[meteorite-list] Grimsby Trip Report Day 4 (a good one!)

[Meteorites USA]

A BIG congrats to Rob, Mike B,  Mike F, Jim and all,

Great job on the find to both Robs!

Regards,
Eric Wichman
Meteorites USA



Mike Bandli wrote:

> Hello all

>

> Today we did what we set out to do!

>

> Late last night we got an email from Rob Matson, who can only be described

> as a half man-half robot juggernaut of number crunching mojo. Taking into

> consideration the all-sky camera network, Doppler radar, and jet stream

> winds he proffered the simplified advice "Tilt the presumed fall pattern a

> bit clockwise." While it was nerve-wracking to wander off the known path, we

> had nothing to lose in trying so we set out after a quick stop to re-trace

> the steps taken by the scientists at a possible greenhouse hammer location,

> where there was a report of a broken ceiling window that coincided with the

> day of the fall. We are almost certain a meteorite caused this, but a stone

> is nowhere to be found!

>

> Having no luck at the greenhouse, we proceeded to the 'Matson' location.

> After hours of searching, we found ourselves footsore and hungry so we broke

> from lunch. Arriving back to the spot after the carbs stared kicking in we

> walked through a ditch to get back on the vineyard and there it was..a

> complete 14.5 gram individual sitting in the dried mud. We had walked past

> it on the way out, amazing what a belly full of food and a fresh start can

> do.

>

> This makes stone number four with countless man hours spent in the field.

> The TKW now totals ~135 grams. With rain on the menu, and snow shortly on

> the way, work must be done fast if there is any hope of recovery. The US

> hunters are out the door tomorrow and much of the Canadians are headed home

> as well.

>

> We gridded like none other the rest of the day, among the vines and Bird

> Blasters which are compressed air cannons that resonate like shotguns in

> order to keep the birds away from the grapes. They fire and random intervals

> and will scare the crap out of you if they go off anywhere near you.

>

> We will hear those cannons tonight. We will see the vineyard rows behind our

> closed eyes. We will dream of meteorites.

>

> That was the only find of the day and the Scientists raced out to study our

> find. We had much time to discuss the find and the event with Dr. Peter

> Brown, Dr. Alan Hildebrand, and Calgary meteoritics student Ellen Millie.

> Dr. Brown discussed the successes of the all-sky camera network in

> predicting not only the fall area but where it fell from making this "The

> most well documented bolide in history and to see the meteorite here makes

> it all worthwhile."

>

> It was lobster tonight for me; we all enjoyed an excellent celebratory meal.

>

> Tomorrow is our last day before we out the lovely town of Grimsby in the

> rearview mirror.

>

> Here are some more pics:

>

> http://historicmeteorites.com/HistoricMeteorites/grimsby.html

>

> Rob and Mike

>

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