SplendidSands

   The Isle of Wight sits less than 2 miles off Britain’s southern shore. The island’s geology includes sands, clays and limestones on the north, mudstones and sandstones famous for fossil deposits on the south, and a chalk ridge down the center that’s exposed in dramatic cliffs at the western end.

   The pink chains, center and throughout, are calcified algae (Corallina). Two young slipper snail shells dominate the upper left; the white seed-shaped foram (Cribromiliolinella) on the left edge is one of many. Sandy tubes, center and at 4 o’clock are from burrowing worms; 2 broken crab claw tips are seen near center and at 5 o’clock. Pieces of bryozoan skeleton are near the lower right corner, others are seen elsewhere. The black is coal.