FORTUNE HEAD ECOLOGICAL RESERVE: STANDING AT THE EDIACARAN-CAMBRIAN TRANSITION AND SEEING THE EXPLOSION OF LIFE IN THE STRATA (WE KEEP EVOLVING)

FORTUNE HEAD LIGHTHOUSE. We began our journey to see the "golden spike," which marks the boundary between the Ediacaran and Cambrian periods, at the lighthouse on the Fortune Head Ecological Reserve. (photo by Hallelujah Truth)

Hallelujah for TRANSITIONS occurring in geological TIME! I view the momentum of change in a positive light, especially when the change is referred to as an EXPLOSION OF LIFE. Our dear field trip guides, Liam Herringshaw and Jack Matthews, guided a group of international ichnologists and me along the coast of the Avalon Peninsula in Newfoundland, Canada, to see "the most important stratigraphic boundary in Earth history," one that shows rapid change in the abundance and complexity of life.

ON THE WAY TO THE GOLDEN SPIKE. As you can see, we had a beautiful day to walk out to the most important stratigraphic boundary in Earth history! (photo by Hallelujah Truth)

DRUM ROLL! HERE IS ONE OF THE SUPERLATIVES OF ICHNOLOGY! Standing on rolling hills of grass above the calm Atlantic Sea, we were able to view the Ediacaran-Cambrian boundary Stratotype and Section at Fortune Head. This boundary is certainly one of the MOSTEST! We also watched for passing whales and frolicking seals. (photos by Chiboogamoo (aka Anthony Martin)

POINTING TO THE GOLDEN SPIKE. Jack Matthews points to the magical place in time about 543 million years ago. Environmental conditions changed in a way that permitted LIVING organisms to transform from simple life forms which functioned on the surface of the sea floor, to more complex life forms that could burrow into the sea floor in search of food. These more complex organisms flourished and became abundant. The Cambrian Period thusly earned the descriptive phrase "an explosion of Life."  It is fascinating to think that this transformation represented here took place in a relatively short time frame--geologically speaking!

HARD HATTED CHIBOOGAMOO. My brilliant ichnologist husband, readily awaits his turn to look up close at the Ediacaran-Cambrian boundary. Since the ichnologists are standing at a site below rocks, it is a safety measure to wear the hard hats.  (photo by Hallelujah Truth)

WATCHING THE ICHNOLOGISTS FROM ABOVE. I sat above on the hill side and watched the ichnologists who wanted to see the "golden spike" up close and to take photos. Chiboogamoo near the boundary below was kind enough to photograph me watching him (see me on the right side of the photo).

ICHNOLOGISTS TAKING IN THE STRATA AT THE EDIACARAN-CAMBRIAN BOUNDARY ROCK FACE. (photo by Chiboogamoo (aka Anthony Martin)

BURROWS JUST ABOVE THE BOUNDARY. In the center of this photo, you can see  Cambrian trace fossils on the under side of a rock bed.

WRINKLE MARKS FROM THE EDIACARAN (fossil photos by Chiboogamoo (aka Anthony Martin)

ICHNOLOGISTS MUST EAT!  After our exploration of the Ediacaran-Cambrian boundary at the Fortune Head Ecological Reserve, we tried to find an open grocery store to buy lunch. We were out of luck because on Sunday, this small town of Fortune was closed for business. We found lunch at another stop (photo by Hallelujah Truth)

BEAUTIFUL? LOOK AGAIN...in the not too far distant past, this was the local town dump.  If you look close enough, you can see garbage on the left part of the cliff. How much has washed away? What have the consequences been? Should this garbage be removed? At what cost? (photo by Chiboogamoo (aka Anthony Martin)

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