Florida With Friends

[minnbuckeye]

     As always, my yearly Florida trip report will be picture heavy and cover a multitude of activities, some of the story line may be embellished with a few (actually many) exaggerations. To begin with, why would any sane person want to leave this countryside behind for the lush greenery that Florida provides?

 

 

 My yearly trip to Florida blessed me in many ways, most importantly, uniting me with our son for a few weeks. My son lives in Bradenton and we had a wonderful time together. Unfortunately, he had to work during much of this period, which left me with ample opportunities to explore what Florida has to offer a fossil enthusiast.   

     Upon arrival, we started our vacation by meeting up with Jack @Shellseeker and his wife for a delightful lunch at a very nice restaurant on Sanibel Island. Jack even presented me with dessert (some wonderful fossils that he had recently found).  

     From there we proceeded northward to Bradenton. The following morning, my wife and I had a shopping list to take care of. I am not a shopper, so when we arrived at Costco, I was ecstatic to see the grounds surrounding the building were not finished and talked Jeanette into leaving me mosey around outside while she shopped. As with most exposures in this area of Florida, fossils abound. In fact, I did find a Megalodon tooth next to the building. (true!) Beat up, but what a way to start this vacation!!   

 

 

     In the mornings to come, I took the opportunity to explore various areas in Bradenton where digging had occurred. As always plentiful shells from the Tamiami Formation were discovered. MikeR has graciously agreed to ID them before I post my finds. So, it may be a few weeks before this can be accomplished.

     But on with the most exciting part of my trip. Jeff @jcbshark  and Jack, two guys that I used to call “guides” but now call good friends, allowed me once again to join them in an adventurous Kayak trip deep into the heart of Florida’s interior. We met at the launch just as the sun could be seen shining through the old moss covered oak trees. The beach was beautifully white, the water calm and clear. All indications pointed towards a fun day ahead of us.   

 

 

 

Jeff on the left, Jack on the right led the way to a secret fossil site. My paddling skills are not anywhere near their level and I headed up the rear. Truth be told, they often had to wait for me to catch up. 

 

 After having traversed a mile or so, the river began to NARROW. 

 

 

[minnbuckeye]

The next stretch of water is what my friends warned me about. Gators and snakes and boars, OH MY!!!!!!!!!!!!  

 

 

My heart raced faster and faster as we entered this enchanted forest. I could not help but to admire the beauty of the trees lining the banks of this stream, but I always felt the flora was watching. Every tree seemed to have eyes that fixated on me. I just knew at any moment one of these majestic trees was going to reach out and snatch any of us from our kayaks! Paranoia set in, especially when Jeff and Jack would disappear from sight.   

 

[minnbuckeye]

 

 

 

Finally, having traversed through miles enchanted forest without any inflicted harm, we reached the honey hole.  I finally could relax, or could I?   My bodyguards warned me to stay in my kayak until they spooked the gators and moccasins away. 

 

 

Now we could begin to hunt fossils!! After exiting my kayak and unstrapping my shovel and screen, I began to probe for some gravel to sift. It was at this moment that Jeff stopped Jack and I in our tracks and announced, we will have a chore to do first, fossil hunting second. We were needed to help with a landscape project of Jeff’s BEFORE having our fun. Landscaping in this river? Jeff then explained that he needed us to find enough Dugong ribs to add to his garden as a replacement to the landscape rock “normal” people use for weed control. When asked how many ribs, Jeff said a kayak full!!! As can be seen, he was not kidding. His kayak barely was above water on the way back to the landing with the weight of those bones. 

 

 

 Now can we hunt?? Jeff gave us the green light that Jack and I had been waiting for. After an hour of sifting though, I was ready for a break. Unfortunately, Jeff cracked his whip and demanded I get back to work. More gravel needed to be moved. Here is our sift pile after long hours under Jeff’s orders to keep moving gravel. Any longer and we would have created an island in this stream. Proof of how demanding Jeff is to hunt with.   

 

 

 

Jeff does have a soft side to him. He did allow us to pause for a break midafternoon but only so we could make Indian Bead Necklaces for our wonderful wives, who are patiently waiting for us only three hours late! Here are a few left over beads to show you.     

                       

 

 

[minnbuckeye]

 As the sun drew lower in the western sky, we loaded our finds into the kayaks and headed towards the launch site, tired, sore, but happy with our results.  

 

 

Here are a Just a few of the finds I took back to Minnesota as memories of another  wonderful experience in Florida.

  

 

 

  

 

 This Dugong Rib looks like it was drilled into for tool purposes. Anyone agree?? Or just a worm hole. 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

[minnbuckeye]

 

 

 

  

 

 

[minnbuckeye]

 Gator Teeth,Turtle Shell, Ray Plates and Horse Teeth

  

 

[minnbuckeye]

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you Jeff and Jack for yet another wonderful trip! 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Marvelous and fun report, a pleasure to read.

The river photos are stunning, especially the first one which looks like a painting. 

The fossils are great too and, of course, my favourites are the turtle and tortoise pieces. 

Thanks for posting this marvelous adventure and I look forward to your IDed finds. 

[jpc]

nice report.  The femur is a mammal... I can vouch for that much.  

 

[jcbshark]

Great write up and pics Mike. Was a pleasure to get out with you while you were in town Hope I didn't take it too easy on you lol

[Ludwigia]

Great report and great buddies too

[Monica]

Fantastic report, Mike!  Great photos and awesome finds, and a great story to accompany them - thanks for sharing!

[goatinformationist]

It is wonderful to see my native state again in all of it's riverine glory.  Plus you show us all of the treasure found.  Thanks for making

a drippy, rainy, gray day in Atlanta a little more bearable. 

[Shellseeker]

Great Report,  Mike...

I love the River, traveling back in time. Good friends make fantastic memories. Just got back, going tomorrow..

Did get a Meg -- somewhat beat up, but that just means it has character.

[garyc]

Nice report. Looks like a nice ride. I look forward to getting back there with Jeff! 

[smt126]

I like the little femur. Is it fossilized or more modern? 

[Mark Kmiecik]

On 3/2/2020 at 11:19 AM, minnbuckeye said:

This Dugong Rib looks like it was drilled into for tool purposes. Anyone agree?? Or just a worm hole.

Not drilled. Drilling does not leave triangular holes. Nice finds. Thank you for the report.

[minnbuckeye]

4 hours ago, smt126 said:

more modern

 

@smt126, a little odor when a match is applied yet sounds fossil 

 like. I think squirrel????? Is a very neat bone no matter how old.

[minnbuckeye]

3 hours ago, Mark Kmiecik said:

Not drilled. Drilling does not leave triangular holes

          

 @Mark Kmiecik But worm borings don't either. The large round hole goes right through the hardened marrow and extends to the inner cortex of the triangular side. It then ends abruptly and then the bone appears chipped away to give a triangular appearance. I am probably seeing something that doesn't exist. 

[deutscheben]

Thanks for your report, love the weather contrast in your photos! 

[FossilNerd]

Very nice report and an enjoyable read. Glad you were able to get out and enjoy the day with good company.  
 

 That kayak full of dugong rib fossils is crazy! From the mention of them in trip reports, I figured they were a fairly common fossil down that way, but man what a haul!