Oregon Field Guide

Saltmakers, Undersea Eruptions, Underwater Fossils

See what it took for the men of the Lewis and Clark Expedition just to put a little salt on the table. In the winter of 1806, Lewis and Clark needed salt to preserve meat for their return trip. Their men had to boil seawater over a campfire in order to obtain their salt. Scientists such as Dr. Steve Hammond and Dr. Bill Chadwick of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration study the eruption of undersea volcanoes off the Oregon Coast. The scientists use robotic submarines to examine these massive underwater eruptions and gain a better understanding of the chemical processes at play. Through this research scientists hope to find solutions to the ocean's increasing acidification. A retired Oregon police officer, Mike Full traded his badge for scuba gear in order to search the South Yamhill riverbed for prehistoric fossils. An underwater detective, Mike has collected over 30 percent of the pieces to a giant mammoth skeleton, which other paleontologists call "exceptional". As Field Guide cameras accompany Mike under the water, watch as he makes the discovery of a lifetime right in front of our eyes.