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Phoebus Landing/Cape Fear River, NC


Whipkitty

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A friend of mine took me to Green Mill Run on the advice of someone she knew. Found a lot of whalebone, teeth, and Belemnites and I want to see what else I can find. I got my hands on a couple of good reference books and I am planning to take another trip (it is about a 2 hour drive) when someone is free to come with me. I heard that on the Cape Fear River, near Elizabethtown, that the Phoebus Landing on the Cape Fear River, is a good place to check (and much closer--just 45 minutes). I want to go. Does anyone know (1) what GPS coordinates to use to get to Phoebus Landing; (2) I heard I need to get into a kayak or boat to access potential fossils and I have never been kayaking or boating...suggestions?; and (3) Are there other good sites less than an hour away from Fort Bragg?

 

Finally (4) Are there any fossils to find on the shoreline of Lake Singletary in NC? When I emailed to ask the state Geologists for places I might find fossils they said Lake Singletary was a good idea but I haven't been able to find anything posted on the web about anyone consistently finding fossils there (yet). TIA.

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There is a book put out by the NC Geological Survey entitled Fossil Collecting in NC. It was written by my paleo prof at UNC when I was there. We field-confirmed the locations and species as part of a week-long paleo trip. It is a bit dated, but many of the river sites are still worth checking out. It is available for free on some websites like scribd. Also check out the NC Geo Survey publications page

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'Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.'

George Santayana

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Fossil Collecting in NC is a nice reference book for locations. But I don't see Phoebus landing in it.

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Yes, I had a copy of the 1988 bulletin and ended up contacting the  NC Geo people (so nice!) and getting the updated version from 2008 (it was like 6 dollars and worth it). I also picked up the Shark Tooth Hunting on NC Coast book. And I did look in the NC Geo survey materials (or something similar) and found a reference to the Bladen Landfill Annex yesterday. I haven't had a chance to do more than check the website and I think I need to give them a call to see if hobbyists are allowed on the site. I ended up talking to a few friends who are looking into the Phoebus Landing site for me so we can figure out if we can launch kayaks from there or if we need to go upriver or downriver--I have never been kayaking or anything like that so I am sort of depending on sites like this (and my friends) to help me figure out the best approach.

 

I am headed to Kure Beach area for a couple of days vacation at the end of the month and I think I might be close enough to a few sites to check them, but it is a family vacation and the rest of the family isn't so into fossils. (probably will be able to sneak away for a couple hours. fingers crossed!)

 

Any tips would be welcome! 

 

 

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8 minutes ago, minnbuckeye said:

Fossil Collecting in NC is a nice reference book for locations. But I don't see Phoebus landing in it.

Exactly. And the book is great, for when I have a free day to travel (I have three kids, so sometime in 2025, if I'm lucky). But The Phoebus landing site isn't mentioned. I was hoping to find something less than an hour from my area that is accessible on foot--I am still looking. My second trip out to Green Mill is schedule for towards the end of the month

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1 hour ago, Whipkitty said:

Exactly. And the book is great, for when I have a free day to travel (I have three kids, so sometime in 2025, if I'm lucky). But The Phoebus landing site isn't mentioned. I was hoping to find something less than an hour from my area that is accessible on foot--I am still looking. My second trip out to Green Mill is schedule for towards the end of the month

Martin Marietta Corp runs a limestone quarry at Clark’s, situated WNW of New Bern. They used to allow follow collecting.

 

Also consider North Topsail Beach. One of the nifty finds there (though much better in the winter) are the monstrous Oligocene oysters, Ostrea gigantissima, that you can periodically find on the beach. I ha e one over 18 inches long. If you’re military you could also try Onslow Beach

'Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.'

George Santayana

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Not sure how I missed the reference to Willis Creek when I was reading through my materials, but it does seem to be within my circle so I will try there.

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