May 4th-5th Shore Dives
Shore Dive & Drysuit Course (Option)
Ever wanted to see the sub-arctic benthos with your own eyes? Or have you wanted your first cold water diving experience?
Why not try shore diving on the magnificent coastal reefs of Newfoundland with Ocean Quest Adventures!
Ocean Quest Adventures is offering a dedicated opportunity for you to get Drysuit certified and/or enjoy 2 shore dives, May 4th-5th. A great opportunity to meet fellow scuba divers in the sclerochronology community and learn a valuable skill you can use in the field.
Cost: Drysuit course: ~$565 CAD incl. tax (does not include equipment rental). Full Equipment Rental: ~$150 CAD (can be further discounted if you take the course or bring some of your own equipment). An additional $150 CAD / day may be split between participants requiring a guide.
Time: Monday, May 4th (pool orientation and 1st shore dive), Tuesday May 5th (2nd shore dive).
Transportation: Carpool options are available
*If interested, email Natasha Leclerc at sclerochronology[at]mun.ca for more information and to book your spot using the subject line: Dive Excursion. Please inquire as early as possible to secure your spot.
Mistaken Point Field Trip – May 4th
Day Trip to UNESCO Fossil Site (Approx. 8 hours)
Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve is home to the Mistaken Point assemblage of Ediacaran age fossils, approximately 565 Ma in age. This UNESCO World Heritage site
https://mistakenpoint.ca/, along with a few other sites in Newfoundland, hosts exquisitely preserved fossils of the oldest large multicellular life forms that represent the first of three phases of diversification of macroscopic soft-bodied marine organisms. The fossils are preserved on bedding plane exposures that were covered by thin layers of volcanic ash. The visit to the outcrops involves a 6 km round-trip hike.
Also included in this field trip will be a visit to the nearby Cape Race lighthouse (weather dependent), the first telegraph station to pick up the distress call from the Titanic in 1912, and the Mistaken Point Interpretation Centre.
A geologist from Parks Canada will be there to guide us along with PhD Students from Memorial University’s Earth Science Department.
Cost: $100 (approx) - Weather Permitting.
Includes: Bus transportation, boxed lunch and entrance fees.
Time: approximately 2.5 hrs from St. John’s. Departure approximately approx. 8:30AM from St. John’s
Note: Dress warm and waterproof. Bring extra socks or Boma-booties. Shoes cannot be worn on the fossil surface.
Conception Bay South, Topsail Beach and Manuals River – May
Easily accessible beach trip and hike to Conception Bay
Conception Bay South is a short ride from St. John’ (25 mins). This excursion will take us to Topsail Beach for some amazing scenery. You can see Bell Island and step foot on the famous East Coast Trail!
The Manuals River is an accessible loop and a trilobite hotspot (fossil collecting is not permitted).
Cost: Free – Weather Permitting
Time: 2:30-6pm (ish)
Includes: Bus transportation
Cape Spear Field Trip – May 10th
Morning Visit to North America's Easternmost Point (Approx. 3 hours)
Cape Spear, the easternmost point in North America, is a rugged promontory formed from Precambrian rock, specifically part of the Avalon Zone. The coastal cliffs consist of ancient, hard volcanic and sedimentary rock, notably from the Signal Hill Group, which were deformed by the Avalonian Orogeny. This rocky headland features a thin layer of soil and bog, showcasing the impact of intense geological, volcanic, and glacial history.
Cost: $15 – Weather permitting
Time: Approximately 25 minutes from downtown St. John’s
Includes: Bus transportation.