What fossils to find
It may not look much, but this is what you need to find, a nodule with just a small part of an Ammonite showing. This nodule has 'Potential', but will require further work at home. You can find these nodules all over the beach, only around half of them contain fossils, so you need to look for the signs that they do contain a fossil such as the one above. Now if you try to split this using a geological hammer, splitting hammer or splitting chisel, you will completely break the fossil, it will be a no-win gamble. The fossil is softer than the nodule, so any attempt to split it like a normal nodule will fail.
You need to take it back home with you....
OK, now the best way to prepare that fossil is either by using etchers, or fine pointed instruments, air preparation tools or very fine chisels. Work at removing very small amount of matrix at a time. This specimen above was prepared using a Stanley knife. It takes 2-3 hours, you simply cut away the round around the nodules and eventually the fossil will see the light. Because these ammonites are not pyretic, they are well preserved and will not decay.
Of course ammonites, belemnites and other fossils can be found on the foreshore requiring no work on the fossil, but these are likely to be pyretic like the one above, and will be less well preserved, decaying over time. Ammonites that are pyretic can be best kept in a dry place. DO NOT Store outside, but keep in plastic specimen boxes which are available from UKGE LTD (See our What to Bring page). We also advise adding a sachet of Silica Gel which will remove the moisture from the air and slow the delaying process.
Some of the best ammonites can be found in the Belemnite Stone Bed, this bed exposures during winter months or scouring conditions and can be found at the base of the cliff just before you get to the point at Golden Cap. The ammonites are within the layer and you will need a hammer and chisel to get these out. There is a vast number of ammonite species at Seatown, see our 'Fossils to be Found' page.
Also within the Belemnite Stone Bed is microfossils, in fact around the pockets of crinoid fragments and belemnites this bed is highly rich in microfossils and a very small sample can yield hundreds of fossils. For more information see the section on collecting samples and processing samples. Fossils such as fragments of bone, crinoid fragments, tiny belemnites, ammonites, sea urchine spines and small gastropods can all be collected.
Where to look for fossils
From the car park as you walk towards Golden Cap, the first part of the cliff is unfossiliferious and you will not make any finds, as you approach you will notice that a light coloured hard band appears in the cliff (See above), this bed contains ammonites and reach's eye-level. Often lumps can be found at the base of the cliff and these can be split, but keep an eye on this layer as it runs towards Golden Cap as it contains many ammonites.
As you get closer to the peak of Golden Cap, often very fine shingle mixed with pyrites and clay can be found on the foreshore. Amongst the pebbles fossils can be found. This may be a 'on your knees job', look carefully and you should make some finds.
When you first reach Golden Cap, at the first slippage, you will notice that there is a lot of clay. The sea normally washes this out daily so fresh fossils can often be found here. Look in the clay, the clay slippages and the foreshore. Most of the fossils particularly ammonites are washed out and can simply be picked up often requiring no preparation.
Round the first slippage past the peak of Golden Cap, stay away from the sheer cliff face as it often crumbles. However search the foreshore for nodules that contain ammonites or loose ammonites that have been washed out. You need to look at the nodules that contain parts of ammonites showing, sometimes all you need is a tiny part of an ammonites to be showing for it to turn into a beautiful specimen after preparation. Further up, a wide range of belemnites can also be found.
During the winter months, the Belemnite Stone Bed is exposed, this is a definite search as it is full of crinoids, belemnites, ammonites and microfossils.
(Exposed Belemnite Stone Bed) - 2008
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