Diving for MEGA Lo Dons

wilkere

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Yeh, We’re still alive for anyone that gives a sh*t. But just barely… Yours truly, Meghead and Wild Rick hit the murky erMinreh River this weekend for a fossil hunt to remember. Oh yeh in case your wondering I’ve taken the liberty to letter scrabble the river name to comply with the FossilFinders Guild to keep exact information off the web. Yes my friend, you are extremely lucky that I was even able to keep a few photos of the hunt for you to eyeball as pictures of fossils and landmarks were erased by the secretive Guildmembers who met us at the dock before we left….

DSC00921.webp Canoeing in style with the guys from Raleigh! (with a tow rope)


Now back to the story, Me and Meghead have been talking about doing this for the past few years, and after meeting Wild Rick (WR) thru www.blackriverfossils.org we came up with a plan which was executed on the 23rd of May. Previously, Wild Rick did some reconnoitering and extensive research on where we need to go, and since he’s a for real deal scientist I didn’t disputed his information as he showed me the massive ******** in the bed of his pickup truck from his canoe trip upriver the evening before.

Fortified with a McDonald’s breakfast we headed to our entry point and paddled upriver against the tide. However, we soon had this figured out as Meghead’s 100hp Jetski towed our canoe caravan the miles we needed to cover in recorded time. Disembarking at WR‘s first site, soon had me donning my scuba gear in record time as the Chesapeake shell layer littered the high banks and crunched underfoot in the river.

DSC00912.webp Wild Rick playing around with sticks.

WR and I went in first with Meghead providing over watch on the Jetski. The river dropped off steeply to the bottom where it was dark as sh*t. My new Intova dive light was doing it’s best to give me some vision in the murk. Additionally, as you went out towards the middle of the river the current was pretty bad too. WR didn’t have much problem with this, but yours truly does not like freefall descending in a swift current in zero visibility. I mainly stuck to the bottom of the ledges and poked and fanned the fine slit which hid underneath countless shell remnants, bone and hopefully *********.

DSC00913.webp Meghead ready to go under after signing his will.


The scariest thing was all the trees & logs in the river. Near shore was the worst but even in the middle you’d be startled and your fear level jacked up to new levels by bumping into solid objects, i.e. entanglements as you fought to maintain your sanity on your quest for the Megalodon.

DSC00914.webp Lookit dem fossils!

On our second dive, I did have a scary moment when I found I could not ascend towards the surface. With my mask a few inches from the shell bed I moved upwards, and something solid hits my scuba tank, “Thump, W.T.F? I move a little bit to the left, “Thump, Holy sh*t! I move a little bit more, “Thump”! Now due to the stress everything seems darker and your mind races “Which way outta here”! I was able to find a gap between the two logs and swam thru it head first, bumping gear along the way. But even as I raced towards the safety of the reddish light above I was chastising myself for doing such a risky move as getting stuck that way was a surefire end of the dive trip… forever.

So to wrap it up.. Fossils = Good Camaraderie = Excellent Trees in water = Bad

Until next time, - Bob

http://okinawarelics.com/default.aspx
 

Upvote 0
Whoa .. what a close one !! Glad U got out of that mess :o CMD
 

Nice post. So did you guys find any fossils in your adventure??
 

That river is full of logs and snakes . I've fished it all my life . Don't worry though , I ain't telling a soul . I have a few megalodon teeth and whale bones that came out of a sand pit not far from this river . At the time , they were digging lots of these fossils from this pit . The guy that was running it was giving them away . He must not have known what he had .
 

2country said:
That river is full of logs and snakes . I've fished it all my life . Don't worry though , I ain't telling a soul . I have a few megalodon teeth and whale bones that came out of a sand pit not far from this river . At the time , they were digging lots of these fossils from this pit . The guy that was running it was giving them away . He must not have known what he had .
Hi Country,
I guess it's that mine on the North bank side that I see from Google earth a few miles from the bridge in M-boro? Any chance to do any digging in that mine by checking in with somebody? We didn't get what we were looking for (Megs) which was dissappointing and wonder if the risk is worth the reward to dive it anymore.

Semper Fi,
Bobhttp://www.okinawarelics.com
 

No , the pit I'm talking about is on the south side of the river . It's about 3 - 3 1/2 miles north of M-borro the way the crow flies . It's to the right of the road heading toward S--ern . It's a pretty big commercial sand pit . I haven't been back there in about 5yrs , but it is still in operation . I would go back there and talk to the guy in charge of the place . Let me know if you have any luck .
 

Low visibility, current, and entanglments?

Are you kidding me?

That would scare the hell out of me.

I once ran out of air at 90' feet, thanks to a defective gauge.

I care man. Be careful.

Did you get anything good?

Jim on Camano
 

TnMountains said:
Nice post. So did you guys find any fossils in your adventure??
Some..... but it wasn't worth the risk this time.
 

I bet you could find Meg teeth in shallow creeks in your area. It would be more safe as well.

Kirk
 

I think I will leave this hobby to you guys, the worst I could do is retire with back problems :-\
 

bob- bummer on the lack of teeth i was expecting to see some big reds. glad you made it back in one piece close calls seem to come with the territory. maybe we should concentrate on the hills up the road from me more!!! later on buddy
 

I'm a diver, visibility looks about zero !! :o :notworthy:

Keep @ it and HH !! :D ;D
 

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