SailingAlongToo Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 I'm a little late in posting this but, I'm finally getting around to it. Last weekend, Mrs.SA2 and I took the dogs for another walk with our good buddy Mel (of Phatfossils.com), since much of the ice has melted or moved on. It was a great day for some exercise with the forecast showing sunny, high around 55-60F, an offshore breeze and lower than normal water levels. As an added plus, we had very clear water meaning we could walk in water between our knees and waist and still see the bottom pretty well. That is, if you like 32-35F water on your lower body. Some may remember from last post about walking in cold/icy water that Mrs.SA2's feet got cold (numb was the word she used.) Being the wonderful hubby that I am, I went online to my favorite "major supplier of all things ever needed", and ordered her a couple pair of 1mm neoprene socks that have fleece inner layers. She tried them out on last Saturday's trip. More on her opinion and comments later. As we started our walk on the waxing tide, (not preferred, but it is VA in late January & we certainly aren't greedy enough to complain about any day we get on a river fossil hunting this time of year), we were all amazed at how clear, calm and low the water was. If you had the opportunity to pick all of the variables for a day of fossil hunting in VA in January, this day shaped up to be everything we would have requested. Wasn't long before we found a few small to medium size teeth. Not long after that, Mel started finding whale vertebrae in thigh - waist deep water. We kept finding whale verts ALL day long. I think we ended up finding over 35 with about 25 of them being in nice shape and the other 10 being so-so with various amounts cleaved off along the long axis. Mrs.SA2 was walking in knee deep water, trying out her new neoprene socks and was the first to spy a tooth bigger than 1", scoring a nice, reddish hastalis. Not to be outdone, Mel had to go big with another hastalis. It's a little worn but it's a big 'un. All this time, i'm walking along the tide line picking up small - medium teeth listening to the Mrs. and Mel talk about how much they both can "feel" the megs calling them. I'm pretty sure I heard a few comments about how small my teeth were compared to theirs at this point, but I'm not sure. About that time, Mrs.SA2 decides she wants to find the 1st meg of the day and pops this up out of the water. A little on the small side, but its cute and "a megs a meg." And of course, Mel has to answer right back with this b-e-a-u-t-y of a hastalis! I'm pretty sure he could still have shaved his arm hair with those edges. Here are both of his monsters side by side. A little further down the beach (and a few more comments about my small teeth later), Mrs.SA2 spots a double. Notice how close the dog came to stepping on it and burying it in the sand. This now makes her 2nd meg in 1 day, albeit this one is on the smaller side too, but again, "a megs a meg." She looked at me, smiled and said "I'm not done yet." I just put my head down and kept walking, as it appears at this point that I've become the dog walker and the chauffeur for the day. And, I swear, I heard Mel giggling in the background. I knew better than to ask her how she went from collecting in thigh - knee deep water to collecting on the beach, directly in front of me. Nothing good was going to come from any response I made. As we kept going along, true to her previous statement about not being done yet, Mrs.SA2 found another meg, again on the smaller side, but it was her 3rd meg of the day and 5th in 1 week. Now, I'm positive I heard snickers and giggles coming from Mel's direction this time. By then, it was getting embarrassing for me cause Mel had the 2 monster hastalis and had picked up 2 megs and another decent sized hastais to go with them. Talk about a handful! So, Mel too now has a multiple meg day, meaning everyone but me has megs (plural). By now its well past lunch time and I'm getting hungry so i sat down on a log and ate my chicken salad sandwich. Mel, the Mrs. and the dogs kept walking a bit further. After my sandwich, I felt better and was done sulking and I wandered around where I had been sitting. Lucky for me, I found a few decent teeth. I was hoping for a meg, even a small one, but that didn't happen, but at least I got a few nice specimens. (Sorry Ray, @aerogrower the Mrs. had the scale cube with her.) I'll finish up with the rest in the next post. Don't know much about history Don't know much biology Don't know much about science books......... Sam Cooke - (What A) Wonderful World Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailingAlongToo Posted February 2, 2018 Author Share Posted February 2, 2018 Here is my last tooth bigger than 1" on the day. Here are some photos of our finds once we got them cleaned up at home. Notice all the "frag-alodons" on the left side. LOVE the color variations on the hastalis. Mrs.SA2's megs are on the top row, left side. The fish / shark verts and the fish tail were a nice addition to the day. All in all, quite a nice day for a walk along the river with our buddy Mel and the dogs. The pups sure had a great time shredding the beach and frolicking in the cold water. Couldn't have asked for anything better! Well, of course Mel wanted more and bigger teeth, but who doesn't. Cheers, SA2 and Mrs.SA2 2 Don't know much about history Don't know much biology Don't know much about science books......... Sam Cooke - (What A) Wonderful World Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darktooth Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 Wow! Awesome finds! You guys literally cleaned up! I like Trilo-butts and I cannot lie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailingAlongToo Posted February 2, 2018 Author Share Posted February 2, 2018 7 minutes ago, Darktooth said: Wow! Awesome finds! You guys literally cleaned up! Thanks. I can definitely say, despite the cold and ice, we've had a GREAT January hunting fossils. Of course, Mrs.SA2's was slightly better than mine with her 5 megs. We had 18 total megs between us in 2017 and she has sure done her part to ensure we beat that number this year. Don't know much about history Don't know much biology Don't know much about science books......... Sam Cooke - (What A) Wonderful World Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcbshark Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 Great haul,congrats Every once in a great while it's not just a big rock down there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 A pretty good day out, I'd say. Congrats on a good haul. Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Jersey Devil Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 Isn't the first Meg posted pathological? Its carinae look like they are twisted in some places. “You must take your opponent into a deep dark forest where 2+2=5, and the path leading out is only wide enough for one.” ― Mikhail Tal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmitchell887 Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 Very nice!! Gonna have to start leaving her behind if she’s going to whip up on you like that! Hahaha very cool finds though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDAWG Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 Looks like you all had a fine day. Next time you should call dibs on the neoprene socks; it sounds like all the megs were found in the water and not on shore. Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 Nice finds! At this rate, the cliffs will be cleaned out of megs in a year or two “...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin Happy hunting, Mason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimravis Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 Great trip report- congrats on the great finds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailingAlongToo Posted February 2, 2018 Author Share Posted February 2, 2018 Just now, WhodamanHD said: Nice finds! At this rate, the cliffs will be cleaned out of megs in a year or two I sure hope not. We still have 14 more to go in 2018 to beat our number from last year. One of our other goals this year is to find megs from as many different locations as possible. We want a variety. Don't know much about history Don't know much biology Don't know much about science books......... Sam Cooke - (What A) Wonderful World Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 sounds like a good day. Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 This surely appears to be the right time of year to be collecting under the right circumstances. So how did Mrs.SA2 take to the new socks? Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixgill pete Posted February 3, 2018 Share Posted February 3, 2018 Looks like a great trip Jack, even with the cold, but especially for Mrs. SA2. How big was the hastalis Mel found? Bulldozers and dirt Bulldozers and dirt behind the trailer, my desert Them red clay piles are heaven on earth I get my rocks off, bulldozers and dirt Patterson Hood; Drive-By Truckers May 2016 May 2012 Aug 2013, May 2016, Apr 2020 Oct 2022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailingAlongToo Posted February 4, 2018 Author Share Posted February 4, 2018 The 2 monsters were pushing 3". I'm not sure of exact length since I only had 1" cube. I will ask him and let you know. Don't know much about history Don't know much biology Don't know much about science books......... Sam Cooke - (What A) Wonderful World Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailingAlongToo Posted February 4, 2018 Author Share Posted February 4, 2018 On 2/2/2018 at 6:40 PM, Ludwigia said: This surely appears to be the right time of year to be collecting under the right circumstances. So how did Mrs.SA2 take to the new socks? She said it took a lot longer for her feet to get cold, they didn't get as cold as before and they warmed up pretty quick. 20-30 mins walking in water and 10 mins walking on land and she was ready for the cold water again. Quite an improvement for a $60 investment (2 pair.) Don't know much about history Don't know much biology Don't know much about science books......... Sam Cooke - (What A) Wonderful World Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted February 4, 2018 Share Posted February 4, 2018 53 minutes ago, SailingAlongToo said: She said it took a lot longer for her feet to get cold, they didn't get as cold as before and they warmed up pretty quick. 20-30 mins walking in water and 10 mins walking on land and she was ready for the cold water again. Quite an improvement for a $60 investment (2 pair.) Sounds like they were well worth the investment. Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailingAlongToo Posted February 4, 2018 Author Share Posted February 4, 2018 20 minutes ago, Ludwigia said: Sounds like they were well worth the investment. Absolutely. As long as I take her with me, she never gives me grief on how much fossil hunting I do. Happy wife, happy life! Don't know much about history Don't know much biology Don't know much about science books......... Sam Cooke - (What A) Wonderful World Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoppeHunting Posted February 4, 2018 Share Posted February 4, 2018 Awesome finds! Sounds like you all had fun and had a very productive day. I’ve been itching to go out hunting again but the weather has been horrible lately. The Hunt for the Hemipristine continues! ~Hoppe hunting!~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailingAlongToo Posted February 4, 2018 Author Share Posted February 4, 2018 2 hours ago, HoppeFossilHunting said: Awesome finds! Sounds like you all had fun and had a very productive day. I’ve been itching to go out hunting again but the weather has been horrible lately. The only thing that stops us from walking-in is the beach covered in ice or snow. We have gear for cold, wet & windy. I don't run the boat when air temps are below 40F cause I don't want a frozen water pump. Other than that, we will at least try it. Don't know much about history Don't know much biology Don't know much about science books......... Sam Cooke - (What A) Wonderful World Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNCollector Posted February 4, 2018 Share Posted February 4, 2018 Nice haul! I've never had the chance to collect that area in the winter. Last time I went was in the spring and I didn't find any Meg's, but did find a pristine cow shark tooth and a huge hemi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otodusobliquus Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 Wow, you people are doing great! I need to get back down there, I haven't been since November, and the beach has been sanded in the past few times I was there. On that last trip I saw about seven articulated whale vertebrae in the cliff, and there probably where a lot more still back in it. They were about 0.7 miles down the beach on the point with the wooden wall sticking out (yes, I know exactly where this spot is too, I've been going there for about six years now). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCW3D Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 Awesome day Jack! I wanted to head out last weekend too but my better half was fighting the flu...nothing but nursemaid duties for me. We may try to get out this weekend, kids are gone so we can play all day. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailingAlongToo Posted February 7, 2018 Author Share Posted February 7, 2018 1 hour ago, RCW3D said: Awesome day Jack! I wanted to head out last weekend too but my better half was fighting the flu...nothing but nursemaid duties for me. We may try to get out this weekend, kids are gone so we can play all day. Hope your Mrs is feeling better. I'm sure she appreciated your expert nursemaid skills. We were supposed to meet M&M on Sat morning at a spot we haven't been able to visit since late Nov. but T was feeling pretty bad too. Unfortunately, when alarm went off at 0500a we turned it off and didn't go. I should have at least gone. I'll PM you why. This coming weekend is forecast for 80% rain both days, warm but rainy. After the extreme freeze thaw over the last 6 weeks, water saturated dirt above my head really scares me. Don't know much about history Don't know much biology Don't know much about science books......... Sam Cooke - (What A) Wonderful World Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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