It's that time of the year again....

Hope to see you at the show!

Do you live in Oregon or are you visiting the beautiful Oregon Coast next weekend and want something to do? Join us for the Oregon Coast AGATE Clubs Gem & Mineral Show on June 14th & 15th! This show will also help give you an idea of what one can find on the Central Oregon coast.

Back to back Agate events on the Central Oregon Coast

DiTorrice and Myers after Lincoln City event

Yesterday's Lincoln City Visitor and Convention Bureau's  Agate and Fossil trip was moved indoors to the Lincoln City Cultural Center out of concern for the safety for all attending beachcombers.  This was a standing room only event and put on by two long time members of the Oregon Coast Agate Club, Guy DiTorrice known as the Oregon Fossil Guy, and K. Myers, author of Agates of the Oregon Coast a pocket guide.  

If you missed this event DiTorrice (Sunday only for fossil ID) and Myers will also be assisting with identification of local agates during the 3rd annual Agate Festival in Yachats, next Saturday and Sunday, January 18th and 19th from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Yachats Commons. The event is free.

Featured speaker this year is William Orr, emeritus professor of geology at the University of Oregon and director of the Condon collection at the Museum of Natural and Cultural History at the University. Orr will speak at the Commons Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. and his topic will be “How geologists use fossils.”

Beach Combing at Newport...

A fully agatized gastropod (snail like) shell on the left
and an usual agate to the left.

Don't let yourself or your loved ones be an other causality of the dreaded sneaker waves!  Please be careful when you are on the beach by staying off the rocky jettys, ledges,  or logs, and never turn your back on the water. Always know which way  to go, to get off the beach and  away from this fast moving water.  This combination of cold water, sharp rocks and fast moving water is a deadly combination. 

On a happier note...Frank, the president of the Oregon Coast Agate Club was out beach combing and found this fossil, of possibly a seal or otter.  He also found a couple of nicely formed agates to share with you.

News from the Oregon Coast...

Entered December 10, 2010... It is beginning to look a lot like beachcombing season again!  Frank was just in yesterday with a few trophies he wanted to share with everyone.  He found what we all believe could be a fossilized sea turtle scull, (yet to get this photo ) a very well defined fossilized Crepidula praerupta shell.  Frank has also been very busy educating our upcoming pebble pups by doing geological presentations for classes in our Lincoln County School District. Good job Frank!

The Oregon Coast Agate Club Christmas party was last night, great food and a fun gift exchange was had by all in attendance.  We have elected new leadership and hope to see the club continue to grow.  Visitors are always welcome to join us for the meetings held the 2nd Thursday of the month at 7:30 pm in the Central Lincoln P.U.D.(across the Hwy from Safeway) meeting room in Newport.  The annual show will be held June 18 & 19 at the Yaquina View School, multi-purpose room.

This photo to the right was found earlier last spring by  Roscoe. & Billy of Tillamook  What is it?  Looks like a crepidula...but developed the wrong direction.

47th Gem & Mineral Show in Newport

Yesterday we went out for the minus tides and found the gravel beds are still presenting a treasure trove of agates, jasper and more for us beachcombers. Came home and wrapped the 3 agate pendants in this photo that just came out of our tumbler collected just a few weeks ago.

Father’s Day weekend rock hunters, agate lovers and fossil collectors are coming together for the annual Oregon Coast Agate Club’s 47th Gem & Mineral Show here in Newport at the Yaquina View Elementary School -Multipurpose Room - 351 SE Harney Street. The show will be open Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is only $2 for adults, $1 for youth, with children under 6 years of age free.