Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Mysteries of the beach

"Spotted Jasper" Puget Sound WA

When I walk the beaches of Puget Sound, which are only about 100 yards from my front door, I never know what I'm going to find. The rocks that wash up on these beaches could come from anywhere, and may look vastly different from anything I've found before.

This is a rock I picked up a few weeks ago, clearly some sort of jasper due to its hardness and ability to take a polish. But the patterning, not unlike the "Poppy Jasper" of the Olympic Peninsula is here made up of very different colors and patterns. In other words, I have NO idea what this is or where it came from. That, precisely, is the gift of the glaciers that carved this landscape.

Size:  2" x 1" - Source : Alki Beach, Seattle

1 comment:

  1. Hi Kevin,
    I love your blog! I'm an avid rock collector and a geologist by trade and I was curious what kind of tumbler you have? I'm in the market to get one and am not sure which one to get. Your rocks are beautiful, so I thought I would ask.

    Thanks!

    Kate

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