Report by Chris Cole

BRACKLESHAM, 23rd April 2008 (LOW TIDE 0.9m at 1940)

Weather conditions good. Reasonably clear skies with a light south westerly wind. The atmospheric pressure was 1024 and steady. The low sun did make hunting more difficult but it was a very pleasant evening and a good sunset.

The tide receded about 15m past the end of the long groynes.

The beach conditions were much the same as the last few visits, i.e most of the light shell debris was between the groynes as usual. If anything, I would say that there was slightly more debris to look in but my view is that some of this has been dragged from the top of the beach rather than newly washed out. The centre section of the sand from the shingle down to the low water mark was rippled. There was more evidence of the cardita bed visible in from of the flats to the east of the car park although I did not many any teeth in this area.

There were a few bits of the E3 reef showing although I did not search this area today. I found about 25 sharks teeth, some myliobatis fragments, a couple of pieces of turtle carapace and a nice crocodile tooth (?). Most of the teeth were found at the car park end and the area eastwards towards the flats. Some bigger teeth are being found, with the largest one about 48mm and 2 others in excess of 30mm.


Bracklesham finds 23rd April 2008.


A nice Striatolamia Macrota (48mm) found at Bracklesham 23rd April 2008.

BRACKLESHAM, 24th April 2008 (LOW TIDE 1.1m at 2012)

Weather conditions good. Reasonably clear skies with a light south westerly wind. The atmospheric pressure was 1028 and steady. The low sun did make hunting more difficult but it was a very pleasant evening and a good sunset.

The tide receded about 10m past the end of the long groynes. The beach conditions were much the same as yesterday.

There were a few bits of the E3 reef showing and some patches of Turritella beds about 50m to the east of the reef. I did not find anything in this bed. It may be an indication that this bed is going to open up. It is also worth mentioning that there are new patches of E2 opening up in front of the flats.

I did find a small vertebra in the bed and quite a large crocodile tooth in the debris in front of this exposure. In all, I found about 30 teeth including another reasonable size Striatolamia macrota at 45mm.


Bracklesham finds 24th April 2008.