
Fossils are the remains of ancient life, which are preserved for millions of years. They can be found potentially everywhere. In someoneís backyard, on a beach shoreline or high up in the Rocky Mountains - all the same they are still fossils. Fossils found along the Chesapeake Bay and our beach are mostly from the Miocene era, (19 to 24 million years ago). These fossils are much younger than the dinosaurs, which became extinct sixty ñsix million years age. They are much older than man who first walked the Earth a couple of million years ago.
There have been over 400 shells identified in the Calvert Cliff formations located directly near our property on the Bay. Of those 400, only 44 percent still live in the Chesapeake Bay. The scallop shell is one of the oldest and most decorative shells found along the shoreline of the Bay. These shells can vary in size between the smallest compared to the size of a dime; to some of the largest being 10 inches long. Your children will have a great time painting them and they will become part of your treasured memories.
Oysters and their shells are found in the Calvert Cliff formations. These numerous crustaceans have been an important resource for many people and animals throughout history. Indians used oysters for tools to make certain essentials in order to survive. In Colonial times oysters were used in the making of roads. Now days oysters are a seafood delicacy and a big source of income for many fishermen.
Clams have beautiful looking shells that can be found in the Bay and along the shoreline. In the pacific and Indian Oceans some clams grow two to three feet in diameter and sometimes weigh four hundred pounds. Divers for pearls and sponges where said to have been trapped by these giant shells. Clams make a fantastic meal for people worldwide and therefore create another source of income for the professional fishermen of the Bay.