Boesse Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 Hey all! Between an ill-timed conference, election month, the pandemic, online teaching, and a few other issues, I was way too stressed out and busy to be on here regularly since October. Also, in mid November we began digging up a small basilosaurid whale in Harleyville, SC - very likely to be the most completely known specimen of the dwarf basilosaurid Chrysocetus, and perhaps the most important basilosaurid discovery in North America of my lifetime. I did manage to write a blog post about our fieldwork, so as an apology for being AWOL and only getting back to identifying cetacean stuff a few months later, I offer this writeup as penance! It feels good to be back in the saddle again. Cheers, Bobby 26 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcfossilcollector Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 Incredible! Congratulations on this amazing discovery! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellseeker Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 Absolutely AMAZING. Look at those teeth!!! Where/when would it likely be displayed. I could reach Mace Museum in 10 hours or so. I guess I am really asking about Prep time and likely eventual home... 1 The White Queen ".... in her youth she could believe "six impossible things before breakfast" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby Rico Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 Welcome back, that’s an incredible fossil look forward to finding out more about it in the future. cheers Bobby 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boesse Posted January 17, 2021 Author Share Posted January 17, 2021 Thanks y'all! Unfortunately the biggest block (which contains the mandible) weighs about 500 lbs and we've got a laundry list of other specimens waiting in front of it. It's going to be at least another year before it's opened up. However, we'll be excavating the other mandible in a few days, in a block that is much smaller and will likely be opened up first. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siteseer Posted January 18, 2021 Share Posted January 18, 2021 Congratulations Bobby! You've had opportunities to collect and study whales from various points in their history and now you get to be involved with the collection and study of one of the oldest whales in North America and what sounds like it might be more than a couple of jaw sections of an individual. Who knows if even more of it lies unseen in the blocks and what else you'll find with it. Jess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aek Posted January 18, 2021 Share Posted January 18, 2021 Amazing discovery - congrats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boesse Posted March 30, 2021 Author Share Posted March 30, 2021 Hey all - I just posted a new blog post to update this - last weekend I gave a guest lecture for the quarterly meeting of the North Carolina Fossil Club, and was complimented about the blog writeup on the first part of the excavation - reminding me that I really need to post more regularly! So, here is part two - which covers why the early stages of the excavation were pretty anxiety inducing for me as being in charge of a surprisingly big excavation for such a small institution. https://coastalpaleo.blogspot.com/2021/03/winter-whale-excavation-part-2-day-2.html And, since I apparently did not post the original blog link, here it is: https://coastalpaleo.blogspot.com/2021/01/winter-whale-excavation-part-1.html 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titan Posted March 30, 2021 Share Posted March 30, 2021 Awesome find and thanks for sharing! Good job rising to the challenge - you and your institution will both look back on it and be proud. Congrats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted March 30, 2021 Share Posted March 30, 2021 7 hours ago, Boesse said: Hey all - I just posted a new blog post to update this Fascinating and informative at the same time. There's definitely more to come, right? 1 Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boesse Posted March 31, 2021 Author Share Posted March 31, 2021 I will be keeping everyone updated as the jackets get prepped out! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellseeker Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 8 hours ago, Boesse said: I will be keeping everyone updated as the jackets get prepped out! Got my 2nd Moderna shot Monday Evening and around 4 pm yesterday, started 5 hours of chills followed by 3-4 hours of fever. Just the body no longer willing to put up with that vaccine. Woke up at 4 am, feeling fantastic... I just read both both blogs and then did a cut&paste to get them on my laptop. (This is not too bad, I copy photo separately. Is there another way?) After all, I may find one of those teeth (if I travel to SC) and would have to recognize it. For a second, I wondered what the face guards of the workers in the 2nd blog was for,, but then it occurred to me). Quote Chrysocetus healeyorum, one of the smallest basilosaurids ever discovered. What is your definition of "smallest"? Excellent Read, Thanks for taking me along... I am waiting for a clearer photo of the periotic. The White Queen ".... in her youth she could believe "six impossible things before breakfast" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boesse Posted March 31, 2021 Author Share Posted March 31, 2021 Well... Chrysocetus healeyorum IS smaller than all the other named basilosaurids, based on skull/tooth/mandible size. The more recently named Chrysocetus fouadassii is even smaller, and is the smallest named basilosaurid, but is much more fragmentary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 Your blog is an exstreamly good read. and lots of good pictures too. When you get too old to do this anymore your gunna have lots of really good memories and story's to tell. Oh, and a really cool fossil too. Will be very interesting to see some updates. RB 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 Thanks for the report, Bobby! Always great to see what you are working on! Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boesse Posted April 11, 2021 Author Share Posted April 11, 2021 Hey all - I've finally written part 3 - and part 4 is already written, so I'll post that in a few days. https://coastalpaleo.blogspot.com/2021/04/winter-whale-excavation-part-3-making.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sjfriend Posted April 12, 2021 Share Posted April 12, 2021 @Boesse, Great read. Can't wait to see it prepped! Question, what blade were you using on the Sawzall? Might need to pick up a few. Have a boulder up here to cut to try and recover some fern leaves. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boesse Posted April 12, 2021 Author Share Posted April 12, 2021 @sjfriend We had two different blades on them - one was, I think, just a regular blade for wood with large teeth and another was a masonry blade. Likely because of how soft the limestone was, the bigger teeth seemed to cut way faster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sjfriend Posted April 14, 2021 Share Posted April 14, 2021 On 4/12/2021 at 2:05 PM, Boesse said: @sjfriend We had two different blades on them - one was, I think, just a regular blade for wood with large teeth and another was a masonry blade. Likely because of how soft the limestone was, the bigger teeth seemed to cut way faster. Thank you. Will give that a try this summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boesse Posted April 17, 2021 Author Share Posted April 17, 2021 Alright I finished my series of blog posts! Here's the finale of the excavation, along with a couple photos. Read all about it here: https://coastalpaleo.blogspot.com/2021/04/winter-whale-excavation-part-4-grand.html 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turtlesteve Posted April 20, 2021 Share Posted April 20, 2021 Really cool project, thanks for posting. Bummer that some of your volunteers got distracted so easily. I’d be happy to volunteer for any future excavations if you need the help (I’m about 1.5 hours away). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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