18 August 2009

Canada Meteor/Meteorite News- Buzzard Coulee Meteorite Hunting Reports 18AUG09

1st Batch - Expedition photos Buzzard Coulee Winter Trip
by McCartney Taylor
This is the first trip taken to Canada after the fall. Once there, we only had 2.25 days to hunt before shutdown snowfall occurred. It was -25 Celcius and the airline lost my luggage, so I'm wearing socks over my hands in some photos. I think I had thin gloves under the socks. At some point, I couldn't photo anymore as the batteries died of cold and our fingers hurt from exposure. Give me desert any day of the week. Most of the photos are in situ. No action, car chases, or things blowing up. Sorry.

http://picasaweb.google.com/mccartneytaylor/BuzzardCouleeMeteoriteExpeditionDecember2008?feat=directlink


I recommend you use the slideshow option and the full screen.

I think we found 6 kg in two days. They stuck out nice in the white thin snow. Then we gave 1/2 to the landowner, and we sold off our half. I kept 100g of small stones for my own collection, awaiting export permit.

I'll upload my Spring trip photos soon. I have many kilos coming to me when the permits clear, also.



2nd Batch - Expedition photos Buzzard Coulee Spring Trip
Date: Thursday, August 13, 2009, 3:16 AM

After I received word that the snow was melting I immediately flew up to Canada to continue the recovery effort. I pushed hard each day to get the most out of each day. I averaged 25-30 finds per day. However, I pushed myself too hard and within 4 days I developed a cough and fever. I laid low for a few days and my fever rose and eventually I had to go to the hospital for help. After some antibiotics to fight some kind of strep, 3 days later I was drugged enough to continue my efforts after losing a week. Still had the cough, though.

http://picasaweb.google.com/mccartneytaylor/BuzzardCouleeMeteoriteExpeditionApril2009?feat=directlink


At some point during the trip, I realized that the time I took to take a photo added up and it would cost me one stone by the end of each day. So I stopped taking photos of in situ finds.

By the end of the trip, I'd found over 200 stones with the smallest being 3g and the largest about 187. I broke the 4 kg mark, and walked away with 2 kg after paying the landowner his half. These will be for sale in a few months once the export permit comes. Several are oriented.

After my return, my cough got worse and I have been treated for it for 4 months. Some expeditions have a higher price to pay than others.

-mt
Website: http://www.outofabluesky.com

No comments: