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Avalanche Survivor's Fossil Finds Astonish
28 Jul
Summary
- Matthew Myerscough discovered a 201-million-year-old marine reptile jaw.
- An avalanche nearly killed Myerscough years before his fossil passion.
- He shares fossil hunting locations in his new book.
Civil engineer Matthew Myerscough has turned a near-fatal avalanche experience into a passion for fossil hunting, leading to thousands of significant discoveries. Recently, he found a 201-million-year-old jawbone of a rhomaleosaur, an early marine reptile, on Lavernock beach in Wales – the first of its kind found there.
Myerscough's journey into fossil hunting intensified after a harrowing avalanche incident on Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) in February 2014, where he fell 300 meters and was buried under a meter of snow. The experience, though physically recoverable, left him mentally shaken, and the meditative focus of fossil hunting provided a needed escape.
He has since unearthed remarkable fossils, including plesiosaur flippers and dinosaur footprints. His new book, 'In Search of Sea Dragons: A Fossil Hunter's Odyssey,' details his finds and openly shares locations, contrasting with the secretive nature of many fossil collectors. Myerscough encourages guided tours for beginners and highlights the physical demands and risks, such as tidal changes and cliff falls, involved in the pastime.
