Page 15 - SparHawk Maine Tourmaline

Crowd leaning in, watching crystals come to light
covering material was washing away, crystals were coming to light under a late afternoon July sun and showing their color: sea foam green, mint green, and watermelon. For the very first time this day, this hour, this moment, color coming to the light, born into a new
day after being buried for millions of years.
This River of Gems Pocket group is a quieter group than those who
assembled for the Silver Dollar and Ice Cream Sundae Pockets. All who were in attendance at the gem pockets opened in June were in constant chatter, everyone talking at the same time. Those in attendance at the River of Gems Pocket were a later-in-the-day group. A different group of friends and ac- quaintances. They stood in quiet reverence and awe. There were momentary exclamations that would ripple through the group like watching Fourth of July fireworks. There was silence or low, quiet talk. Then as a collection of crystals emerged, it was like one, two, three big fireworks lighting up the night sky, with oohs and aahs sweeping through the group. The same thing happened as Jeff would wash down the next layer. You could see it coming - color, more color, then as he shut down the hose, the water would thin and drain away and the full impact of green tourmaline crystals scattered across the slope would become fully apparent.
The mind and its sense of wonder drifts in, drifts out. There are moments when I say to myself, is this really happening?... Is this real? As I’m stand- ing here I reach down and pull a 2" crystal out of the white bucket. I run my finger down the length of the crystal, it’s smooth and perfectly clean, I see its striations in its reflected surface, running my fingernail perpendicular to the length reveals the long striations have depth in their minute corduroy- like surface. There’s something other worldly about a crystal.
Jeff said he had worked the mine on Saturday and had come upon this gem pocket around 4 o’clock, saw its promise and potential, cleaned up the area, secured it, then went home, called a few people, then spent a sleepless night in anticipation and wonder like a kid waiting for Christmas morning. He had something going on during the day Sunday, so 4PM was the time he set for the unveiling and final excavation. He easily could have cleaned the pocket out on Saturday, but instead wanted to share the experience.
As one in attendance, it was rich, powerful, unforgettable... an expe- rience for which I will be forever grateful.
Ralph Pride, Cross Jewelers, Portland, Maine
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