The Old Chipola River, one more time

[dalmayshun]

   For the last few years a friend and I have traveled from south Florida to the panhandle to hunt the miocene layers exposed by the Chipola and Apalachicola rivers. After our exhausting trip last year (exhausting because of the 4 mile kayak paddle against the current) we had toyed with not going again. But you know, a year later the paddling prospect didn't seem so daunting, , so we packed up and headed out. This time we headed to the Chipola river first. We headed downstream to the confluence of 10 mile creek and the river. It was a lazy paddle, with the current this time. We had heard the bank opposite the confluence held fossils, but if it did, they were elusive to us. We walked up the 10 mile creek a little distance, checking out the bank, but again...nothing. The water was moving fast, so it was too tiring for me to drag my kayak back behind me...I did turn 72 this year. What in God's name am I doing here? So back to the river to drift slowly while checking the banks. My friend was on the opposite side of the river, as I spied some algae blackened shells...pulling up closer I saw a layer in the bank filled with shell pieces. I motioned to my friend, and we both decided it was not a day for us to get skunked. We had come across a bed of Nodipectens, and started digging in the graveley red sand. Soon we each had a couple of vasums, several nodipectens, and I kept breaking through layers of amusiums. If you have ever found these, they are like thin layers of glass, that tempt you with shard like pieces. I have wanted one  from there, but they are so difficult to get. My friend was able to save one about 2 inches across...I found a double valve only about 1 & 1/2 " , but also saw part of an edge sticking horizontally, tantilizingly out of the red mud. I decided to spend my time, washing, gently wiping away till it was exposed. A nice 4 incher, but all cracked in pieces. It was complete, but broken. I decided to photograph it, take the pieces out one by one, carefully wrapping each and then trying to reconstruct it at home. You'll see it below. I was a great day, with both of us filling our collecting boxes, taking many pieces home to clean. 

       After the night camping at Torreya State park, we headed out to the Apalachicola the next morning. That river is the long haul. But we got to our exposed bench  south of Alum bluff, and were amazed at how the collecting area changes from year to year. This time the water level was a good 2 feet higher than last year when we collected, so much of the bank was underwater. I was feeling a bit of heat ( I had heat stroke a couple years ago) so I carefully sat in the shade and picked at the ground around me. This place is an Orthaulax gabbi dream...they are all over, Having picked up several last year, I only pulled two perfect ones this year...my find of the shelf was a Spondyllus chipolanus...it is gorgeous. And my friend found a complete Melongena sculpturata, 9" long which he carefully dug out of the bank. Great time. , Oh, and while they aren't fossils, we also set up a light to see moths. Just for fun,  I've included images of a couple we found. It was our last time, but a great trip overall. Never again will I have to face the gauntlet of the Apalachicola. Next time it will be the Suwannee. 

[dalmayshun]

These are perististrombus chipolanus on the left, and aldrichi on the right. 

[Darktooth]

Beautiful shells! Thanks for posting!

[Harry Pristis]

Thanks for your account of your outing, Dalmayshun.  The Chipola is a swift stream . . . I can't imagine what it took to kayak upstream!  I used a johnboat for my shelling expedition.  I used a pick, and brought back about 250 lbs of shelly matrix.  I spent a lot of time identifying some of the finds, but eventually I lost interest.  I don't collect shells.  I do have the series of original Gardner papers describing the fauna.  These are old and hard to find these days.  If you know anyone interested in owning this like-new set, send me a PM.

 

 

[dalmayshun]

Thank for the suggestion, when I want to reference these books, I just access them via the internet. But perhaps someone will see this and contact you. I wasn't able to add photos of the numerous nodipecten we picked up, so here is a photo of the right, left valve of Nodipecten condylomatus. The second photo is a comparison of that Nodipecten, with Collierensis, and Nodosus. I thought it interesting to see them together. 

[Plantguy]

Hey Rod, neat trip report. Nice finds too! Ambitious son of a gun you are. good for you. I'm trying to forget about the aches and pains in the joints that come with fossil hunting endeavors..so far so many. Your finds reminded me of the wife's recent find from somewhere down your way sometime this past decade. I see it daily in the bathroom! LOL. 

Good luck on the next outing! 

Regards, Chris 

 

[dalmayshun]

nice fossil, and thanks. 

[dalmayshun]

I realized it might be nice to add a piece of my art work... Since I am a painter and have started a series of paintings on the Fossil rivers I travel. Here is my pastel of the Chipola at the boat ramp we used for our kayaks

[dalmayshun]

And cleaned some of my larger chipola things

[Monica]

Beautiful shells and even more beautiful artwork, @dalmayshun!

[FossilDAWG]

I  the shells, but even more so the pastel  .  I can almost hear the water burbling.

 

Don

[stephengilmore]

I just returned today from the Chipola River --- i wish I had read your post first, I was looking  in the area immediately above the  10 mile creek/chipola junction/ West bank   per directions I had come across previously  --- the only rock was hard gnarly limestone --- wish I had gone on down river.  About how far down from 10 mile creek and on which bank did you find those lovely specimens?  Last year I  had great success opposite  4 mile creek, but the water level was a lot lower. 

Steve Gilmore

[Carl]

On 8/22/2017 at 11:29 AM, dalmayshun said:

I realized it might be nice to add a piece of my art work... Since I am a painter and have started a series of paintings on the Fossil rivers I travel. Here is my pastel of the Chipola at the boat ramp we used for our kayaks

FANTASTIC!!!!

[cmwilson101]

I looked at this post because I wanted to see your image of the three Nodipecten - that was very useful, thank you for posting.  Now that I have read the post, though, what really struck me was how you rescued and restored the shattered amusiums.  By doing so you've introduced me (and maybe others) to these gorgeous fragile treasures.  They have been added to my bucket list...though I hope I don't have to paddle four miles upstream for years in a row to find one!