Following our successful trip during January 2003 to Hastings - open to all lead by the author of the book 'Fossils and Geology of Hastings', Ken Brooks, Ken offered to run a second trip in the Hastings Area at Fairlight (Pett Level).

The Live Event

View of Pett Level from Fairlight

The UK Fossils Trip first examined the Cliff End Bone Bed and how to identify this. All members on the trip, took samples home for further analysis and splitting. Examples of Faults where shown which have been responsible for major erosion and consequential coastal management developments and why erosion is faster at Fairlight Cove. Several members also took back horse tail fossil plants as well as fish teeth from the Cliff End Bone Bed.

Ken also pointed out many dinosaur footprints along the coastline which everyone was fascinated to see, and sedimentary layers in the rocks. This trip was both suitable for beginners and for those wishing to understand the geology and paleoenviromental background.

This spine is part of a larger 8cm long Spine which is currently under preparation. The spine was found after splitting several large samples which were brought back from Pett Level. The Spine is in three parts and will require careful work before carefully sticking it together.

A return to Fairlight to photograph the entire section to Hastings was made, Over 200 photos were taken, probably around 150 will be archived on UK Fossils. A few slabs of the 'Cliff End Bone Bed' was found and split, a large number of fish scales and teeth were found along with other bone fragments. Samples were taken back for further splitting back at the UK Fossil Base. Shells were collected from along the beach from Fairlight to Hastings.

The most spectacular find of the day was made nearing the end of the trip on the foreshore, looking on the foreshore and whilst collecting 'Unio' shells from the Foreshore Clay. A large crocodile tooth was found just over an inch in size.