Henry
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2013
Posts: 452
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Post by Henry on Apr 10, 2015 22:51:28 GMT -5
Hello all. If all goes well tomorrow, I may go out to Agate Beach, Bolinas, Marin County California. I just need to know what whale bone looks like. Is it similar (cell looking) like dino bone? I just can't tell from the brecciated stuff and whale bone. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks!!  So as an addendum, this is what I found. I was told that this particular forum would be an appropriate place to post my find(s). I was told a number of different things as far as what this may be.   |
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Post by Rockoonz on Apr 11, 2015 0:11:31 GMT -5
The stuff we have is quite similar to dino bone, more a specimen grade than cabbing material.
There's a well formed vertebra somewhere in our stuff.
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Post by stephan on Apr 11, 2015 1:37:34 GMT -5
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller 
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,492
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Post by Sabre52 on Apr 11, 2015 6:24:03 GMT -5
Yep, very similar. I used to hunt it on Ventura and Santa Barbara County beaches all the time. Still have a few hunks on my rock pile I think. Big difference is, it tends to be pretty rounded cobbles and is usually only found in earth tones. Stuff I got was highly agatized but usually only browns or reddish browns, tan etc. Black and blue was extra nice but quite scarce in the places I hunted.....Mel   |
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,718 
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Post by Fossilman on Apr 11, 2015 8:27:07 GMT -5
Haven't found a whale bone yet,but have seen them...They are similar like a dino bone,but the cell structure looks bigger to me........
Good luck and get lucky......Thumbs up
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Post by stephan on Apr 11, 2015 8:48:08 GMT -5
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Henry
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2013
Posts: 452
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Post by Henry on Apr 11, 2015 9:36:17 GMT -5
Thanks everyone! Stephan, I didn't know there is whalebone in Morgan Hill...I thought it was just that elusive Poppy Jasper stuff. |
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Post by stephan on Apr 11, 2015 17:52:38 GMT -5
Thanks everyone! Stephan, I didn't know there is whalebone in Morgan Hill...I thought it was just that elusive Poppy Jasper stuff. There used to be. The stuff I received was collected a long time ago. From what I understand, it was where there is now a waste water treatment plant. IDK, but that's what I was told. I also never knew there were thundereggs near San Jose. They are boring, but they exist. Any luck today? |
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,492
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Post by Sabre52 on Apr 11, 2015 18:12:24 GMT -5
Speaking of thundereggs, the Berkeley Hills used to have nice ones and good agate nodules too. I imagine it's all built up now though....Mel
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Post by snowmom on Apr 12, 2015 6:13:10 GMT -5
looking for an update, did you find anything to bring home?
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Post by stephan on Apr 12, 2015 22:15:00 GMT -5
Speaking of thundereggs, the Berkeley Hills used to have nice ones and good agate nodules too. I imagine it's all built up now though....Mel Yep, that's what the geode kid told me as well. Sad. Who needs houses, when there are thundereggs to be dug? ;-) |
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,492
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Post by Sabre52 on Apr 12, 2015 22:42:54 GMT -5
Stephan, One of my early rock hound mentors was an old guy named Buster Sledge. He was one of the original discoverers of the Berkeley eggs and had a rockyard full of piles back in the 1950's. Some were eight or nine inches in diameter. Most were banded or waterline with some nice blues but there were some spectacular iris agate eggs too. Sure wish I still had some. I did dig the nodules too. Classic almond shaped with mostly gray and white banding. The good ones ere about two inches or so but big ones were to be found. The big'uns were mostly quartz filled geodes and kind of blah Caught that damn poison oak almost every time I hunted there as a kid. Buster was also involved in the very early discoveries at Stone Canyon and Nipomo and I think he told me one time he hunted the Templeton biconids too. Those are freakig awesome eggs.....Mel
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Post by fishenman on Apr 12, 2015 23:09:56 GMT -5
Speaking of thundereggs, the Berkeley Hills used to have nice ones and good agate nodules too. I imagine it's all built up now though....Mel No Mel it's not built up. It's now part of the municipal watershed and off limits. I think about going over there since it's a 15 min. drive from my house but I heard it's patrolled by security. Apparently they know what is there and what people would do if they could get at it. No digging in any of the the drinking water, watershed areas. |
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,492
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Post by Sabre52 on Apr 13, 2015 10:06:15 GMT -5
Well, that sucks. I'd think a little digging would help percolation.....Mel
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Post by stephan on Apr 13, 2015 13:47:34 GMT -5
Yes, we would be going out of our way to help improve water quality. Payment in the form of a few thundereggs would adequate.
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Post by stephan on Apr 14, 2015 9:50:29 GMT -5
Hello all. If all goes well tomorrow, I may go out to Agate Beach, Bolinas, Marin County California. I just need to know what whale bone looks like. Is it similar (cell looking) like dino bone? I just can't tell from the brecciated stuff and whale bone. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks!! So as an addendum, this is what I found. I was told that this particular forum would be an appropriate place to post my find(s). I was told a number of different things as far as what this may be. That certainly could be whale bone. I have some dino bone that looks like it extensively rotted prior to being replaced. This led to the cell structure not looking quite normal, and very similar to what you have here: www.flickr.com/photos/36618387@N06/6753156995/One way to test this would be to add a few drops of muriatic (hydrochloric) acid to an inconspicuous spot. If it fizzes, the acid is dissolving the remaining hydroxyapatite of the bone matrix. If you wash it off quickly, there should not be any visible damage. I can't think of anything else it might be. Pretty find, and not a bad size, especially for Agate Beach. |
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Henry
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2013
Posts: 452
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Post by Henry on Apr 14, 2015 21:48:55 GMT -5
Stephan, thank you so much for the information! Many moons ago I read something about the muriatic/hydrochloric acid test. I totally forgot about it. That's what I like about these boards. Friendly people with a wealth of information. BTW, have you had any luck with the beaches south of Pescadero State Beach? |
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Post by stephan on Apr 15, 2015 0:54:08 GMT -5
Henry -- my pleasure. I'm just passing on what was freely shared with me. I'm with you. IMO, information is only good if it's shared.
I haven't hunted down that way yet. I'd love to hear about it myself. I've heard a lot of those beaches are off-limits, so I'd be grateful for tips myself.
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