Hello all, I just sort of stumbled upon this amazing hobby,sport, you could call them both. Sure keeps me in shape. My family and I were camping at Silent Lake Provincial Park outside Bancroft Ont in summer 08. While we were out canoeing and enjoying some fishing and the sun we decided to head to shore for a snack.. I have always had a sharp eye and I noticed a very shiny, that would be gemmy now, looking object in the roots of a fallen tree. That object turned out to be a specimen of greenish Augite. It's in my photo gallery. Anyway we ended up going to Princess Sodalite Mine the next day and poked around their rock dump, I was hooked. I live about 3.5 to 4 hrs drive from Bancroft and I have driven there just for the day and then home to St. Catherines. Yeah I know it sounds a bit crazy but like I told ya I,m hooked. So far I have been to Bear Lake Diggings, Beryl Pit and found a place closer to home. It's just a great feeling when you can retrieve minerals from the rock or ground that are millions of years old and and be the first one to ever touch it.. I have been reading and chatting with other amateur rockhounds and the pros as well and have learned a great deal about Geology, techniques and other skills to make me a better rockhounder. (Thanks Steve G.)
Happy Hunting!! Andrew Johns