Anybody diving for Megs this winter??

[byronbbb]

Hi guys,

Thanks again for sharing the info. I really don't want to wind up on the Darwin Awards. So you have a willing listener here!

I like to say that 80% of the fun of a thing is in planning/anticipating it, and I'm certainly enjoying planning this trip. So again, thanks for the help!

Being we have 3-4 days in Charleston, I'm hoping to arrive with a pretty solid plan and a decent Plan B as well. You never know what conditions will be like until you standing on the bank. It would be nice to have a day on/in the water and a day or so to do a land hunt or two. I'll leave the snorkeling to the folks who know where to go and where not to.

The creek I've hunted in Summerville is residential, and has probably seen as many people as Yellowstone NP (you may even know the one I'm talking about...I think it's off of Miles Jamison/Brailsford, but I'd have to check the Garmin to be sure). There, finding even microscopic teeth is fun, much less anything bigger than an inch. But I find enough that I keep coming back when I'm in the area.

Would you have a recommendation for a land hunt spot or two? I'm not asking for the "honey hole", but something different (and a little less traveled) would be nice. We can probably rent a boat/kayaks if needed. We certainly don't want to get sideways with any authorities, landowners, or other folks who might feel a little territorial.

The Beaufort spot Lee shared looked promising, and might be a possibility. The logistics could be tricky having the need for some water transport and not knowing the area very well. But I'd be willing to try it if you think it's doable and worth giving it a try.

Without sharing any state secrets, what would you do in my shoes? My brother an I grew up on a pig farm, so a little mud isn't a problem, but we do want to be safe.

And 2 last quick questions:
1) When you set out to explore the backwaters, are you putting in at a park or public boat ramp or something like?
2) How much viz do you expect when you dive the Cooper? I've dove Lake Eerie a time or two with very little viz, but that's not my favorite thing to do. Particularly if it's so muddy you can't really tell which way is up.

Thanks again!
Byron

 

[Lee Taylor]

Hello again Byron...

Most river dives in and around Charleston are 10 feet to 30 feet deep. We do have some spots around 60 feet deep but I have not heard or done any river dives deeper than that.

I expect 2 feet to 4 feet of viz in the Cooper river, the Wando, and the Edisto. Sometimes its less, sometimes it is more.

The further south you go (south of Charleston) the less the viz. I am hearing that some spots are zero viz and you just have to feel through the mud. I personally dont like the sound of that BUT that is where the killer LARGE pristine Megalodon teeth are. The ones that are valued in 1000's of dollars.

You will need a public boat ramp to put in a boat. They can be located on the internet.

The Beaufort site (Lady Island) looks promising to me because you will have to Kayak there or use a boat. I dont think many people go fossil hunting there because you must have a kayak or boat. Going where people are NOT looking is your best bet at finding fossils.

There is a guy in Summerville that take people on land hunts. I dont know what he charges and I dont know if he is worth it. His business is called Low Country Fossil Excursions

The fun of this hobby is there is no sure fire way to locate fossils. Many days I come up empty handed. The Fossil Forum link located in my "signature" at the bottom of the posting is a path to research.

I was digging in ice age materials last week at the Giant Cement company quarry. I didnt find anything worth speaking of. Just a few bits and pieces.

I will keep an eye out for an area for you.

There are fossils everywhere around here. The problem is getting through the overburden.

 

[AeroMike]

...I was digging in ice age materials last week at the Giant Cement company quarry.

Dang Lee, not too many can get into Giant, I have a friend that goes with an older fella that some how has permission to go in there and he comes out with some awesome teeth.

I really want to get back into LaFarge soooooo bad!!!! I want my Ric tooth without any feeding damage.


On a side note, I am finally feeling 100% so I think I am going diving in the Edisto this Saturday. If anyone is interested, send me an email at mcac95 at gmail dot com. We will be wading in.


Byron, there is no more hunting in the canals or creeks in Summerville. If you are caught, it is a $500 fine. Now you CAN walk in look for teeth, you just can not have anything that could be used as a digging tool and the police believe a walking stick is a digging tool. I can give you a land site to hit but you will have to do it at low tide. and I know of another site but I have not been there is a long time so it would be hunt at your own risk.

I was told the vis right now in the Edisto is about a foot right now but I would assume this is due to the current because I would expect 2-3 feet vis this time of year.

 

[Lee Taylor]

Well Mike ... it was my first time in the Giant quarry. I went in with the VP of operations. The areas we were taken to looked very "walked" over. I know there are some quality fossils there but, as usual.... not as easy to find as people think. I covered a LOT of ground and did not find much at all. Joy did better than I did. I would go back but to be quite frank with you, a virgin river site will produce MUCH MUCH more.

I would definitely, without a doubt, go this weekend if the water were warmer. My old blood cant take the cold anymore. You gotta understand my second grand child is soon to be born. I am a grandpa diver. Some of the guys I dive with were 3 years old when I started diving. I use to dive with Mike Nelson on Sea Hunt..... well not really... but I wanted too.

If it is warm... I will get out the ski and Joy and I will visit Shark tooth island or Ladys Island in Beaufort.

If you end up going it alone I will go with you but not dive. If there is a ramp I will take the ski

The water is warming up quickly this year. The Cooper almost hit 60 degrees F today

 

[AeroMike]

There is a boat ramp there but I will not go at all if there is not another person going. I know of one guy at work that will go already. You and Joy go and enjoy your weekend together and get ready for that grandchild!!!!!!

 

[pond skipper]

I have not posted here for a while here but I've been diving this winter on some rivers here in Savannah, GA and find some nice fossils, shark teeth and whale bones. Makes for a fascinating discovery.

 

[byronbbb]

@Mike,
Yeah, I read about the Summerville ban last time I came to town. I called the Police to see what was up and they basically told me the same thing. Walking around was ok. And the ban was pretty much in the city limits...they weren't concerned about the County. But I was just talking with the Summerville Police. The County might have their own ordinances going. All the same, I walked in with nothing more than my car keys ;-)

I would be interested in the land spot. I'll send you an email. Thanks!

@Lee,
Thanks for the tips...I actually took an excursion with Shawn (Low Country Fossil Excursions) a couple years ago. It was worth it to me since I had 0 knowledge of the area and he put us on some teeth. I had my 5 year old son with me at the time and he absolutely loved the trip. We found 50-60 teeth in 3-4 hours, so we were pretty happy. It was $90. We had more fun than $90. You're just happy you don't catch some sort of bug poking around in a drainage ditch!

Cheers,
Byron

 

[byronbbb]

Hi Pond Skipper,

Those are some right pretty vertebrae! I have one that's baseball size, but you're well on your way to building yourself a whale or something.

Cheers,
Byron

 

[AeroMike]

Nice finds Pond Skipper, I still have a house in Rincon I am trying to sell. I need to get down there and do some diving.

I have not posted here for a while here but I've been diving this winter on some rivers here in Savannah, GA and find some nice fossils, shark teeth and whale bones. Makes for a fascinating discovery.

 

[Lee Taylor]

Thanks for posting the photos Skipper. The damage on the Megs looks like mechanical impact damage. Not that is matters, but I think the condition of teeth tell a story about the past. For instance, a smoother degradation is usually acid damage.

I did read last night that a good spot for fossils to congregate is where two creeks or rivers converge. They will be in a deep spot caused by swirling waters. Fossils fall out of the sidewalls, as they are worn away, and to the bottom of the deep spot. That information and about $4 will buy you a cup of coffee.