Welcome to Savage Seas!
Around 58 million years ago, the north coast of Kent, South-East England sat beneath a warm, sub-tropical sea teeming with marine life. As a result, certain sites in Kent are rich in fossils including the teeth of sharks, rays, and other fish, as well as the remains of crocodiles and turtles.
The aim of this website is to show you where to find those fossils at a place called Beltinge, near Herne Bay, where to look, and how to identify your finds. I'll also explain the geology of the site, including the sort of world the rocks and fossils represent - Steve |
For Low Tides at Beltinge
Tides times can be found here. (Thanks, Guy). Another useful one is here (Thanks, Ryan)
Tides times can be found here. (Thanks, Guy). Another useful one is here (Thanks, Ryan)
*** Updates ***
27/08/2023
I've added a link to 'Pt 2' of the Identification pages which shows a potential artificial tooth set for Striatolamia striata. Good quality, zoom-able photos giving a great idea of the range of shapes you might find. Try here for a preview.
09/02/2021
I've added a picture and a paper to the 'How to Identify Your Finds (Part 8 of 10') page about Rabbit Fish.
17/09/2020
Sketch map of fossil hotspots added to 'Where To Look' page.
10/09/2020
Various tweaks to the Identification pages; Also, added Paraorthachodus eocaenus to 'How to Identify Your Finds (Part 2 of 10)' and added Anomotodon novus and Jaekelotodus trigonalis to 'How to Identify Your Finds (Part 4 of 10)'.
24/05/2020
Helpful Link "Geology of East Kent" replaced (because it was 'broken') with "Geology of Kent" pointing to a different site.
01/04/2020
Gallery page added under List of Species tab.
22/05/2019
'How to Identify Your Finds (Part 2 of 10)' page updated to replace references to Striatolamia macrota with Striatolamia striata as the latter is the true name for the species we see at Beltinge.
'How to Identify Your Finds (Part 4 of 10)' page updated to replace references to Carcharias hopei with Gluekmanotodus heinzelini as the latter is the true name for the species we see at Beltinge.
'How to Identify Your Finds (Part 7 of 10)' page now includes a note that the species named at Beltinge as Notidanodon loozi may actually be an as yet undescribed species of Notidanodon.
'List of Species' page updated to include Gluekmanotodus heinzelini instead of Carcharias hopei.
19/05/2019
'What the Geology Tells Us' page updated to use the new names for the formations at Beltinge, revise the age of the Beltinge Fish Bed (which is actually from Palaeocene epoch rather than the Eocene as I'd previously said), and add some more information.
'List of Species' page updated to place the chimeras after the sharks and rays, whilst the bony fish go at the bottom of the list; I've attempted to use brackets in the correct scientific sense when naming the authors for each species; I have changed Striatolamia macrota to Striatolamia striata, as S. striata is the only Striatolamia in the Palaeocene epoch.
16/04/2019
ID section for Isurolamna affinis added.
19/12/2018
ID section for Sylvestrilamia teretidens added.
27/08/2023
I've added a link to 'Pt 2' of the Identification pages which shows a potential artificial tooth set for Striatolamia striata. Good quality, zoom-able photos giving a great idea of the range of shapes you might find. Try here for a preview.
09/02/2021
I've added a picture and a paper to the 'How to Identify Your Finds (Part 8 of 10') page about Rabbit Fish.
17/09/2020
Sketch map of fossil hotspots added to 'Where To Look' page.
10/09/2020
Various tweaks to the Identification pages; Also, added Paraorthachodus eocaenus to 'How to Identify Your Finds (Part 2 of 10)' and added Anomotodon novus and Jaekelotodus trigonalis to 'How to Identify Your Finds (Part 4 of 10)'.
24/05/2020
Helpful Link "Geology of East Kent" replaced (because it was 'broken') with "Geology of Kent" pointing to a different site.
01/04/2020
Gallery page added under List of Species tab.
22/05/2019
'How to Identify Your Finds (Part 2 of 10)' page updated to replace references to Striatolamia macrota with Striatolamia striata as the latter is the true name for the species we see at Beltinge.
'How to Identify Your Finds (Part 4 of 10)' page updated to replace references to Carcharias hopei with Gluekmanotodus heinzelini as the latter is the true name for the species we see at Beltinge.
'How to Identify Your Finds (Part 7 of 10)' page now includes a note that the species named at Beltinge as Notidanodon loozi may actually be an as yet undescribed species of Notidanodon.
'List of Species' page updated to include Gluekmanotodus heinzelini instead of Carcharias hopei.
19/05/2019
'What the Geology Tells Us' page updated to use the new names for the formations at Beltinge, revise the age of the Beltinge Fish Bed (which is actually from Palaeocene epoch rather than the Eocene as I'd previously said), and add some more information.
'List of Species' page updated to place the chimeras after the sharks and rays, whilst the bony fish go at the bottom of the list; I've attempted to use brackets in the correct scientific sense when naming the authors for each species; I have changed Striatolamia macrota to Striatolamia striata, as S. striata is the only Striatolamia in the Palaeocene epoch.
16/04/2019
ID section for Isurolamna affinis added.
19/12/2018
ID section for Sylvestrilamia teretidens added.