in Gilman Notch, Center Ossipee, Carroll County, New Hampshire
by Jonathon Herndon and Eric S. Greene
Arguably the greatest thrill for any serious field collector is discovering, opening and collecting an over-sized, jam-packed crystal pocket. Unfortunately, it’s an event that most field collectors never experience. When such an exciting find does occur, it’s a thrill that we believe should be shared with the mineral collecting community. The tale of the Surprise Pocket is such a story – with an appalling twist – as told through the eyes of coauthor Jon Herndon…
To enter the pocket, I had to lie on my back with my left arm held tight against my side. Sticking my head in, the roof of the entrance was only an inch above my nose. Wiggling and sliding in further was a challenge, but I continued until both shoulders were jammed against the sides of the pocket. To my right I could see the opening Lori had made, where several shiny black crystal tips flashed in the light of the flashlight. The crystals were embedded in dense brown clay and appeared to be orientated tips down. Using a metal finger, I scratched at the hard pack clay to expose the shoulders and sides of the first crystal. When I had 3 inches of crystal sticking out, I grabbed it and wiggled it back and forth until it reluctantly popped out of the clay. To my delight I held a twelve-centimeter-long crystal, still slippery with mud, but not so coated as to hide the outlines of a scepter head sitting on a short, narrow shaft!
Read the complete article about the Surprise Pocket here.
