Denton Creek Canoe Trip – Wrap-up

By Roger Farish

Last Saturday 22 brave souls were hungry enough for fossils and adventure that we ‘took the plunge’ – some literally. We had 14 in rented canoes and 8 kayakers. We entered the creek at Hwy. 407 just east of Justin at a water level higher than we had attempted in the past. The creek initially was not very friendly as two canoes flipped within the first hundred yards. Fortunately, the group was fit enough that we managed to paddle and collect the 5-mile stretch of Lower Cretaceous, Upper Albian exposures without serious injury although most participants managed to get ‘baptized’ somewhere along the way.

Members came from as far away as Houston and San Antonio to collect memories and ammonites with Jim Parker taking out the largest ammonite, a Pervinquieria, I believe – see photo. Nothing unexpected turned up this year, but the usual Upper Washita sequence of fauna were available – notably Macraster, Hemiaster and Holaster (both high and low phases) echinoids and ammonites Pervinquieria and probably Mortoniceras. Tony Ithica found the most perfect Macraster at the take-out point.

Although everyone helped along the way, special thanks go to the rescuers David Hill, Judah Epstein, Rocky Manning and Bob Wagner. Thanks also to David Hill who not only picked up the canoes and lugged them up to us, but also for bringing the watermelons.

I heard an interesting news item while driving home that had nothing to do with our bunch: http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2016/05/21/kayaker-rescued-in-denton-creek/ .