4th Peace River Camping/Fossiling Trip - 2008

[KBulla]

Yay! It's that time again... The 4th Annual Peace River Camping/Fossiling Expedition with the fabulous Mark Renz.

The potential facts: (Just awaiting final confirmation on the date from Mark - was okay last week)
Date - Friday, March 7 - Sunday, March 9, 2008
Camping - Peace River Campground (index)
Cost - Camping is $10 per night per person older than 4
Fossiling is $35 per person for a headcount of 10 +

Correct me if I'm wrong, but we usually fend for ourselves Friday night for dinner, do the group breakfast at the campground hall Saturday morning, bring lunch/snacks to the fossiling site, then do a potluck style dinner at our campsite Saturday night. Everyone can include what you're bringing in your posts.

Fossiling is done Saturday morning into the afternoon. Mark Renz will usually suggest a site closer to the date so that we'll know what the river conditions are in the various areas. You do NOT have to camp in order to fossil. Please let us know if you'd like to just meet us Saturday morning for fossiling only.

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***ALWAYS check this first post for any updates or changes!***​

) Kris Bulla
(239) 728-4415

Colin Bulla
(239) 878-2328

 

[tltracy]

So for us fossiling/camping virgins... Huh? Are we diving or wading in the water picking up stuff? :confused_ I assume you have to bring your own tent (and I'll have to get one), but it sounds like fun and I would like to join in the festivities.

Maybe I should wait for a few more folks to post on here to find out some more info.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Whoo HOOO!!! looking forward to some fossiling again this year. We always have a blast!
Theresa, yes, we are remote camping (read: portapottys are a LONG walk, and no running water)
We don't dive, but instead stand in the river in our wetsuit, frozen from the waist down and sunburned from the waist up! LOL
The Conchs have always been pretty good at making sure there is enough food. Dennis usually brings chicken, and last year somebody made a killer roast pork for Friday night.
Oh, and bring a gun... marshmallow gun.

 

[tltracy]

So do I need to bring a shovel?

Count me in anyway... I'll have to go get a little one/two man tent. Sounds like an excuse to drink all weekend?! I better stock up on beer.

 

[DennisS]

The Conchs have always been pretty good at making sure there is enough food. Dennis usually brings chicken, and last year somebody made a killer roast pork for Friday night.
Oh, and bring a gun... marshmallow gun.

Heathen, that was east carolina style pulled pork BBQ slow smoke cooked for 6 hours

This year I'll bring meat balls and sauce for friday night, folks can have them with spaghetti or subs when they arrive.

Roast pork indeed

 

[Divergirl4U]

But ...but
no diving

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Me and my taste buds are so so very sorry for the mess up. That pulled pork was awesome!!!!!!!!!

Kim, I agreee... no diving, however the friendship and fun of the weekend is worth it!

 

[Divergirl4U]

so tell me what kind of fossils do u collect at this site??

 

[KBulla]

There are different site possibilities, depending on river conditions and Mark Renz's suggestions. We won't know where we're actually fossiling until closer to the date. As far as types of fossils, you may find shark teeth (including megs), mammoth teeth/bones, extinct tortoise shell, horse teeth, camel teeth, sloth claws... If it lived in Florida a long time ago, you may very well find something that it left behind.

You can visit Mark's website for some pics: Fossil Expeditions, Call Mark Renz 1-239-368-3252

 

[CBulla]

So for us fossiling/camping virgins... Huh? Are we diving or wading in the water picking up stuff? :confused_ I assume you have to bring your own tent (and I'll have to get one), but it sounds like fun and I would like to join in the festivities.

Maybe I should wait for a few more folks to post on here to find out some more info.

The best part is we use the Guide services of Mark Renz and he's got all the basic gear, shovels included.. unless of course you wish to bring your orange camping shovel.

Heathen, that was east carolina style pulled pork BBQ slow smoke cooked for 6 hours

This year I'll bring meat balls and sauce for friday night, folks can have them with spaghetti or subs when they arrive.

Roast pork indeed

Dennis, you know you got something going right when just reading about the pork my memory of it kicked in and my mouth watered.... mighty fine food, dude!!

So do I need to bring a shovel?

Count me in anyway... I'll have to go get a little one/two man tent. Sounds like an excuse to drink all weekend?! I better stock up on beer.

It's a very fun weekend indeed.

Whoo HOOO!!! looking forward to some fossiling again this year. We always have a blast!
Theresa, yes, we are remote camping (read: portapottys are a LONG walk, and no running water)
We don't dive, but instead stand in the river in our wetsuit, frozen from the waist down and sunburned from the waist up! LOL
The Conchs have always been pretty good at making sure there is enough food. Dennis usually brings chicken, and last year somebody made a killer roast pork for Friday night.
Oh, and bring a gun... marshmallow gun.

Right on Jenny!!

But ...but
no diving

Yes..well, after more than a couple requests about a river fossiling trip, my wife and I put the time into creating a trip and now its an annual happening on the 2nd weekend of March. The river should be incredibly low this year since we've had virtually no rain over the past year to flood it up. The good news is it makes it easier to fossil the river, the bad news is more people are fossiling the river because its easy. If your brave you can dive the river! It's a beautiful tannin brown but under the right light you can get a foot or so of vis. At its deeper points, 5-8' or so, the gear can allow you to stay down for a while to search in the low vis where as others will rely upon feel or brief breath holds

so tell me what kind of fossils do u collect at this site??

I've got to tell you, we have all but the Giants in the Storm book by Mark and the one I flip through most often is FOSSILING IN FLORIDA: A Guide for Diggers and Divers - It not only addresses the fossils that can be found, but it also talks of techniques to use for searching and even has a large number of pictures for identification.

In years past, Simbrooks has found 2 Mammoth teeth now, NetDoc has found a few neat finds including a bottle from Civil War era, my eldest son found 2 gallons of giant land tortise shell, numerous Meg teeth of various sizes have been found, and so much more.. my wife hit it pretty good in her post. Mark has even found an entire whale skeleton and its calf while fossiling in a river here locally. Thats the fun part, you never know what you'll find in addition to the comradery and 'getting to know you' social aspect of getting to know other SBers while not diving and creating a friendship and can practice a teamwork buddy bond that makes future events more fun and interesting!

This is definitely a fun event if you've got kids of any age!! </B>