Sept. and Oct. 2022 Trips to Yankeetown, FL

[Sacha]

Last month in an effort to relieve some of the late summer boredom, I went to Yankeetown to search the spoil islands at the mouth of the river. I was specifically looking for limestone cobbles that might be protecting examples of the large Eocene sand dollar Periarchus floridanus. I've worked these islands a number of times before so my expectations were not high, but I had hoped the high tides since my last visit might have mixed things up a bit. I did find a couple cobbles with edges of sand dollars showing, but with obvious damage. Since I have nothing but extra time on my hands, I took them home and cleaned them up. I think they're still interesting, but not display pieces.

 

 

Last week after Hurricane Ian, I drove out to Yankeetown again since that section of coast was spared any damage. This time I wanted to look at a chain of larger spoil islands at the mouth of the canal which is about 2 miles south of the mouth of the Withlacoochee. I had never tried there because of the long kayak trip. I walked the perimeter of three of the closest islands and was surprised at the lack of any echinoids at all. Very different from the islands at the mouth of the Withlacoochee. After 2 1/2 hours of searching, I found 1 cobble with a good indication.

 

   

After only a couple hours of cleanup, I was very happy with how this guy worked out. I'll not be returning to those islands again, but this guy made the whole trip worthwhile.

 

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

That came out rather well.

Very pretty.

[FossilDAWG]

That last one is especially nice!

 

2023?  I've sometimes wished I could time travel, but mostly to the past, either to collect famous sites before they were famous (and depleted), or further back to collect fossils before they were fossils.

 

Don

[Sacha]

14 minutes ago, FossilDAWG said:

 

 

2023?  I've sometimes wished I could time travel, but mostly to the past, either to collect famous sites before they were famous (and depleted), or further back to collect fossils before they were fossils.

 

Don

 

I can't find the edit button.

[sixgill pete]

Very very nice John. Definitely top shelf!

[FossilDAWG]

Just pulling your leg.    It's been fixed.

 

Don

[Harry Pristis]

5 hours ago, Sacha said:

Last week after Hurricane Ian, I drove out to Yankeetown again since that section of coast was spared any damage. This time I wanted to look at a chain of larger spoil islands at the mouth of the canal which is about 2 miles south of the mouth of the Withlacoochee. I had never tried there because of the long kayak trip. I walked the perimeter of three of the closest islands and was surprised at the lack of any echinoids at all. Very different from the islands at the mouth of the Withlacoochee. After 2 1/2 hours of searching, I found 1 cobble with a good indication.

Nice work on the Periarchus, John!  These echinoids are so fragile, it's difficult to collect one intact.  I had to go to South Georgia to find some whole.

  I hunted these spoil islands decades ago.  I recall lots of live little crabs and some "king's crown" gastropods.  I think the exposed islands are capped by indurated limestone which resists wave action (and the regular exposure of more and more fossils).  Add to that, these islands have been explored and hunted, to one degree or another, for nearly a century.  My friend, who grew up in Yankee Town and still lives there, tells me that the local "sea biscuits" were pitched into the gulf or the river just to see the splash.