It's that Field Mapping time of year again

Hey folks I'm back from Laingsburg again with the 2nd year field trip. Every year it seems to get better and better as the sedimentologist and I iron out the plan and I get to know the field. This year's class seemed particularly keen and that makes it even more fun of course. And since they've let me know they found this blog, I'll say they were also clever and good looking, and don't forget to turn in your course evaluations kids. Anyway.

Here's the now traditional "first fold photo" (see 2007 first fold photo). Always a bit of a step up learning about trend and plunge and remembering strike and dip. This year I had an extra prac during 2nd year structure and we used it to do some mock mapping exercises. Seemed like it helped. We were forced by the weather to do things a bit differently this year because it snowed/sleeted on our first day of instruction. What the hey? this is not why I moved to Africa, to field map under ice. At least, not Quaternary ice...

Anyway I'm going to try to arrange some more inclement weather for next year because that was the only day the students complained about the mapping conditions. Awesome.

I digress for a moment to show you a cute tiny angulate tortoise. What could be cuter?

We return to customary annual photos with the "giant pencil cleavage fencepost" installment for 2008 (see 2007 giant pencil cleavage fencepost). This beauty makes use of the Laingsburg Formation turbidite sands.
Sunrise on the last morning in camp:
Time to rise and shine!
more hard core geology posts to come!