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First Trip to Peace River, FL


Rock-Guy-17

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Been a while since I have posted, but I have a few more trip reports to get done eventually. Decided to start with my first trip on the Peace River in Florida. Was in Florida for a while visiting family and had a day or two to do some investigating. Plenty of research in the forum and other sites lead me to hiring a guide, Fred Mazza, which I think was well worth the money for the learning experience alone. I am hoping to visit the area once a year, so I am hoping this experience prevented some numerous trial and error runs out to the Peace River. I would highly recommend Fred and his tour, some really nice fossils were found by other members of the tour group and it gave me a handle on what equipment I might need in the future. I agree with the sentiment around the forum that a canoe or kayak is essential. This trip was especially nice since the river was so low. Best finds below, sorry about the flash in the pictures: 

 

2. These were the best teeth, pretty happy with it for my first time out there. I probably found over 150. Excited to find my first Megs even if small.

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2. Dugong ribs

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3. Florida fossils are not my expertise, I think these are mostly all turtle shell fragments. Miocene aged? 

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4. Curious about what forum members think of these.  In order I see unknown tooth on the far left, then horse teeth, gator scutes, barracuda tooth, gator tooth, and fish teeth. 

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5. Some more unknown bones with unusual shape.

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6. Bonus best Sanibel Island snail shells

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Help is appreciated, thanks for reading!

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1 hour ago, Rock-Guy-17 said:

Was in Florida for a while visiting family and had a day or two to do some investigating. Plenty of research in the forum and other sites lead me to hiring a guide, Fred Mazza, which I think was well worth the money for the learning experience alone.

Welcome to the Fossil Forum..  I have been waiting for you.. In August , 2008 after retiring from work,  My spouse suggested a Peace River fossil hunting trip with Mark Renz,  a competitor in the same business as Fred Mazza. That trip turned out to be worth 30-40 times what I paid.. It set me up for 16 years of hunting the Peace River... Literally change my life...

 

Photo #1 -- Nice Sand Tiger on the right.. FAR more rare than Megs or any other shark tooth you found.   

Photo #3  Turtles have been here since the Miocene,  dropping their fossils all over the Peace River.  Likely impossible to "age" any specific fossil...

Photo #4  Gator Vert,  Horse, Horse, Stingray dermal denticles, Barracuda, Gator, Barracuda teeth.

Photo #5 Small Bones are Hard.. Likely need clear Photos from all sides to have a chance.

Photo #6  Florida Fighting Conch, Lightening Whelk, Apple Murex,  Banded Tulip, Flyspeck Cerith, Apple Murex, Fine_ribbed Auger... Take a look at my Avatar.... Shellseeker. I did that before finding my 1st fossil.

 

Welcome to TFF..

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The White Queen  ".... in her youth she could believe "six impossible things before breakfast"

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On 5/5/2024 at 9:50 PM, Shellseeker said:

Welcome to the Fossil Forum..  I have been waiting for you.. In August , 2008 after retiring from work,  My spouse suggested a Peace River fossil hunting trip with Mark Renz,  a competitor in the same business as Fred Mazza. That trip turned out to be worth 30-40 times what I paid.. It set me up for 16 years of hunting the Peace River... Literally change my life...

 

Photo #1 -- Nice Sand Tiger on the right.. FAR more rare than Megs or any other shark tooth you found.   

Photo #3  Turtles have been here since the Miocene,  dropping their fossils all over the Peace River.  Likely impossible to "age" any specific fossil...

Photo #4  Gator Vert,  Horse, Horse, Stingray dermal denticles, Barracuda, Gator, Barracuda teeth.

Photo #5 Small Bones are Hard.. Likely need clear Photos from all sides to have a chance.

Photo #6  Florida Fighting Conch, Lightening Whelk, Apple Murex,  Banded Tulip, Flyspeck Cerith, Apple Murex, Fine_ribbed Auger... Take a look at my Avatar.... Shellseeker. I did that before finding my 1st fossil.

 

Welcome to TFF..

Thank you for the feedback, Shellseeker. I have seen your posts and comments when doing research on the forum and they were very helpful in my prep for this trip. Glad I ended up doing the tour, next step is to investigate a kayak to store with family down there. Cheers!

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Totally agree a guide on the first trip out is well worth the price.

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