selenite crystal in the clay.
Loc 3: Shepherds Chine to Whale Chine
We originally intended to start from Whale Chine and work along to Shepherds Chine. Unfortunately access to the beach is now closed due to land movement which has destroyed the steps. So instead we drove to Shepherds Chine and walked backwards.
Once again, beach conditions where not in our favour. The last time we visited this location in 1996, a hard limestone layer was well exposed on the foreshore, dipping from a height of about 1 metre to below beach level. Sadly it appears this has since been covered by landslips. This layer was rich in fish remains, teeth and other bone fragments. In short, we returned back with less weight than we started with (less the grub), and its not often that happens. A disappointing start to the day. Saying that, for anyone who hasn’t been to this location, there are plenty of large oysters and corals in the rocks to be found. Some of these are loose just waiting to be picked up. Several broken ammonites also seen in the clay.
Starting at Shepherds Chine, the clays here are of the Vectis Formation from the Wealden Group. Walking East, at the foot of the cliff, the Atherfield Clay Formation is well exposed. At the base of this formation is the Perna Bed Member is exposed. This is also exposed as boulders on the foreshore where corals (Holocystis sp.), large oysters (Aetostreon sp.) and worm tubes can be found. Trace fossils of horizontal burrows connected by vertical shafts from Thalassinoides are also abundant here. Further East, the Lower Lobster Bed is exposed with over 11 metres. This bed also contains ammonites of Deshayesites. The Lobsters can be found in the small nodules which are soft and a pinky colour. On our visit, the Crackers Member which contains some superb ammonites and crustaceans was not exposed.
Day 4:
Loc 6: Barnes High (Shepherds Chine to Chilton Chine)
Today we examined the coastline walking west from Shepherds Chine and covering the famous ‘Barnes High’ as featured on the Live Dig from the Isle of Wight on TV. At the time we visited the beds were covered up with shingle although today’s strong winds had taken most of the high shingle bank away. Having arrived just after high tide, you can see rapid scouring is taking place and should this continue, this location could be quite interesting soon.
We also examined Cowleaze Cove, where the famous partial sauropod skeleton was uncovered from the Wessex Formation (Wealden) by students from the University of Portsmouth. This was found in the uppermost beds as like most of the bones found in this area.
From the plant debris bed (this is a grey, siltstone bed with wood and small plant remains), we did find a small bone. The bone is complete but broken in two parts, about 3cm long in matrix but is very fragile. It is currently wrapped up and we will photograph after preparation/preservation in time for the new location on UKF for this area.
