Megladon Teeth

[DiverDave76]

The gators are not a real problem. They swim on the surface and stay near the banks for the most part. They don't start getting active until the water gets in the mid to upper 60's. When diving thre river you are typically in about 40 ft of water.

Check out this web site. I have been out once with Tom. He's got some great shots. He's been taking folks out on the river for over 20 years now.

While diving the river 1 1/2 year ago, one of my best friends found the last 48" of a Mastadon tusk. Incredible find. You can see that @ www.offthewalldiving.com. Click on the photo gallery...first picture. I've been out with Bill several times. He also does a great trip.

www.cooperriver.com

Dave

 

[Krisscuba]

RavenC

I hit Morrison Springs today. This can be a great dive, when it is clear. Today the river was up, a low vis dive. There were a couple of classes on the surface North of the platform, taking students down into the 2 - 5 foot vis for skills.

I soloed it, had my light so I could keep some good 2-4' vis.

I went SW of the platform, when I came upon the spring boil,which none of the divers have been in. They were only doing skills to qualify at the platform. The instructors often take students to the spring boil when there is unlimited vis to sit on the tree. they would not ever take them under these conditions due to the caverns.

As I approached the spring discharge the vis increased to about 25', cloudy, a lot of particles in the water and distorted vis due to the amount of divers North of me and the outflow for the spring. On the bottom of the spring I saw what looked very much like the front shoulders and head of a gator, it looked mature, 30" across at the shoulders. Probably only 24" given the factors. Being alone and in erie conditions, I retreated and continued my dive North and East. Most of the students were now out of the water and the vis increased. I returned to the spring. I no longer saw the supposed gator, and nothing but sand where I had thought I had seen it. debris etc, and there is no grass in this area due to the spring outflow.

I spent about 20 min at the top of the North ledge at 27'. Then I dropped to about 32' along th eNorth ridge, after about 5 or so minutes a land slide of silt came down ontop of me. Everything turned black! My first reaction was that an instructor had brought students over, they had sat at the top of the ledge and covered me with silt. I shot up before one of them could come down on top of me.

The vis hewre in the spring boil was a clear 25' in all directions and clear to the surface.

There was nothing in site, ....................................................
Except for a gator trail of silt , South to the river mouth. You know the one, 2' wide 1' high, steady along the bottom. As far as I could see, 25'

I was down to 800lbs a good time to terminate the dive. I now had to do the 2 - 4 foot vis dive for about 150' hoping non of his friends were around and that he was not the runt.

 

[Krisscuba]

We will try to hit St Andrews this week, tide tables are good. Wheather is calling for thnderstorms,

Gator pic at st Andrews

 

[sharkhunter]

100days-a-year once bubbled...
Most rivers in the SE will have teeth in them somewhere.I dive a coule of rivers here locally. The ratio of Meg teeth per dive is over 80% even with new guys/gals.Best tooth so far is 6' even and museum quality.Buddy once got over 40 that were 3" or bigger plus over a 100 smaller and makos.A usual day is a couple megs and 25+1" or so Makos,Hemis,whale,doplhin etc...

Hey Tony,
it`s me sharkhunter.I live on the West Coast of Canada.British Columbia.You seem to be knowledgable about shark teeth dive sites.If it`s OK.I would like to hook up with you.I plan on visiting Florida and the Carolinas.However,I need to meet other divers in order to do this.Please email me at skiddyscat@hotmail.com if you are interested at all.I may also be interested in buying megladon teeth.However,not too expensive.My number is 604 830-1789.CHEERS and Great diving.Richard.

That`s me in the centre with two dive buddies.Chao Tony!!!

 

[sharkhunter]

100days-a-year once bubbled...
Sorry ,that sucked.Heres another try

Wow Tony!
are these your treasures?I`m impressed!I certainly hope to make some interesting finds when I come to your neck of the woods. Got any close-ups of these beauties Tony?

 

[DiverDave76]

Hey Sharkhunter go to the 2 web sites I mentioned earlier in this thread. One of these 2 guys are the guys I'll hook you up with in Charleston. They have a great photo gallery with pictures of all kinds of goodies that they seen come out of the river over the years. If this doesn't get you excited, nothing will.
You might want to get out of the house one last time before the baby is born!

Dave

 

[scubadude010]

Wow! That sounds like fun! Although it'd be boring until I found something. lol. I should try something like that after I get my OW Cert done and my Deep Diver Cert finished too.

 

[DiverDave76]

Yeah...the diving is really no fun. It is what you find that makes it fun. I remember the first dive I had in the river. I jumped in and started to descend. I immediatley was hit by a strong current and couldn't believe the darkness! It is the blackest black you will ever experience (No fun if your light goes out!) I kept thinking...what in the world was I doing down there??? I was being washed down river all the while trying to get my screwdriver into the bottom so I would n't go anywhere. It didn't seem to be holding and I continued to wash downstream. After about 7 or 8 minutes of freaking out and trying to hold on, I jabbed my screwdriver into the bottom. The current was so strong that the bottom broke away. As the clay on the bottom tore away a 5 1/2" Meg (perfect!) came with it. I couldn't believe what I was seeing! Mission accomplished! I had gotten what I came for! It was at that moment that I started having fun!
Everytime I dive the river I come out after 4 dives and say that I won't do that again....then 6 months, or so later I get the urge to do it again. I guess you'd say I'm hooked!

Dave

 

[SCDiver]

It is amazing how finding a tooth just makes you forget all that other stuff you mentioned. I recall that exact scenario!!!! Ditto on the following:

"Everytime I dive the river I come out after 4 dives and say that I won't do that again....then 6 months, or so later I get the urge to do it again. I guess you'd say I'm hooked!"

 

[SCDiver]

Here is a pic of one of my finds back in August.

http://www.scubaboard.com/t44935.html