not your typical trophy

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not your typical trophy

Postby plant_one » Sat May 22, 2021 9:32 pm

just got home from a trip to the Yoop! Say Ya To Da UP Eh? :mrgreen:

was roughly a 60 hour round trip turn and burn of almost 1100 miles, but we did get to have a little fun while we were up there... and my cousin found a trophy of sorts


i started hunting for Fluorescent Sodalite bearing rocks a little over a year ago now... and i'm totally hooked. We use 365nm UV lights to find them after dark on stony beaches here in the great lakes region.

my friend has access to some private beaches along lake superior's south shore, and tooks us out in hopes of finding some goodies.

since my cousin was with me for the job we had to do... he went along with me and my buddy mike sunday night to a beach that hasnt been accessible for over 2 years. with the water levels up at historical highs the last few years, the area we were searching has been buried under several feet of sand (and water) and has only been exposed in the last could weeks as the wave action has moved the sand back out into the lake where it belongs exposing the rocks.

its a real trick navigating a beach of softball (and larger) sized stones in the dark with only UV lights - not to mention the risk to your ankles/knees... but falling on the rocks is a legit danger to be worried about. i do NOT suggest doing this alone if you dont have a choice!

just for reference - this is roughly what the beach we were searching looked like (we stopped a few miles from there at a scenic lookout/beach access to get some pics for his wife and kids the next day)
Image


this stone is the largest sodalite i've ever laid eyes on personally - its 5lbs 6.4oz, and roughly the size of a large softball. its spectactular due to not only its size but the ammount of sodalite it carries. This is truly a once in a lifetime class stone. We have a polishing kit on the way - granite polishing pads work a treat for this type of stone from what i read. I cant wait to get it buffed up and see what it looks like with the outer crust on it buffed to a shine.


there was barely a dime sized area of it exposed and peeking out from under several other rocks. my cousin thought he was picking up an egg sized rock before he started to dig it out. mY buddy mike about lost his mind when he saw it and he's been picking these things for years and years now!


just a rough pic for now.. this was taken on the tailgate of my truck about 1am when we called it a night. you can see the water bottle there for size reference.
Image


more to follow when i get it polished and in its full display mode.
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Re: not your typical trophy

Postby Hoot » Sun May 23, 2021 12:03 am

As a geology buff, one of the rewards for putting up with MN winters is the diversity of cool rocks, literally at your feet and even more so, up on Superior's North Shore. Agates abound and not only ones indigenous to the area. I've found some dragged up here along with the retreating glaciers. It may sound like a dull pursuit compared to hunting animals, even fishing, but the time spent methodically scanning for certain telltale indicators is to me, very relaxing. Even with my diminishing mobility, you will find me occasionally passing the time scouring the river rocks in an island at the shopping center while the better half is hunting for bargains inside. That is, assuming there's no Harbor Freight or hardware store also in the shopping center. At least with the rocks, I never leave poorer than when I walked in. Never occurred to me that once the sun went down, a long wave UV light could allow my hunt to continue. Believe it or not, some of my best finds have been on flat top roofs on top of buildings, that have a river rock fill on top of its rubble sheet. No Lie! No one ever goes up on the roofs to look for rocks, so the pickin's can be quite rewarding. If you didn't think that I had a screw loose by now, this will help eliminate the guesswork. ;)

Rocks Rule!

Some folks dream of that ultimate prairie dog hunt out in the great plains but I'd love to come along on a major fossil dig there. Prairie dogs would be a close second, but more costly.

Hoot
In Theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In Practice, there is.
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Re: not your typical trophy

Postby plant_one » Sun May 23, 2021 12:23 am

i keep one of my lights in the truck with me... and it wont be the first time i've checked parking lot landscaping rocks looking for one lol


mostly just to say "i found one at mcdonalds" lol

never done the agate thing before, but i've always picked up that "one cool rock" every place i go it seems. so this kinda worked out pretty neat



as a side note - uranium beach glass is SUPER easy to find under 365 and even 395 (which isnt nearly as good for Sodalite and feldspar)... that stuff glows like neon green!
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