Autumnal Equinox - Awesome Agates … and Busy
Beavers
September
22, 2012. Washington has had an
unusually sunny summer with very little rain.
That means that, at this time of year, the creeks should be low and it
might be possible to find an interesting rock.
So, we packed a picnic, some rockhounding gear, and headed for the woods
of Southwest Washington.
Surprise! The creek was not low. The water level was higher than expected because beavers have moved into this area.
The creek has been damed by busy beavers.
We hiked about a mile of this creek and saw several beaver dams as well as numerous downed trees.
The beavers were collecting small branches and even large trees for their construction projects.
The beaver dams and the higher water did not stop me. I found some interesting petrified wood specimens as well as some agates.
One of the agates I found, with a beaver dam behind me.
A closer view of the nice carnelian agate that I found.
I also found this agate geode. Notice the nice agate banding around the exterior. The center is quartz crystals.