Meg Teeth

[wader]

I have never dove on the eastern seaboard, so please forgive me if I sound ignorant. I have read stories of people diving for Megladon teeth and find it very interesting. If this was something I wanted to pursue, how would I go about it?
What time of year is best,
Where is the best place to look for them,
What are water depths,
What are the odds of finding one
When looking, what other things are there to look at (fish, coral, etc)

I would appreciate any info. Thanks

 

[DennisS]

Here's a link for a starter, under the Florida Conch Divers on scubaboard there is the Venice Fossil Divers sub group, lots of information

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ve...2466-reefguys-venice-fossil-diving-guide.html

 

[Lee Taylor]

Below are some answers to your questions.Should be enough for starters. I will be happy to answer more.

Q: How would I go about it?

A: Do some internet research on dive boats that do fossil diving. Some of the common sites are: offshore Wilmington NC, the Cooper River SC, and Venice Florida. Check out the dive store websites in Wilmington NC, Carolina Beach NC, Charleston SC, and Venice FL. Tell them what you are looking for.

Here are a few links to get you started:

Cooper River____________ Cooper River Dive Charters

Cooper River ____________ Back Water Diversions

Up State_______________ Off The Wall Charters

Q: What time of year is best?

A: anytime

Q: Where is the best place to look for them?

A: In fossil beds. In phosphate and limestone. The dive boats will take you to the fossil beds

Q: What are water depths?

A: 30 feet up to 110 feet

Q: What are the odds of finding one?

A: Odds are great that you will find fragments, dinosaur bones etc. Odd are low you will find a large whole tooth in one dive. Will you find one? The answer is yes if you dive enough.

Q: When looking, what other things are there to look at (fish, coral, etc)?

A: Not too much coral around fossil beds. Fish...yes.

 

[iamsharky]

,
where is the best place to look for them?

Live Oak Artifact/Fossil show will have alot of shark teeth at prices cheaper than you could go out and find them....

 

[lsorenson]

I have had very good success finding Meg teeth off the NC coast known as the ledges... 150.00 per day for two dives but I find myself only going out when they do 3 dives for 200.00. Long way to go for only 2 divess (@ 2.5-3 hours trip one way).

What time of year is best, When ever you can find a boat going out... But be sure you have a good operation to go with...
Where is the best place to look for them, I only dive the NC ledges..
What are water depths, Right around 100'
What are the odds of finding one Very good once you know what your looking for ...!
When looking, what other things are there to look at (fish, coral, etc) Don't know, to busy looking for teeth...!

If this was something I wanted to pursue, how would I go about it?

Call me before you get to the area and let me know when you want to go... I will be happy to go with you!!!

Please keep in mind that this is only diving off the NC coast... I have not done SC or FL!

Regards, lee

 

[recoiljunky]

The easiest way would be to call Jamie with Aristakat Charters in Venice Florida and get him to take you to the bone yard. Very, very affordable, easy diving conditions (25 feet / good visability) and you're just about guaranteed to find a decent tooth.

Look him up in the Florida Conch Divers section of this board.

 

[Ryan Y]

Here's a few from a ledge we dive out of Cb inlet.

It's really not hard to do once you get the hang of it and know what to look for. Once you realize what your looking for and how to look for them. They become easier. The picture on my tailgate was on a ledge where I was spearfishing. Once I saw the first tooth lying in the shell, I attached the gun to the anchor and started digging. Havn't "spearfished" that area again since.
Further in the truck to the right is a whale vertabre behind the vinegar bottle. I also find whale ear bone fossils.

 

[101recon]

Nice finds.

 

[Lee Taylor]

Thanks for posting the photo Ryan. Please tell us more about "ledge we dive out of Cb inlet". Are u using a public dive charter? Which boat and what is the name of the site? Looks interesting and maybe worthy of a dive.

 

[Ryan Y]

Sorry Lee. I dive with friends to some locations we have that are usually away from some of the better known spots where the local dive boats go. Dave at Cape Fear Divers at Carolina Beach has some tooth numbers as well as some other shops in and around wrightsville beach.

Ledges, the area North of the Cape Fear river is known for our excellent bottom fishing from the numerous ledges and live bottoms. I mostly spearfish on the these bottoms but have been introduced to the teeth diving in the last few years. I don't get to tooth dive as often as I like because the people I go with are usually more intrested in fishing too. So it's tough to where both hats in a days time.