In Leelanau County, rock hunting is big business, literally! As local stores have begun to offer more specialized “rock hunting” equipment, more locals and tourists alike have been asking for tips on how to find the mysterious Petoskey stone or Leyland bluestone. We turned to local expert Scott Wack, owner of Northport Trading Post, for the latest in rock hunting. Scott and his wife Jennifer continue Jennifer’s grandfather’s tradition by making Petoskey stone jewelry and selling stones, stone art, and polishing kits in the store. They are one of the few stores that actually polishes and sells stones on site. Below is a Q&A with WACKER:
Leelanau Ticker: What items would you bring to help rock hunters on their hunt? Wack: Specifically for rock hunters, we have rock hunting buckets, rock shovels, rock identification guides, and beach maps in the area.
Leelanau Ticker: Wait, you mean the decorative barrel? Vack: Yeah, these barrels have a see-through bottom. The barrel sits below the waterline, allowing you to see the rocks below. We didn’t expect people to be so interested in them, we only made 10 of them and they all sold out this week! I’ll be making more as soon as the materials arrive.
(When we saw them on the Northport Trading Post Facebook page, rock fans went wild in the comments section.)
Leelanau Ticker: What are your tips for finding the famous Petoskey Stone? Vack: Finding Petoskey Stone is like training your eyes to look for hexagons or circles in the stone. Petoskey Stones often have specific patterns and colors. We have found that the best way to do this is to find a real Petoskey Stone and bring it to the beach. Put it in the water and turn it over. Look back and find it. It is really like training your brain to notice them. Once you learn to notice them, you will see them more often. Dry Petoskey Stone is harder to find because the pattern is not as noticeable.
Leelanau Ticker: What is the best way to find Leland sapphires? Wack: I would say that finding great sapphires requires some luck and being in the right place at the right time. Ocean waves can be a hindrance when looking for sapphires. They move very quickly on the waves. The distinguishing feature of Leyland sapphires is that they are sometimes covered with small pits, which are formed when they cool quickly after being poured into the water (like “slag” from the mines). Leyland sapphires come in a variety of shades, from purple and green to deep blue and the most sought-after, the elusive robin’s egg blue. If a stone seems out of place, grab it before the lake carries it back out of reach. Also, the deeper you dive, the better your chances of finding larger stones a little further out. But they will eventually wash up on the shore too. It should also be noted that Lake Superior iron ore was mined for only about 12 to 15 years, and production was limited. There were about 60 copper smelters in operation at the end of the 19th century. Only a few smelters produced blue slag: Leland, Elk Rapids, Cadillac, and Fayette and Marquette in Uttar Pradesh. Most smelters produced dark green, black, gray, and dark purple slag.
Leelanau Ticker: What are the best beaches for hunting? Wack: Our favorite beaches here are Christmas Bay, Peterson Park, Giles Pier, and Leyland Beach. All of these beaches have equal opportunities to collect Petoskey Rock, Charlevoix Rock, Unakee Rock, horn coral, and many other corals. But to find Leland Blue, you’ll have to go to Leland. Try North Beach and Vance Beach, then South Beach. When you visit our store, we’ll give you a map of all the beaches in the area, as well as tips and up-to-date information.
Leelanau Ticker: What if we get spotted while hunting? Wack: We have both rough and polished Petoskey stones in our shop. As for the Leyland sapphires we sell, we have a limited number of original sources, but we do have jewelry in our shop. We also make jewelry and other stone products in our workshop – we have cutting equipment! We do a lot of polishing jobs on treasures our customers find on the beach.
Wacks also offers polishing classes during the week, where people can come in and create their own stone pieces. The cost is $70 per person, $120 for two. “It’s a very hands-on class,” Wacks said. “We provide the materials needed to make one Petoskey pendant, but they usually make two or three.” Classes are offered Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon until September. After that, classes will be offered Monday through Saturday at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Pre-registration is required; call 231-944-0161 to make an appointment.
Editor’s note: While Petoskey rock (our state rock, actually a remnant of a coral reef that existed when the area was a tropical ocean) can certainly be found along Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, removing it from the national park shoreline is illegal. Please stay on state lands and other public beaches. For more information, click here.
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