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Category: Field Trips

A Season of Field Trips!

Here are the dates of the proposed VicPS field trips. Members will have received details regarding the planned destinations. Feedback to our president on this topic is encouraged, and RSVP to the field trip leader is desired prior to each trip.

DateTimeTrip Leader
April 21, Sunday8:00 amJerri Wilkins
May 5, Sunday8:00 amJohn Kitson
May 19, SundayJerri Wilkins
June 5 – 6, Wed. – Thurs.John Kitson
June 16, SundayJerri Wilkins
June 30, SundayJohn Kitson
July 21, SundayJerri Wilkins
July 28, SundayJohn Kitson
August 18, SundayJerri Wilkins
August 25, SundayJohn Kitson
September 15, SundayJerri Wilkins
September 29, SundayJohn Kitson
October 20, SundayJerri Wilkins
November 17, SundayJerri Wilkins

VicPS field trip: Sunday, January 21, 2024: Possible changes due to weather

The present snowy conditions at certain places up island may cause the field trip plan to change. Please ensure you check for emailed updates about the field trip before you set off to join us on Sunday morning.

When:9 AM, Sunday, January 21st, 2024
Travel:Meet at Helmcken Park & Ride at 9 AM to arrange carpooling.
Where:Paid members will please check their email for more details.
Equipment:Hammer large enough to break concretions, chisel, wrapping paper, masking tape, marker, GPS and notebook for recording details.

Bring lunch, water, snacks, dress for changes in weather and wear
shoes appropriate for gravel, rock and slopes.

New VicPS Calendar

Our website now has a page that shows the Google calendar for the vicpalaeo@gmail.com account that our president generally uses to communicate by email with members. All those events that we’re being notifed about can be found listed there. Note that field trips will continue to lack info about where we’re going; look to your email for those details as the field trip date approaches.

From the top level menu, Events->Calendar of Events should get you to https://vicpalaeo.org/events/.

VicPS field trip: Sunday, October 29th

When:7:30AM, Sunday, October 29th, 2023
Travel:Meet at Helmcken Park & Ride at 7:30AM to arrange carpooling.
Where:Paid members will please check their email for more details.
Equipment:Hammer large enough to break concretions, chisel, wrapping paper, masking tape, marker, GPS and notebook for recording details.

Bring lunch, water, snacks, dress for changes in weather and wear
shoes appropriate for shallow water.

Please note: The initial PDF emailed to members may show an incorrect date for this field trip. It is in fact planned as per the subject line, Sunday, October 29th, 2023.

Fall 2023: Recent and Upcoming Activities

Paid VicPS members wll have received an email with the following information, and more detal about upcoming planned field trips.

Sept 10th Fieldtrip, Cowichan Head, Saanich

We had beautiful weather this past weekend putting our eyes to work for the RBCM to supplement the Cowichan Head Pleistocene collection with some new material that has eroded from the bluffs over the past season (see photos on the VicPS Facebook page). Dr. Richard Hebda gave us an overview (and for some, a refresher) of the relative ages of each strata, and where the marine became deltaic, etc. up through time. He pointed out the various ‘zones’ along the beach where macrofossils, plant material and marine fossils are likely to be collected, and reminded us that, in the macrofossil zone, look for bright white (bone) and black (tooth material). We did not find more fish (like the beautiful specimen posted to Nanaimo Group Fossils Facebook page last month, and in short order delivered to the RBCM), but we did find what Dr. Hebda identified as fish coprolite. Derek left with a heavier pack containing a handful of plant specimens, a feeding trace and a few tiny bone bits, and we all took away a wealth of information about the history of the bluffs and what current interpretations reveal about environmental change here on the Peninsula over that past 100,000+ years.  A big shout out to newest member, Logan, for scoring the BEST find of the day…a small piece of wood perfect for carbon-dating.  Logan, we’ll make sure you hear what the research on your discovery reveals!

October 15th Fieldtrip

This is the date for our next planned field trip. Details to follow once confirmed. Also, look for an announcement on a joint field trip of VicPS and VIPS to make up for one that was cancelled last year.

September 20th Meeting IN PERSON!

We begin our fall meetings with an IN-PERSON MEET & GREET and SHOW & TELL! We have not had a show and tell since COVID began in 2020, so please bring AS MUCH MATERIAL AS YOU CAN and let’s see what we can identify. Details of time and place to follow. Finding a room we can afford has been a challenge and your Council are checking out a few.  If anyone is aware of a room big enough for 15-20, Internet enabled, please advise.

We will also hold a VicPS Director’s meeting on September 20th, after which we will hold a Symposium wrap-up meeting (date pending) and report out on the Symposium outcomes, including financials.

October 21st, BCPA AGM

The BCPA will hold its AGM in October. We will share the insights we get into what’s happening across BC with you after the meeting.

Welcome back from summer, and please watch for further emails with details on the planned activities above.

VicPS Monthly Meeting: March 8, 7:30 pm

Please join us March 8, 7:30PM at our regularly scheduled monthly meeting for an update on the following:

FOSSIL FAIR – TENTATIVELY Sat., March 25, 2023

Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary recently confirmed they do want to partner with us on the Fossil Fair this year on Saturday, March 25th.  That’s only a few weeks away!  Our ability to respond depends upon our volunteer capacity.  If you’re available that weekend, please consider volunteering.  VicPS President Jerri Wilkins will briefly review what’s involved so that VicPS as a group can decide if we have the capacity to proceed.

MARCH FIELD TRIP

Usually there is no March field trip due to efforts focused on the annual Fossil Fair.  If the Fossil Fair doesn’t go forward, we’ll plan a field trip. 

SYMPOSIUM 2023 UPDATE

Registrations and Abstracts are coming in and the Symposium is on track to be a fulsome four-day event. VicPS President Jerri Wilkins will present a behind-the-scenes peek into how the event is shaping up and will play out. This is primarily for members who are not involved in planning, to see what the planning team’s been up to, and where your talents will be needed as we get closer to June.

All paid VicPS members will have received details as to how to connect to and participate in this virtual meeting. Please contact Jerri Wilkins at our vicpalaeo gmail address for these same details, if needed.