Where Exactly Is Bone Valley?

[Harry Pristis 5,603]

On 1/10/2021 at 1:33 PM, Thecosmilia Trichitoma said:

I just realized that this topic is 12 years old. Will still be useful information for people researching Florida fossils though...

 

[siteseer 1,724]

On 1/10/2021 at 10:33 AM, Thecosmilia Trichitoma said:

I just realized that this topic is 12 years old. Will still be useful information for people researching Florida fossils though...

 

Yeah, I talked to someone not long ago about Bone Valley.  He was happy he was there in the good old days but sad that collectors today can't experience it the way he did.  I ran into this thread looking for something else but thought I would add a comment.

[digit 6,127]

Even when reactivating a 12 year old "zombie" topic, it is always good if we can add additional useful information like Harry's map above. This forum is a permanent archive of lots of great fossil information. Some times digging around in the older TFF Formation layers of this forum can turn up useful information still quite relevant today. The phosphate mines are still very much closed to those not employed there. On very very rare occasions guided groups have been let in but they are pretty much restricted to the spoil pile area far from active digging and heavy machinery. Last went out on one of these special access days probably 7 or 8 years ago. Found a few 3-toed horse teeth and a bag of "fraglodons" all badly busted up by the machinery. We can but only pine for "the good old days" of mine access and make do with hunting the Peace River (with a proper Florida Fossil Permit) these days.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[siteseer 1,724]

20 hours ago, digit said:

Even when reactivating a 12 year old "zombie" topic, it is always good if we can add additional useful information like Harry's map above. This forum is a permanent archive of lots of great fossil information. Some times digging around in the older TFF Formation layers of this forum can turn up useful information still quite relevant today. The phosphate mines are still very much closed to those not employed there. On very very rare occasions guided groups have been let in but they are pretty much restricted to the spoil pile area far from active digging and heavy machinery. Last went out on one of these special access days probably 7 or 8 years ago. Found a few 3-toed horse teeth and a bag of "fraglodons" all badly busted up by the machinery. We can but only pine for "the good old days" of mine access and make do with hunting the Peace River (with a proper Florida Fossil Permit) these days.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

 

Hi Ken,

 

When I joined in 2009, there was actually talk on the board about locking old threads. and yeah, they called it "killing zombies."  I'm glad the old threads are still open.  Yes, some questions got a quick answer but many remain unanswered and maybe the person who can add something to that thread hasn't joined the forum yet.  I have spent hours going through old threads and have found gold - very useful information, interesting discussions, great photos.

 

Jess

[LabRatKing 762]

13 minutes ago, siteseer said:

 

Hi Ken,

 

When I joined in 2009, there was actually talk on the board about locking old threads. and yeah, they called it "killing zombies."  I'm glad the old threads are still open.  Yes, some questions got a quick answer but many remain unanswered and maybe the person who can add something to that thread hasn't joined the forum yet.  I have spent hours going through old threads and have found gold - very useful information, interesting discussions, great photos.

 

Jess

Agreed...particularly when our specialty is literally digging up the past!

[siteseer 1,724]

1 minute ago, LabRatKing said:

Agreed...particularly when our specialty is literally digging up the past!

 

Yes, I think that point was brought up.  Now, there are even more layers in the forum's past though we can jump to the first post in every thread.  There's a lot of great stuff back there.  You see some familiar names and some that helped get the forum off the ground then and moved on to other things, and of course, some have sadly passed away.  I go back to the early pages when I can.

 

Jess

[LabRatKing 762]

11 minutes ago, siteseer said:

 

Yes, I think that point was brought up.  Now, there are even more layers in the forum's past though we can jump to the first post in every thread.  There's a lot of great stuff back there.  You see some familiar names and some that helped get the forum off the ground then and moved on to other things, and of course, some have sadly passed away.  I go back to the early pages when I can.

 

Jess

One of the reasons I quit lurking and try to contribute now was due to the weeks of research time saved by just digging the archives here. The vast amount of raw data on TFF is invaluable to me as both a hobbyist and a biologist.

 

Johnny

[Shellseeker 2,240]

On 1/10/2021 at 4:55 AM, siteseer said:

To get an idea of just the shark fauna you should visit Gordon Hubbell's private shark museum.  He is probably the world's foremost authority on Bone Valley Formation sharks and rays.

That is Gordon,  in his Museum, holding what was then the biggest recorded Megalodon tooth, circa 2012. Memory is dim, but I believe it was a tad over 6.9 inches.

[siteseer 1,724]

Hi Jack,

 

I haven't seen Gordon in a couple of years.  He's created a fantastic museum.  It's an amusement park and schoolroom for collectors of all ages and experience.  He welcomes visitors and loves to talk sharks.  It's hard to pick a favorite display.  I like all the faunal displays - all the known sharks represented in various faunas (Bone Valley, Sharktooth Hill Bonebed, Sacaco, Peru, etc.).

 

I tried to memorize them all but it was too much.  What a great resource - the room and the man.

 

Jess

[Shellseeker 2,240]

1 hour ago, siteseer said:

I tried to memorize them all but it was too much.  What a great resource - the room and the man.

 

Ditto.  Gordon is an outgoing and giving individual. He easily gives of his time and knowledge.  I did not get my own photos, but I loved this fossilized skull of a Great White from 5 mya in Peru... Truly one of a kind!

https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/100years/ancient-great-white-shark/

[thelivingdead531 1,135]

15 hours ago, Shellseeker said:

 

Ditto.  Gordon is an outgoing and giving individual. He easily gives of his time and knowledge.  I did not get my own photos, but I loved this fossilized skull of a Great White from 5 mya in Peru... Truly one of a kind!

https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/100years/ancient-great-white-shark/

Wow! That is magnificent. I wish someone could find a megalodon fossilized like this!

[kingcobb 54]

On 1/12/2021 at 4:02 PM, Shellseeker said:

That is Gordon,  in his Museum, holding what was then the biggest recorded Megalodon tooth, circa 2012. Memory is dim, but I believe it was a tad over 6.9 inches.

7.25 ".  He purchased it from Vito Bertucci for a few hundred bucks in the 80s I believe.  Bertucci spent the rest of his life trying to buy it back.

[siteseer 1,724]

I remember Vito.  There was a guy who did his own thing.  He was a diver and almost made interesting jewelry.  He once made a custom cap out of gold in the shape of an octopus that was going to hold a shark tooth (either a hastalis or carcharias) for hanging on a necklace.