"Whilst any good ironmonger can supply cold chisels and strong knives or trowels, he is very unlikely to have safe and suitable hammers in stock. The steel of ordinary domestic and many trade hammers is far too soft for use on most rocks. It will splinter and flying fragments of steel can cause nasty wounds, particularly to the eyes, not only of the hammerer but also of his companions." Fossils in Colour - 1967 - J.F. Kirkaldy, D.Sc. Formally Head of the Department of Geology, Queen Mary College London.

The rocks at Daddy Hole are very hard, but the fossils can be easily extracted using the right tools. You may also find that some corals that show up clearly on the day, may look very faded when you take them home, wash them well and polish them and they will look as good as they did on the day.

Crack Hammers: You will need good quality crack hammer and Chrome chisels at Daddy Hole, the rocks can be very hard. . These are strong, other chisels will simply blunt extremely quickly.

Chisel Picks: For the more 'weathered rocks' These chisel picks work well in loosing weathered layers. Geological hammers are also suitable.

Chisels: Because the rock are extremely hard, most normal chisels will blunt quickly. It is therefore highly recommended that Special Chrome Vanadium Steel Chisels are used. These are made from the highest quality steel and are coated for extra protection. They are also much sharper than normal chisels and will last much longer. As for the type of chisel, Wide chisels and splitting chisels are not really ideal because the lack of layers in the rocks, standard 1" or less are best, it is also ideal to take a small chisel around 1/2" for any delicate work.

Safety Wear: Goggles or Safety Glasses are absolutely essential at this location when using hammers and chisels, rock splinters can pierce the skin.

Specimen Bags: These are ideal for Daddy Hole. Sealable Clear Specimen Bags can hold your finds. These can be purchased from UKGE for low prices and can easily be re-used.

Field Lenses: The Corals at Daddy Hole can require a magnifying lenses to see the fine detail. It is not always possible to tell the identify of the coral from normal sight. The most common type is the 10x.

Geological Bags: Strong, Waterproof and durable geological bags that last years are ideal for any keen fossil hunter. These quality bags from Estwing are ideal for bringing back those heavy finds back home.

Footwear: Hiking Boots are recommended fine for Daddy Hole because the shore can be very rocky.