Dagger Megalodon

[Fossil_adult]

With all the storms coming to an abrupt halt, I knew that it was time to go out on the bay yet again. A few days earlier, I had done just that. With all the storms that had been happening recently I knew that going out would probably be worth the efforts. And I was right. Despite an inflatable canoe with a hole in it (it?s now getting repaired) and a stormy day, I still came away with a really nice Meg about 2 1/4 inches long. This beach has been really good to me. Every time I go here, I always leave with at least one complete Megalodon. Here?s all the finds:

Thanks for reading guys!

 

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[islamoradamark]

Nice specimen

 

[Megalodon]

Congrats on a nice find. I've been stuck cleaning up damage from the storms and have not gotten out.

 

[Fossil_adult]

Thanks guys. I just found out that there was apparently some bad bacteria in the water, no wonder I had the beach to myself. Should I be worried? I’m doing research on the species and says exposure can make you feel sick but it’s been a while and I don’t feel unwell yet.

 

[newnan man]

You'll probably be ok but pay attention to those warnings, water born bacteria can be nasty. What state are you in?

 

[pepperj]

That's a great looking tooth, good eye, and congrats on the successful hunt.

 

[Megalodon]

You'll probably be ok but pay attention to those warnings, water born bacteria can be nasty. What state are you in?

LOL. In my experience, fossil hunters are even more secretive than TH'ers about revealing their location - even their state. He could be a neighbor but worried about other fossil hunters. I'm not saying he does this, but there are also some fossil hunters who use small boats and jet skis to hunt in areas closed to the public - areas that are very good fossil sites.

 

[Megalodon]

Thanks guys. I just found out that there was apparently some bad bacteria in the water, no wonder I had the beach to myself. Should I be worried? I?m doing research on the species and says exposure can make you feel sick but it?s been a while and I don?t feel unwell yet.

There are two major issues in our area (Chesapeake Bay). The first is overflow from the sewer plant when we get heavy rains and this causes high fecal bacteria levels. This is why oyster harvesting (when in season) closes after heavy rains.

The second major issue is much more serious - Vibrio vulnificus is commonly called the "flesh eating bacteria". Here is the CDC info about Vibrio:
https://www.cdc.gov/vibrio/wounds.html

In both cases, open wounds are the source of infections. When you go out fossil hunting, do you see empty bleach bottles washed up? They are from crabbers who get nicks and scratches and pour some bleach over their cuts. That is overkill, but you get the picture. I walk miles along our beaches and the first thing I do when I get home is to take a shower with lots of soap. If you pack a backpack, you could pack some antiseptic wipes or bottle of alcohol.

 

[Megalodon]

It is very easy to get cuts and scratches that could allow an entry point for Vibrio. Many of the trees that fall from the edge of the cliffs are locusts and have sharp spines. Others are covered with poison ivy and green briar thorns. Climbing over, crawling under, or wading around these trees - its hard not to get scratched.

 

[Fossil_adult]

You'll probably be ok but pay attention to those warnings, water born bacteria can be nasty. What state are you in?

I was up in the calvert area, which I just checked was swarming with Vibro. It's been a while and I still don't have any symptoms of Vibro but I'm keeping a close watch on my health.

 

[Fossil_adult]

That's a great looking tooth, good eye, and congrats on the successful hunt.

Thanks! I'm in love with the color and the shape.

 

[Fossil_adult]

I'm pretty much an open book. In fact, I'll say where I found all these megs. First you make a right on *Zzzzzz...

 

[Fossil_adult]

Good to know. I saw some pictures of flesh eating bacteria and started to get a bit freaked out. I had the remnants of cuts on my foot which were almost faded away but I took a shower anyways just in case after returning. But any cuts that appear will be immediately taken care of. anyways, it says that if I had flesh eating bacteria it would have already revealed it's ugly head and go to town on my legs, most likely requiring amputation :/ so I will keep health in check while going out to the bay again.

 

[Kantuckkeean]

Is Pfiesteria much of an issue in the Chesapeake Bay? I used to hear about it fairly frequently when storms in North Carolina would cause hog waste lagoons to overflow, but I haven’t heard anything much in several years. The effects of Pfiesteria sounded pretty bad.

Kindest regards,
Kantuck

 

[Megalodon]

Is Pfiesteria much of an issue in the Chesapeake Bay? I used to hear about it fairly frequently when storms in North Carolina would cause hog waste lagoons to overflow, but I haven’t heard anything much in several years. The effects of Pfiesteria sounded pretty bad.

Kindest regards,
Kantuck

The Pfiesteria connection to human health has been unclear and has taken a backseat to Vibrio in recent years. I heard funding for Pfiesteria was cut with a lot of other Bay research priorities. Menhaden, the important prey item for striped bass, were found to have high incidence of infection and transmitted it to striped bass. It is not clear if these infections increase with the stressors to the fish or if they are primary or secondary infections. The water temps are much higher and the state has finally stopped recreational fishing for the hottest weeks (should be months). I've seen some awful looking infections in the shape of a hand - where someone handled the fish and removed its protective slime coating. I've limited my fishing to colder months like November and December and only bring home a fish if it has been badly hooked in the gills and shows no obvious sign of infections. I see dead striped bass on the beach when I go fossil hunting and occasionally find a small one in my yard, dropped by an osprey. Weird to have to hop off the mower because there is a fish in the way.

 

[Megalodon]

I'm pretty much an open book. In fact, I'll say where I found all these megs. First you make a right on *Zzzzzz...

I'm pretty sure we've met out there on the Bay. I don't see too many inflatables but have seen (and spoken briefly) two young fossil hunters in them over the last two years, one in a zodiac type with a small outboard that was bought used in Chesapeake Beach and the other in an inflatable canoe. Your teeth have a distinctive, hard to define in words, Calvert Cliffs "look" about them.

Be careful out there.

 

[Megalodon]

Good to know. I saw some pictures of flesh eating bacteria and started to get a bit freaked out. I had the remnants of cuts on my foot which were almost faded away but I took a shower anyways just in case after returning. But any cuts that appear will be immediately taken care of. anyways, it says that if I had flesh eating bacteria it would have already revealed it's ugly head and go to town on my legs, most likely requiring amputation :/ so I will keep health in check while going out to the bay again.

We had a talented sculptor who carved large driftwood logs and stumps at our beach. He was devoted to his craft and the community enjoyed his elaborate carvings. He used a variety of hand tools, chisels, cordless tools, and corded - requiring a generator. He was always getting his hands nicked up by doing the carvings. Three years ago, he got a Vibrio infection and was hospitalized for two to three weeks. He managed to survive with no amputations, but it was touch and go there. He told me later that he was always under the impression that salt in the water suppressed infections, a common belief.

 

[Fossil_adult]

I'm pretty sure we've met out there on the Bay. I don't see too many inflatables but have seen (and spoken briefly) two young fossil hunters in them over the last two years, one in a zodiac type with a small outboard that was bought used in Chesapeake Beach and the other in an inflatable canoe. Your teeth have a distinctive, hard to define in words, Calvert Cliffs "look" about them.

Be careful out there.

I’m sure I’ve come across your path a few times considering how much I go. My go to spot was brownies before that place got shut down recently. Calvert cliffs is a large area to scour. Over 30 miles of shore line with cliffs. I’ve been on a lot of this shoreline from the southern end all the way up to brownies, but I have to say, this one beach I go to, I have always came away with a complete Meg every trip. Everyone talks about being the “first” on the beach and all that good stuff. Actually, it’s looking where nobody thinks to look. Under large boulders, in falls, scanning the same stretch 10 times that looks good for 2 hours, etc. I’ve gone to brownies once at 12 o’clock in the afternoon. Saw 8 people breeze right by me. Saw many more up ahead. Still got a nice 2 1/2 inch Meg by crawling underneath a Boulder that no other person that was rags and bone would fit under nicely. Anyways, I don’t know where I’m going with this but I’ve been doing this awhile so I guess I should’ve known better about the bacteria. Oh well, it’s better to learn later than never I guess. Last thing to harp on, a lot of people after a long time of hunting stop picking up the tiny teeth! And I for one don’t understand why. I’ve been collecting for almost a decade and I still love picking up small teeth looking for abnormalities, and if I’m lucky I’ll get a micro Megalodon. There’s a lot of fun in getting big things, but I know there’s reasonably good specimens in the smaller teeth that people tend to no longer care about.

 

[Fossil_adult]

We had a talented sculptor who carved large driftwood logs and stumps at our beach. He was devoted to his craft and the community enjoyed his elaborate carvings. He used a variety of hand tools, chisels, cordless tools, and corded - requiring a generator. He was always getting his hands nicked up by doing the carvings. Three years ago, he got a Vibrio infection and was hospitalized for two to three weeks. He managed to survive with no amputations, but it was touch and go there. He told me later that he was always under the impression that salt in the water suppressed infections, a common belief.

Yup. I’m bringing hand sanitizer into the field next time. No cuts will go unchecked. The last thing I want to depart this earth over is by being eaten alive by bacteria. I have no qualms and anxiety’s about mortality but that is no way to go out. Much rather be safe than feel sorry.

 

[Megalodon]

I’m sure I’ve come across your path a few times considering how much I go. My go to spot was brownies before that place got shut down recently. Calvert cliffs is a large area to scour. Over 30 miles of shore line with cliffs. I’ve been on a lot of this shoreline from the southern end all the way up to brownies, but I have to say, this one beach I go to, I have always came away with a complete Meg every trip. Everyone talks about being the “first” on the beach and all that good stuff. Actually, it’s looking where nobody thinks to look. Under large boulders, in falls, scanning the same stretch 10 times that looks good for 2 hours, etc. I’ve gone to brownies once at 12 o’clock in the afternoon. Saw 8 people breeze right by me. Saw many more up ahead. Still got a nice 2 1/2 inch Meg by crawling underneath a Boulder that no other person that was rags and bone would fit under nicely. Anyways, I don’t know where I’m going with this but I’ve been doing this awhile so I guess I should’ve known better about the bacteria. Oh well, it’s better to learn later than never I guess. Last thing to harp on, a lot of people after a long time of hunting stop picking up the tiny teeth! And I for one don’t understand why. I’ve been collecting for almost a decade and I still love picking up small teeth looking for abnormalities, and if I’m lucky I’ll get a micro Megalodon. There’s a lot of fun in getting big things, but I know there’s reasonably good specimens in the smaller teeth that people tend to no longer care about.

Excellent post. I got a fairly late start but still have been hunting fossils along Calvert Cliffs for 40 tears. As a graduate student, I was on a collaborative research cruise in the late 1970's on the Johns Hopkins research vessel "Ridgely Warfield". My graduate advisor saw me admiring the way the sun played on the cliffs in the morning and told me "there are fossil shark teeth that erode out of those cliffs" and "you can pick them up on the beach" "big ones too". At the time, I thought it would be cool to live there. Two years later, I took a job in the area and lived at the end of Plum Pt Rd. And so it began.

Like you, I still pick up the small teeth. If you don't bother with them, you will miss some fossil porpoise and croc teeth. It can be frustrating when the choppy waves we get here carry a tooth away, so I use a "sand dipper" (the one with the cam-locks) and it is perfect for picking up teeth

The Brownies Beach closure was a ridiculous over-reaction by local authorities and I wouldn't blame you a bit if you paddled around the fence and signs - lol.

I can't walk the 5 to 6 miles and climb over, crawl under and go around all the fallen trees in this heat. I remember how easy it was when there were so few cliff falls.