I found a whole fossil whale bucket list nearly complete

[smokeythecat]

Once upon a time ago, in this same galaxy, I went looking for Miocene fossils with a few other people early in 2012. Now 2011 had quite a few really bad storms on the East Coast. I went out in February, looking for recently exposed outcroppings. I found first, some sharks' teeth, then a whale vertebrate, then another, then another, then parts of the (now known to be (Baleen) whale's skull. found over 80 pieces of the thing, nearly complete.

I went on another expedition this spring with a different group and learned just how unique the find was. So in the last month was able to donate it to a museum. I delivered it in person, took up the whole trunk of the car. I was able to see the other fossils they had on display and I guarantee this was substantially larger and nicer, as far as I was concerned, than the very nice one they already had.

It will take awhile for them to do the conservation on it, but I'm hoping in the next year or two to be able to go visit it on display. Now more people can benefit from it. Some of bigger guys are about 6-8 poiunds each.

Enjoy the pics of ANYBODY's once in a lifetime find.

 

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[TreasureHunter02]

Wow, nice find!!

 

[RustyGold]

That's a fantastic discovery! It's Awesome that it will be in a museum for others to see and learn from.
I say it's a Banner Find for sure.

 

[tamrock]

How sweet a find. Do post a picture of it when the museum gets the display set up. I'd love to see it.

 

[digger460]

Must have been something the first time you saw it. Banner for the hard work and donation

 

[smokeythecat]

Banners are nice. These finds are akin to finding an entire dinosaur in the Midwest. This is from the Mid Atlantic states, so you know how rare it is. The whole thing was lying loose in the river, right at shore, on shore and under about 2' of water, spread over 75' north to south. (We got it in FEBRUARY. Brave souls, I guess. Maybe I'm just dumb. ) We had a boat and loaded it down pretty good. Without the boat it would have been impossible to remove it. I took a picture of me and the curator at the time of the donation (tax deductible), but they want to remain anonymous for now although I think they may have done some type of press release. I have looked for fossils since I was little with my mom and brother, both now long gone, and I think they would have been proud.

The "bucket list" thing is - I always wanted to find something someone's museum would like to have. I did donate some Rev War items to the state museum at the Battle of the Brandywine years ago. I think they're still on display, musket balls, buttons, etc. Not many people donated much to them, and in their digs, I don't think they got much. That battle was spread out over MILES.

I DID get a SECOND gold coin on the beach just recently, but have to dig it out, find out what it is and get a picture. Now I started looking for little things in the 1960's, and now pushing 2020 I have my SECOND gold coin. First was found in 2012 and is posted here somewhere. This makes #2. Will try to get to that later this week. Right now the heat has me. And I'm working on cranky! Come on fall!

I've been looking through 10,000 1964-P UNC cents this week, and last week, and the week before, and next week....no errors yet. Couple nice rainbow coins though.

 

[smokeythecat]

One other very, very, very odd coincidence, although I do not believe in coincidences. My mother's family first set foot in Colonial America on that very same property in 1657. And yes, I had permission to look for fossils when I found it. The family married into the landowner's family, and so when you get right down to it, it came from our ancestral home. How Twilight Zone'ish is that?

 

[smokeythecat]

I will get some more pics up once I locate them.

 

[CoilyGirl]

What a phenomenal find Smokey and I too,would love to see a photo when the museum gets the whole shebang put together.

 

[kcm]

Me too. That would be awesome!

 

[oxbowbarefoot]

Wicked cool! Excellent work on the donation!

 

[Blak bart]

You are a man of many talents smokey. Another amazing find. I will vote banner also. The most amazing thing is that kids like my 4 year old will one day be able to view it and learn from it. thanks for donating it smokey. Many would have sold it for quick cash.

 

[Dave N Japan]