NOVA SCOTIA FIELD TRIP

12/05/2007

At last night's meeting, I spoke briefly about a collecting expedition to the Cape Blomidon area of Nova Scotia. Jim asked that I forward the information to the BMC webmaster. Below is a copy of an e-mail I sent to a neighbor regarding the trip and guides whom I met. You are welcome to use it as you wish. I do hope to go back next year. Regards,

BMC Member Dave Butler, Carlisle, MA 2007

The geologist/carpenter who took me out exploring along the south shore of the Bay of Fundy is Tom Metcalf. Tom is from Massachusetts but has lived in Nova Scotia for many years.

He offers three general categories of guide services. First, zeolite collecting, which I did, which included a basalt cliff - cove with heulandite crystals, a petrified wood cove with drusy quartz and (rarely) amethyst crystals, and an old quarry with a variety of minerals and unusual items.

His website is www.goldmines.ca. He also does gold panning, and offers a geology lecture field trip also. I forgot to mention he smokes cigarettes but since we were outdoors most of the time it was not a problem.

He has a store set up in his house which is more like a museum where everything is for sale. Tom is the one who grew up in Massachusetts.

Bay of Fundy photo from Goldmines Rock Shop

Nova Scotia gold panning photo from Goldmines Rock Shop

I also visited with Robert Baird, www.robsrockshop.com.

Rob is a very interesting guy. He collects at various sites and his back yard is full of rows of rocks, much like a garden, which he has separated by location. His basement is full of things for sale. The most interesting rocks that I found during the trip were purchased at his basement "store," but since I stopped there first I did not know this at the time.

Robert makes jewelry and also cuts the agates that he finds into thin translucent sheets that show patterns when backlit. Robert has offered to take me out collecting and I plan to take him up on it.

Both Tom and Robert seemed to be in their late 50's. Both are located in the general area of Kentville, N.S. near Cape Blomidon. Both of them offered a lot of specimens for $5 or less, but also had more expensive stuff. Neither are set up to take credit cards. Also on Cape Blomidon, Scots Bay Beach is easily accessible by paved road and is known for cool beach stones, albeit nothing like what you can find with a guide.

On the north shore of the Bay of Fundy, Parrsboro has the Fundy Geological Museum and the Parrsboro Rock Shop. Cape D'Or has spectacular scenery, but in best Canadian tradition is at the end of a 4 mile dirt road.

Cliffs along the Bay of Fundy. Walking from Cape Blomidon Provincial Park, the cliffs begin as Minas Basin sandstone capped by Triassic basalt. Moving west the basalt makes up a larger portion of the cliffs.

Ref:
Sabina, A.P.(1964), "Rocks and Minerals for the Collector - Bay of Fundy Area", GSC Paper 64-10.
Tschernich, R. (1992): Zeolites of the World, p.51, 100, 149, 255, 458, 492

Mindat Cape Blomidon mineral photos

The Mineralogy of Nova Scotia by Ronnie Van Dommelan