Bedrock & Surficial Geology of Coastal Maine

Wednesday September 19:  Flew to Porsmouth on SKYBUS

Thursday September 20:  Drove north to Ogunquit and examined mafic dikes that intruded folded metasedimentary rocks along the Marginal Way.  We then continued north to examine shoreline processes, environments and deposits in the Seawall Beach area just south of Popham Beach State Park.  After enjoying an evening in Rockland, we spent the night near Spruce Head.

Friday September 21st: Continued north for a quick stop at Camden Hills State Park to discuss glacial processes and examine quartzite of the Megunticook Sequence.  We then drove north to Mount Desert Island for a quick lunch at Thompson Island before examining: a modern tidal flat in Clark Cove; granite, mafic dikes and enclaves in Hall Quarry; and magma mingling relationships exposed on Stewart Head. We enjoyed an evening in Bar Harbor and stayed in a nearby motel.

Saturday September 22nd: After enjoying a brilliant sunrise above the fog banks on Cadillac Mountain we examined: mafic and felsic enclaves and glacial features exposed at The Tarn; magmatic breccias exposed on the eastern shores of Great Head; headland erosion at Great Head and shoreline processes and deposits at Sand Beach; massive xenoliths at Otter Cliffs; and the glacial history of the area around Jordan Pond.  We spent the night again near Spruce Head after another enjoyable evening in Rockland.

Sunday September 23rd: We drove south to Pemaquid Point where we studied ductilely deformed metamorphic rocks, variably deformed granite and pegmatite intrusions, glacial features and tide pool ecology.  Our last stop before returning to the Portsmouth airport was at Ferry Beach State Park where we discussed management of shoreline erosion.
 

Examining the quenched margin of a mafic dike exposed near Marginal Way in Ogunquit.	Prof. David Goodiwn discusses folded metasedimentary rocks with Pete McVary '10.	The crew standing on a mafic dike at Ogunquit.	Prof. David Hawkins explaining the regional geology of Maine.
Prof. David Goodwin pointing out key features of the Seawall Beach area from the pegmatite exposures on Morse Mountain.	Reflecting on shoreline processes at Seawall Beach.	Prof. David Goodwin leading a discussion at Seawall Beach.	Ripples on Seawall Beach aong the Morse River.
Mimi Pierson '08 and Christine Wissink '08 groping in the mud for bivalves while Louis Wersan '10 explores.	Students getting a close up look at granite in Hall Quarry.	Professor David Hawkins explaining the dynamics and energetics of dike intrusion in Hall Quarry.	Professor David Hawkins explaining the origin of magmatic enclaves exposed in the granite of Hall Quarry.
Students examining the margins of mafic pillows of granite on Steward Head.	Louis Wersan '10 and mingled magmatic rocks.	Which way was up? Professor David Hawkins explains 'way-up' indicators in mingled magmatic rocks.	Students (and professor Johanna Kieniewicz) during sunrise on Cadillac Mountain.
Liz Strassman '08 and Paige Kercher '10 help the sun rise over the fogbank.	Professor David Greene leads a discussion about glacial features preserved on the outcrop at the The Tarn.	Liz Strassman '08 studying magmatic breccia in the fog at Great Head