Post by 150FromFundy on Aug 4, 2010 20:52:10 GMT -5
One of our Day 1 stops was Halls Harbour located at the top of the Annapolis Valley. It is a small fishing village on the Bay of Fundy with little more than a lighthouse and a government wharf. In a geologic sense, Halls Harbour is noted for its amygdaloidal basalt and is a truly beautiful spot to take a stroll along the beach before dinner. Come on along …
Looking back at Halls Harbour from the basalt rubble of the adjacent headland. Should have brought my hiking boots.
A little farther around the headland we encounter the disappearing waterfall. This waterfall is about 25 to 30 feet high and is a mere trickle in early August.
This is really cool. Let’s take a closer look. The wet cliff face in the splash zone is a better representation of the mineral rich bedrock.
Now that’s nice and cool, and a good opportunity to wash a few rocks and save the tongue.
I find the majesty and wonderment of the whole geologic experience very though provoking. For instance … how the hell did that happen?
Both the early French explorers (Samuel de Champlain – 1604) and the native Migmaw (Mic Mac) people gathered native copper from these cliffs, and others nearby. I still have not found copper, but there is definite evidence of sulphide staining.
Unfortunately, most of the pretty stuff is found only as a very thin film on the fractured rock face.
I picked up a few pieces of basalt peppered with zeolites nodules along the way. Zeolites make interesting specimens, but are way to soft to do anything with. Zeolites are known as “chemical sieves”. They are commonly used as odour control in cat litter and in certain cases are used in cleanup of radioactive spills. The orange and pink are likely Stilbite and Chabazite, the green Apophylite, the white Analcime or Gmelnite. (So says the book … I’m not a geologist.)
Stray agate.
Hope you enjoy.
Darryl.
Looking back at Halls Harbour from the basalt rubble of the adjacent headland. Should have brought my hiking boots.
A little farther around the headland we encounter the disappearing waterfall. This waterfall is about 25 to 30 feet high and is a mere trickle in early August.
This is really cool. Let’s take a closer look. The wet cliff face in the splash zone is a better representation of the mineral rich bedrock.
Now that’s nice and cool, and a good opportunity to wash a few rocks and save the tongue.
I find the majesty and wonderment of the whole geologic experience very though provoking. For instance … how the hell did that happen?
Both the early French explorers (Samuel de Champlain – 1604) and the native Migmaw (Mic Mac) people gathered native copper from these cliffs, and others nearby. I still have not found copper, but there is definite evidence of sulphide staining.
Unfortunately, most of the pretty stuff is found only as a very thin film on the fractured rock face.
I picked up a few pieces of basalt peppered with zeolites nodules along the way. Zeolites make interesting specimens, but are way to soft to do anything with. Zeolites are known as “chemical sieves”. They are commonly used as odour control in cat litter and in certain cases are used in cleanup of radioactive spills. The orange and pink are likely Stilbite and Chabazite, the green Apophylite, the white Analcime or Gmelnite. (So says the book … I’m not a geologist.)
Stray agate.
Hope you enjoy.
Darryl.