Any river divers on here?

[darrenw]

i dive the upper parts of the hillsborough where they pump the water for zephyrhills bottled water ! i have springs that are pumping nice clean h20 that i dive. The reason fossils and old bottles!! it turns into black water when you stir up the silt while searching the bottom but it will clear up shortly cause of the amount of h20 pumping out of the springs.

bobsea

i dive northern part of the peace for fossils right know the river is almost to low you need to just search for the deep holes. Mine is guared by stumpy the 3 legged lizard!!

elephant cervical vert associated with mastodon teeth

megs and

megs

piece tusk the size of an al 80

this is why i dive the rivers

 

[AstroDad]

Nice haul.

I've been in the 'upper' part of the Hillsborough river fishing many, many times over the last 40 sumptin years... I've lost more than my share of $400 props on that part of the river! It's absolutely beautiful country, but, it's not clean clear spring water at all. Nasty black water.

If you are referring to "where they pump the water for zephyrhills bottled water", that is called Crystal Springs. Where exactly do you put in?

 

[AstroDad]

Another body of water that is seldom imbibed.

Actually, the folks in Tampa *do* imbibe the water from the Hillsborough River - that's why I always say 'drink up Tampa' while I'm on the boat out there (doing you know what).

 

[darrenw]

i put in anywhere from morris bridge north. from the 301 bridge north east there are many spots where springs pump into the river and it is gin clear with vis of 20 feet or more and there are stretchs where the tanins make it as clear as mud. crystal springs is one of the main springs feeding the hillsborough but i know of many more springs on that stretch of river.

And yes the lower stretches of the hillsborough are nasty but hey its tampas drinking water. I agree astrodad drink up tampa

 

[Missdirected]

What the heck are you going to do with that piece of tusk? That thing is huge. U going to clean it and do something with it?

Darren it is a bit late now but this fella was looking for a buddy. Perhaps, you guys could keep that in mind for next time http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?p=2916249#post2916249

 

[darrenw]

It will get preserved with acetone and duco or butvar

 

[bruce119]

Hi

I dive the rivers been doing it on and off several years. I'm into fossils also I do a lot of solo with a beach buddy. I dove the Peace, Rainbow & Santa Fe. I would have to say I like the Santa Fe it's crystal clear pure spring water 72 deg. all year as is the Rainbow. The Santa Fe is loaded with fossils full of pot holes and a fast currant it can be dangerous.

 

[Ed Jackson1]

I would love to do some fossiling in the rivers. If you need a buddy or just willing to have someone come along and learn, give me a call.

Ed Jackson
813 679 5558

 

[Missdirected]

It will get preserved with acetone and duco or butvar

Well, I know what acetone is but I don't know what the others are. Since you seem to know your stuff, how can I get crap off of a large shell that I am wanting to keep? I had it in some bleach water but that didn't do much. I have been chipping some of the bits off but that is proving to be a long road. Any suggestions?

 

[427Dave]

Well, I know what acetone is but I don't know what the others are. Since you seem to know your stuff, how can I get crap off of a large shell that I am wanting to keep? I had it in some bleach water but that didn't do much. I have been chipping some of the bits off but that is proving to be a long road. Any suggestions?

Just a thought, my mom and dad use to collect shells from all over when they lived in Carabell, FL. Some of them looked pretty bad. They would soak them in bleach water to remove any of the smell from the animal that may have lived in the shell. Then they took the shell and cleaned it with a steel brush wheel on a grinder. After they got it all cleaned with the steel brush then they would rub baby oil on it. The oil would bring out the colors a lot more. It was a lot of work I remember.

Don't know of any acid or such that will clean a shell without also damaging the shell because usually the material you are trying to remove is very simular to the shell.

Good luck.
Dave