I was reading a story about a woman who found a rather unique fossil while beachcombing recently on Prince Edward Island. It wasn’t very big. Only about the size of a quarter. I’m not sure I ever would have noticed it, myself. It was just a little rock. Like hundred of others you might see on a beach. Except this one had a little tiny foot in it.
It’s quite amazing. You can see the little foot bones, or at least the fossil version of little foot bones. Apparently, these date back about two hundred ninety million years. Before the dinosaurs. They think it dates from the Permian period and likely belongs to a small reptile. Perhaps a small lizard, roaming the earth trying to interest someone in buying insurance. That’s the sort of size range we’re talking about.
I’ve taken the occasional walk on various beaches around the area. While we’re not known for our fossils in this area, you can still find some pretty interesting things. There are lots of things that wash up on our shores. Most of them are not things we really want to see, but every now and then you find something truly interesting.
There was a U.S. Navy dye marker I found washed up one day. That was kind of interesting. And the occasional piece of sea glass. Lots of different and interesting shells. There are any number of things you might find. The problem I find is making myself look down.
Beaches are pretty picturesque areas. The natural thing to do is enjoy the scenery. Looking at your feet, at least in my case, is not overly picturesque. But every so often, there is something worth noticing sitting there. Like a reptile foot in a little rock.
I just have to train myself to look down more.