Wednesday March 23, 2016

My Favorite part of today was exploring the Cockburn Town Member of the Grotto Beach Fomation. This area is a preserved fossilized reef. Walking around we were able to spot all sorts of coral to include Staghorn Coral and Brain Coral. While walking along the formation there was a Terrarosa Paleosol. We learned that the Terrarosa Paleosol formed by sediment filling in the cracks then experiencing a rebound. The Terrarosa Paleosol can be found today in the center of the formation with a near vertical dip. It was very interesting to find shells preserved in the rock. Some of the coral was even in a growth position, while others had already fallen when they were cemented. The dark gray areas in the photos are being affected by the waves creating karen. The water is dissolving the limestone away, also uncovering organisms. 

The water has uncovered a conch shell.

Terrarosa Paleosol

-Alicia Stephan