Florida whale fossils

[Shellseeker]

It has been a very hectic end of the year with many events both positive and negative taking my focus away from fossil hunting. I have been blessed in those instances when I can go out. I only have a day left this year and I am wondering whether I will brave the temperatures.

I have a LOT of motivation. Yesterday I went to a new special location "gifted" by a fossil friend about 5 weeks ago. It has a lot going for it, in addition to high quality fossils and a good friend to hunt with.... We even had a sunshiny day. There are some heavy concentrations of  surface gravel but the higher quality material is down 3-4 feet below the surface gravel, the karst, sand, on the clay.  It is a lot of work, and I don't find a lot of fossil quantity but....I have been finding one of these about every 12-18 months and I know that is lucky because my hunting companions digging right next to me have not found them.  There is no determinate identification for this whale, because usually one finds isolated teeth.  I found a 4 inch diameter vert... 3 feet away from the tooth. I do realize this means almost nothing...but I am becoming curious on the lack of larger fossil sperm whale teeth available in North Florida and Georgia.

Another photo that shows an oddity that I had not previously realized: This tooth is worn down by constant abrasion with the tooth above/below it and it even seems that the other side is also slightly worn. I had seen this phenomenon in Cat, Sloth, peccary, etc but not previously in whale.

 

 

Yesterday was a great fossil day --- I will have the memory and joy of finding

 

 

[ynot]

Sweetness!!

[Plantguy]

Crazy good Jack, what interesting finds! Good luck if you get out. There is always next year! 

 

Regards, Chris 

[Calvin Jenkins]

3 to 4 feet down below the surface gravel?  In a River?  I'll need a lesson on how to dig that when you have time.  My back is screaming now & I'm pretty sure I barely pushed 18 inches down.

[Uncle Siphuncle]

4 hours ago, Calvin Jenkins said:

3 to 4 feet down below the surface gravel?  In a River?  I'll need a lesson on how to dig that when you have time.  My back is screaming now & I'm pretty sure I barely pushed 18 inches down.

Yeah that gravel caves right back in where I’ve dug whenever I stop to rest 10 seconds.  It’s an aerobic workout.

[oldtimer]

Nice finds.  But I must say you sure are persistent and industrious to dig that deep. 

Good luck if you make it out today and if not good luck in the coming year.

[jcbshark]

Nice finds Jack

[Shellseeker]

On 12/30/2017 at 6:35 PM, Calvin Jenkins said:

3 to 4 feet down below the surface gravel?  In a River?  I'll need a lesson on how to dig that when you have time.  My back is screaming now & I'm pretty sure I barely pushed 18 inches down.

 

19 hours ago, Uncle Siphuncle said:

Yeah that gravel caves right back in where I’ve dug whenever I stop to rest 10 seconds.  It’s an aerobic workout.

Not sure which strategy helps most:

1) My hunting partner is mid_30s fitness focused. He digs like a madman,

2) As we dig, I open up a downstream & upstream slough trying to use current to suck sand out. We have the serious problem of sand flowing in, but once we have a wide enough hole, it is less of a problem.

3) Dig the same hole across multiple days if necessary.....

None of this is perfect, but it sometimes helps...

8 hours ago, oldtimer said:

Nice finds.  But I must say you sure are persistent and industrious to dig that deep. 

Good luck if you make it out today and if not good luck in the coming year.

Thanks, It is discouraging if you dig that far down and do not get rewarded.. That was the "gift".. some one digging the 1st hole to know that there were fossils down deep.

Did not go out today... was too sore. But  I have been out on New Years day before...

[BillyBayou]

Amazing find!