WHAT:  Fossil Collecting Trip
WHERE:  LaFarge Cement Quarry (formerly Blue Circle Cement Quarry) in the Harleyville/Holly Hill area, South Carolina
WHEN:  October 18, 2003
COLLECTING HOURS:  Participants should start arriving at 7:30 AM to check-in, sign a release form, and receive a brief safety briefing.  The dig will be from 8 AM to 1 PM.

There is no fee for this dig.

If children come to the dig, they MUST be in CLOSE proximity to their parent(s) at all times.  The representative from the mine stated no young children are permitted in the mine (he did not elaborate on how young, but I will endeavor to find out).  All young people under 18 must be with an adult/parent at all times.  This is a working mine.  Nothing was said about pets; but, I would advise against bringing them.

This mine is primarily noted for its Eocene marine fossils including scallops, oysters, brachiopods, echinoids, shark teeth, ray teeth, marine mammals, etc. 

SPECIAL CONDITIONS:  Because this is a working mine, safety is most important.  Hard hats and safety glasses are required and will be supplied by the Lafarge mine.  It is also recommended that you wear safety shoes (sturdy shoes), gloves, and appropriate outer clothing.  Everyone must sign a release form prior to going into the mine.  We will meet at our LaFarge Cement Quarry hosts "work trailer" to sign release forms and get a safety briefing before entering the mine.

WHAT TO BRING:  Bring something to collect into, picks, hammers, small shovels, a bag lunch, and plenty of drinking water.  If the weather is nice, we may be able to drive into the mine, otherwise we walk (approximately a quarter mile or more).

TRIP CONDITIONS:  We found out recently from LaFarge that we will be limited to the first 40 for this field trip.  Because of this condition, club fieldtrip chairman Ron Ahle will be the point of contact for both the mine and the DMC participants. 

If you would like to attend this trip, please contact Ron by no later than October 14.  If you send an email, please put "DMC October Trip" in the subject line, so he can expedite completion of the list of participants.  If there is a change in the number allowed or additional information provided, we will pass along a message for posting as soon as possible.  We will have a registration area set up to check in everyone who signed up.  The first 40 responders will be included on the signup list for the trip.

WHERE TO STAY:  There is one motel in Harleyville, SC - Ashley Lodge at 188 Judge St. in Harleyville, SC.  Phone number is (843) 462-7800 and Fax number is (843) 462-7134.  They have 42 rooms with queen-size beds and 11 RV campsites with full hookups.  Most of the "chain" motels can be found in nearby St. George, Santee and Charleston (all within 35 miles).  Here is a short list of hotels in St. George with last years prices.

ECONO LODGE ST GEORGE    Rate: USD 43.00 --  USD 47.00* 
5971 WEST JIM BILTON BLVD, St George, SC 29477 

QUALITY INN ST GEORGE    Rate: USD 49.00 --  USD 59.00* 
6014 JIM BILTON ROAD, St George, SC 29477 

COMFORT INN ST GEORGE    Rate: USD 57.90 --  USD 60.95* 
139 MOTEL DR, St George, SC 29477 0654 

BEST WESTERN ST GEORGE    Rate: USD 45.00 --  USD 59.00* 
I-95 AND US 78, St George, SC 29477 

A good turn-out was greeted at the quarry with lots of mud (the kind you can't get off your shoes!) due to heavy rains that occurred  the night before.  Undaunted, fossil collecters hit the pit for what turned out to be a beautiful day with an abundance of fossils.  The mine was actively removing alot of overburden from a new pit area and spreading the material across the pit flloor.  This exposed many fossils with good specimens of giant white shark and archecheate whale teeth found. My finds included one whale tooth in matrix, several whale vertebra, a bill fish rostrum in matrix
and a hand full of shark teeth and shark vertebra.  Some of the different sharks teeth represented included sand shark, lemon shark, tiger shark, mako, snaggle tooth and great white shark.  As I wondered around the pit, I meet with some folks and got pictures of their finds (see attached pictures).  One of the shark teeth pictured was found only a few feet away from me and the collector called me over so I could see it in the ground the way he found it.  It was very impressive.  All in all, it was a really nice day and alot of fossils were found.