Visiting a Rockhounding Legend

En route back home from Jalama Beach last weekend, the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen visited the private museum of the arguably most legendary rockhound in California. I withhold his name for the sake and safety and sanctity of the man and his collection. Needless to say this infamously peripatetic rockhound and raconteur regaled us with many a tale of adventure and graciously showed us his fine collection of the fruits of his lifelong labor of love. To view the Jalama Beach part of this adventure go HERE.

The largest shark teeth are megalodon teeth.

Lots of Desmostylus teeth here as well as a tusk at right.

This is essentially a petrified shark skull sans the skull which is made of cartilage but the teeth are in their original configuration.

The collection of local petrified wood was the most interesting thing to me aside from the shark-related items.

Petrified burl or root.

This petrified limb was found encased in a concretion.

This is another concretion-encased petrified wood limb.

Since being a child I have been intrigued with Nipomo agate. Nipomo beanfield agate is at center in the geode.

Nipomo sagenitic agate.

Nipomo sagenitic (at left) and marcasitic (at right) agate.

Nipomo marcasitic agate.

A bit of everything Nipomo agate here: beanfield at bottom, marcasitic at left and top, sagenitic at right.

He told me he got this petrified whale skull for me but I did not follow up on it and now I fear he does not want to give this up having grown fond of it being in his yard. Let the game commence!
All photos by Kim Patrick Noyes (all right reserved)