Rain, rain, go away and come again another day and Royal Fish.
It must be the curse of Glastonbury as the weather in the last few days has become wet and cool.
I have taken numerous groups out and the best place to fossil hunt is the beach to the east of Charmouth, although much of the area is covered in shingle and sand. Great for small children but useless for fossil hunting. There is a large mud slide developing about 1/2 mile to east of Charmouth and the other day a section of the cliff fell down. The cliffs fall and crumble with-out warning and the area below the cliffs should be treated with respect.
On the beach was a dead dolphin, washed up onto the sand. A dolphin is a Royal Fish and the sighting of a dead one should be reported to the Crown via the Coastguard Agency (MCA). Designated Royal Fish included, whales, dolphins and sturgeon. Historically, such fish were a valuable commodity for their flesh and oil. Whale oil was used in lamps and burnt clean and clear. To the best of my knowledge the Queen no longer requires such items for the table and Buckingham Palace now has electricity.
The similarity of the dolphin to that of a ichthyosaur is remarkable as both have evolved into a perfect shape as a fast moving marine predator.
Nigel