Questions about diving the Edisto river

[Lee Taylor]

Years ago I floated down a portion of the Edisto river in South Carolina. The reason I say a portion is because the Edisto river is 206 miles long. I found the Edisto river to be a very friendly river in the area (Givhans Park) where I was. It looks like I am going to be spending some more time on and in the Edisto river in the future. I have be researching the different public boat landings and access points. I do know that the Edisto river produces many sharks teeth and fossils. I am a collector of fossil bits, sharks teeth, arrowheads, spearpoints, pottery, and the like.

It would be helpful if I had some advice or pointers in regards as to specifically which areas along this 206 mile river are known for producing such. I know the Ace Basin, the part of the Edisto closest to the ocean, produces massive high quality red Megalodon teeth. I am currently targeting areas further inland.

Any suggestions, or tales of past dive trips, greatly appreciated.

 

[MikeDiver]

I'm no expert, but I've not found much above Givhan Ferry mostly deep sand and a few small teeth.

A small boat with small motor is essential above the upper 17. I've used my bigger boat below upper 17 and still got a nice river polish on the prop. The boat ramps are hit and miss. Sometimes they're used as boat ramps and other times they're party central with tons of people. I've never had a problem at them but there have been fights and I'm told at least one was closed down. I don't remember the ramp names but they're mostly below Givhans

That being said my best bigger teeth have come from the Edisto below Givhans.

Also any local you talk to at the ramp has personally seen 10" megs by the bucket load or they look at you like you're an alien for asking about sharks teeth in the river.

 

[Lee Taylor]

Thanks for the posting mike. I am aware of the deep sand bottom in the Givhans area. I have had my feet in it. I checked out 4 ramps today (Martins, Long Creek, Good Hope, and Messervy) and was told NOT to leave a car unattended at Martins. There was no activity at any of the 4 ramps I visited today but I can see how they would be used as party central in the heat of the summer.

Currently I don't have a boat but have a Yamaha 140hp jetski. I have, of course, on occasion, inadvertently run it aground. Its not easy to get it unstuck. It weighs in at 850 lbs. When I get less than 1 foot of water beneath the hull, it starts sucking the items laying on the bottom, shells, sand, and whatever up against the impeller grate. How do you think it would do, up river? Can I always find 2 feet of water?

I find the reference below interesting. It references an area 25 miles above Givhans. (marl and limestone are fossil words)

[SIZE=-1]Hwy. 21 to Green Pond Landing: [/SIZE][SIZE=-1]This serene part of the Edisto features limestone bluffs and rock marl bars

Here are some Edisto river photos I took yesterday. It's 206 miles long and you can stand in the center of it.
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[MikeDiver]

I haven't been 25 miles above Givhans ferry, I'd estimate maybe 10 miles. A friend and I dove some bluffs that looked promising but didn't pan out.

Just about every time I've been in the Edisto the water has been pretty low flow and we've had to get out the boat to pull it over some sand bars. I probably wouldn't try run my Jet Ski up above upper 17.

 

[diveprof]

Go south(east) my friend. I've had friends pull up nice teeth, but very close to the coast on the edisto. That said, I've found nice arrow heads etc not far from 1-20 on the edisto on my grandparents property (yeah 1-2' deep). A friend of mine found a clovis point for which he has been offered many thousands just south of Augusta near the Savannah.

 

[Lee Taylor]

Thank you diveprof. I feel certain the closer to the coast, the larger the Megs, and the more of them. I have suspected this all along. I have dove the Edisto close to the coast but we were after artifacts that day and were not in an area where fossils would be.

Of course the closer to the coast the deeper, darker, and faster the is water also. I am aware that in some areas the water is so dark you cannot see your hand in front of your face even using your light. The fossil hunting in those areas is a "feel" through the mud in the dark type experience.

The thing that aroused my interest is the videos below. The water appears to be very shallow, say 6-10 feet, and the bottom appears to have black bones, rocks, and teeth. In fact, the bottom looks the way I like a river bottom to look in regards to fossils. It reminds me of the Cooper river areas where I found lots of fossilized pieces.

Reference videos found on U-tube:

 

[UnderSeaBumbleBee]

Lee, when you dig around, how deep do you usually go on a river bottom?

 

[Lee Taylor]

Hello Bumble Bee,

I will tell you what I do. Others may do it differently and that is perfectly fine.

I am a BIG fan of upon reaching the bottom, lay on the bottom, on your stomach and adjust to your surroundings. You may want to adjust your equipment, lights etc. I have said it a million times but will say it again, laying on the bottom on your stomach for a bit (you determine the time) has a TREMENDOUS calming effect. Another thing I do is purge my reg into my mouth and take some tremendous lungfuls of air. This really relaxes me.

While you are laying there, start examining the bottom. Is it pure sand, hard pan, or clay (if so note the color), or is it sand with things in it (like rocks or bones)? Note the size and color of the rocks, larger fossils and larger sharks teeth will be found around larger rocks (black) and pre-historic bones (black). Some bottoms will be total gravel (stone laying next to stone). Other bottoms will be sand with "rivers" of spaced out gravel. Generally you will not find anything in pure sand and you will not generally find anything on pure hard pan or hard clay. Soft gray clay is a different story. Soft gray clay may be limestone and may be hiding Megalodon teeth

One of the first things to try is fanning a hole. Just keep fanning (with your hand or ping pong paddle) one spot on the bottom. Pay attention to the gravel and rocks and watch for a sharks tooth to show up. Sometimes you will find a hard pan bottom 3", 4", or 6" under the sand. I have never dug deeper than 10", and this is done by fanning the sand.

I will then move over or up river a bit (maybe 3 feet), and start again.

One of the reasons I like to dig (or fan) is because boat captains have a tendency to go to the same old tired site time after time. By the end of the season, every square inch of that area has been examined. MOST divers do not dig. Too much like work. They traverse quickly across the bottom and search every inch.

Something to be noted here is if you do not use a charter (in other words use a private boat) and you go to virgin sites, over time you will find MUCH MUCH more.

ps: In my opinion the videos above are examples of what "bone-yards" look like. In 100 river dives I have only hit one bone-yard. The bottom looked very similar to the bottom in the videos. The only difference being, large Meg chunks (frags) laying around every 3-6 feet. This told me if I had enough time I would find a large 100% Meg

 

[UnderSeaBumbleBee]

Thanks Lee. Any thoughts on the creeks and marsh areas around there?

 

[Lee Taylor]

I know very little about the Edisto river. I am currently looking at an area to explore slightly above the Ace Basin. I hope to get out and take a closer look this weekend. I will pinpoint the photos below on the map if you like. Do you have any thoughts or information on potential fossil beds? Part of the fun of it all for me is the hunt. I will post some photos below that I found showing Kayakers in this area.

I am just playing my hunches. This area looks good to me

Here are some Kayakers in the area. In the main body of the Edisto

This looks like an excellent fossil dive to me. Again, just playing my hunches

This looks like fossil city to me. Its all speculation on my part.