darrenrx Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 My friend found this shark tooth on the Savannah River in Burke County, Georgia. We can't decide if it's a goblin shark or sand tiger tooth. He found it in the oyster beds at Griffin's Landing. As far as he knows, it's from the Griffin's Landing Member, Dry Branch Formation, Barnwell Group, Eocene. Any ideas? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abcwixson Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 sand tiger...it has small remnants of cusps there...ive been looking for creeks down in burke or jefferson that cut deep enough to expose fossil layers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDAWG Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 Do you know about elasmo.com? It's a great site to ID shark teeth. There are quite a few kinds of "sand tigers" and ID can be a challenge. I collected a similar very nice tooth ~12-13 years ago at Griffin Landing. That, and a single ray tooth, were the only vertebrate fossils I found over 3-4 visits. I had more luck with some unusual barnacles attached to those huge Crassostrea shells. However I stopped going after berms were put up across the road to the boat landing, and the whole area was densely posted with no trespassing signs, and signs warning that removal of "artifacts and natural materials" violated some provision of Georgia law. The boat landing was open and the site was accessible until just after 9-11, I think they closed it and dumped mounds of dirt across the road because the Savannah River site (where nuclear material is or used to be processed for bombs) is directly across the river. A friend stopped by there last year but moved on due to the signs. I take it those signs have been taken down now? That's great news, as I would like to visit the site again but it's a 3 hr drive each way and it truly sucks to spend 6 hrs driving just to be turned away. Of course it would suck worse to be arrested by homeland security. Don 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abcwixson Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 (edited) Do you know about elasmo.com? It's a great site to ID shark teeth. There are quite a few kinds of "sand tigers" and ID can be a challenge. I collected a similar very nice tooth ~12-13 years ago at Griffin Landing. That, and a single ray tooth, were the only vertebrate fossils I found over 3-4 visits. I had more luck with some unusual barnacles attached to those huge Crassostrea shells. However I stopped going after berms were put up across the road to the boat landing, and the whole area was densely posted with no trespassing signs, and signs warning that removal of "artifacts and natural materials" violated some provision of Georgia law. The boat landing was open and the site was accessible until just after 9-11, I think they closed it and dumped mounds of dirt across the road because the Savannah River site (where nuclear material is or used to be processed for bombs) is directly across the river. A friend stopped by there last year but moved on due to the signs. I take it those signs have been taken down now? That's great news, as I would like to visit the site again but it's a 3 hr drive each way and it truly sucks to spend 6 hrs driving just to be turned away. Of course it would suck worse to be arrested by homeland security. Don There are other acesses to this site if you have a boat...The shell bluff landing as well as a few smaller landings further down river make the bluffs accessible... i know that just down from there the plant vogtle nuclear power plant has turned up quite a few vertebrate pieces including a full whale with some associated sharks teeth (no description of the teeth were given) Georgiacetus Edited January 22, 2016 by abcwixson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDAWG Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 (edited) Is the boat landing at Shell Bluff publicly accessible? Last time I was there the road was blocked by a gate, and there were signs indicating the area along the shore (including the boat landing) was private property. The actual bluff (and the shell beds) are also on private property. I am sure there are a number of sites along the Georgia side of the river that are accessible by boat. The old literature indicates several bluffs that exposed fossil-bearing layers. However I only have a canoe, and I have been frustrated in my (few) attempts to find a publicly accessible place to put in to the river anywhere near that area. The Georgiacetus skeleton was found while digging out the foundation for a new reactor at Plant Vogle. I believe the actual site now has a reactor on top of it. At any rate, access to the grounds is forbidden, even to professional geologists. Don Edited January 22, 2016 by FossilDAWG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abcwixson Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 Ill research other boat landings in the area...there is a public ramp on the south carolina side in Jackson SC thats just a little ways up river from there....the bluff actually runs through my hunting lease but no layers are visible on the surface...if i dug just a bit i imagine i could get to them fairly quickly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caperman4 Posted April 29, 2016 Share Posted April 29, 2016 I'm also interested in hunting for teeth in the Savannah River. I mostly dive around Beaufort now but looking to shorten my trips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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