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Post by Jugglerguy on Jul 15, 2015 20:37:08 GMT -5
I decided to go for a little rock hunt today on my favorite local beach. On my last trip there, I met a guy when I was walking across the beach in front of his house. He invited me to use his property to access the beach, so I took him up on his offer. This beach is much farther down the beach than my other access point, so I was able to go much farther than I've gone before. I took my kayak, so I was able to move a little faster. I started by paddling way down the beach, then I walked most of the way back, dragging the kayak. Unfortunately, the farther area had almost no Petoskey stones, which was my main goal. I ended up spending five and a half hours on the beach and had a great time. I forgot my camera, but here's what I came home with: Most of the Petoskey stones were not that great, but there are a few decent ones. I left a bunch more inferior Petoskeys in the lake. My second goal was to get pudding stones. I wasn't disappointed. I left one nice large one behind because I didn't want to overload the kayak. I've polished a couple of these coral fossils lately and slabbed one. I used to leave most of them in the lake, but they're just too cool to leave behind. The rest are just some odds and ends. That's a chain coral in the bottom middle. I really like the striped one on the bottom right. The stripes are super clear. The green one in the upper right is unakitish, but a different shade of green that I really like. On the way home I saw two foxes cross the road about a half mile apart. One stopped on the side of the road and let me get a good look at him. Next time I'll bring the camera with me!
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jul 15, 2015 20:50:55 GMT -5
ok I am jealous now
Chuck
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Post by Jugglerguy on Jul 15, 2015 20:52:59 GMT -5
Did you think all the pudding stones were on Drummond Island?
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Post by orrum on Jul 15, 2015 21:12:25 GMT -5
Nice haul Rob!!! Like them all and they are nice size too!
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jul 15, 2015 21:47:28 GMT -5
Did you think all the pudding stones were on Drummond Island? I think the highest percentage per acre are still in Canada. St. Joseph island to be exact. I think the further south the less concentrated they are but I would be willing to bet more people hunt them on Drummond then most places just because they are an actual advertised tourist attraction for the island. I have seen some really awesome ones listed on eBay that are found west of I-75 mid state and I bet there is not much competition looking for them in areas like that. I give you credit for your five hour beach hunt. I don't think I have ever spent that long looking for rocks at one time. Five hours on the beach beats 10 hours in the office any day though. Did I mention I was jealous? Chuck
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Post by Jugglerguy on Jul 15, 2015 21:55:35 GMT -5
The time flew by. I had a great day. You should have seen the pudding stones around the house where I launched the kayak. I think there were a lot more than at your uncle's? house on Drummond island. There were a bunch. I think you're right that they are less concentrated as you go south though.
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Post by adam on Jul 15, 2015 23:27:27 GMT -5
That's a mighty fine haul there, cool to be found on Lake Huron. Only been to Lake Erie. Still, pudding stones looks good and the petoskeys.
What are them red rocks? Looks like imperial red jasper. Not sure your area has jasper, though.
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,341
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Post by quartz on Jul 15, 2015 23:57:14 GMT -5
Looks like a good haul for the time spent, nice to see mtls. not available here, thanks for the show.
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jul 16, 2015 5:54:11 GMT -5
I would love to see photos of high quality (capable of making jewelry) pudding stones found all over Michigan to see how far the hunting area really is. The map below shows areas I know that nice ones have been found. I checked and your place is only 60 miles south of mine as the crow flies. I have never hounded on Lake Michigan so maybe rattlehead or others can chime in to see if they make it that far to the west. look at this listing and read the description. It was found about 15 minutes south of your daughters college. www.ebay.com/itm/271890077354?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AITChuck
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Post by Jugglerguy on Jul 16, 2015 7:59:51 GMT -5
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jul 16, 2015 8:11:28 GMT -5
I can see that. Norwood isnt too far out of the area I circled. I was more wondering about areas south on Lake Michigan like Ludington, Muskegon, Holland. I think those might be in rattlehead's stomping grounds? I think that when these were traveling with the glaciers the largest ones stayed the furthest north. I do not think any 6 foot pudding stone boulders are being found mid-state? I guess it makes sense that they would get smaller and smaller as you go further from the original location. Chuck
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panamark
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2012
Posts: 1,343
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Post by panamark on Jul 16, 2015 8:44:50 GMT -5
We found an occasional puddingstone in the West Branch to Gladwin area, but most were small. My grandpa did find one volleyball sized one though in Alger.
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rattlehead
starting to spend too much on rocks
MI Rocks
Member since December 2010
Posts: 213
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Post by rattlehead on Jul 16, 2015 12:19:25 GMT -5
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Post by Jugglerguy on Jul 16, 2015 20:19:44 GMT -5
adam, we do have red jasper in the Great Lakes. The red in the pudding stones is jasper. I think those small red ones are jasper too. I have some in my tumbler that I picked up in Lake Superior, but I don't know if it's going to tumble well. After the first week, it looked porous like a red brick. The second week seemed a little better. rattlehead, I'm not sure if that's a Petoskey stone in your first picture. I'm looking at the rock under the big pink and white one and to the right of the small yellow stone. Sometimes I find hard, white Petoskeys that are much different than regular Petoskeys. I found several yesterday and left them in the lake because they lose all pattern when you polish them. It looks sort of like one of those. The eyes look a little to small also, although it's hard to tell the scale in your picture. Are those big black rocks with fossils the same as what I have in my picture? I've always thought those would make really cool spheres if you could find one large enough. The ones I have contain oil and smell like oil when you work with them.
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rattlehead
starting to spend too much on rocks
MI Rocks
Member since December 2010
Posts: 213
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Post by rattlehead on Jul 17, 2015 7:25:25 GMT -5
All the grey in the rocks is Petoskey. The dark big ones with the Petoskey chunks polish great. One of my favorite types as they usually have a nice mix of fossil in them.
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Post by Jugglerguy on Jul 17, 2015 7:52:52 GMT -5
Oh, ok, I don't usually find Petoskey in those black rocks, it's usually a different type of coral. Now I remember the cylinder you did for the pendulum you did. That had lots of Petoskey and looked great.
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Post by orrum on Jul 17, 2015 8:05:58 GMT -5
I wanna go hunt petoskys, puddingstone and UNAKITE! Yall ought see the fixed blade knife scales I made with Robs Unakite! It's on a Damascus blade too. I will send a pic to Chuck and see if he will post it for me. Made it with my Loto!
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Post by nowyo on Jul 17, 2015 10:34:23 GMT -5
Sounds like a great day and a good bunch of rocks. Good you got better/closer access as well.
Russ
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Post by snowmom on Jul 19, 2015 17:41:26 GMT -5
I have seen ads on Ebay for pudding stone found in central IL. Many of the glaciers stopped there, and dropped huge loads- left mile high moraines. Have also seen photos of pudding stone found in Mn and Wi.
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mibeachrocks
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since September 2013
Posts: 198
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Post by mibeachrocks on Jul 20, 2015 12:54:35 GMT -5
Nice haul. As for the pudding stones, I do not find much on lake Michigan. I was up there last week for a quick trip and did not find any even though I was on the beach for at least 3 to 4 hours. However, I was out just north of Port Huron yesterday, and my daughter managed for find one the size of a football.
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