On today’s journey we decided to venture slightly out of the realm of rocks to look for fossils. Since we live in close proximity to one of the best fossil producing beaches on the East coast it was a short drive to Chesapeake Beach, Maryland. The Chesapeake Bay has been giving up its treasures for many hundreds of years, huge megaladon sharks teeth, some nearly 5 inches across. These sharks have been estimated to grow up to 40-60 feet long. Just from the size of the teeth suggests they were very efficient predators.
After arriving we headed down the beach sliding along the clay banks hoping to remain upright, sadly some of us went down. But the spirit of the day could not be dampened by a mere slip in the mud. Many of our group was novices on spotting the teeth in the surf, I am certain many were missed. However, the veterans assured us that once we saw one, we would see many more, they were right. As members of the party began to find teeth the excitement grew as to the possibility of finding those huge teeth we often see in the news. Of course, in reality, we know that those are usually dredged up during fishing or crabbing season. But it never hurts to enjoy the fantasy! Occasionally someone would find a tooth about an inch long and everyone would clamor to see the new find. In all everyone found a large tooth except for me, I found around 100 small teeth. The one I had spotted was quickly snagged by a fellow hunter. Quite frankly, she barged her way past me to retrieve the relic nearly knocking my cane from my hand. Not to worry, I thought, I will be fortunate again, maybe find an even bigger tooth.
Eventually, my legs and back began to give way to the constant bending and kneeling in the sand; I decided to call it a day. I gathered my treasures and headed back to my vehicle and a well deserved rest. In all it was a very enjoyable outing with our friends as we explored the coast of the Chesapeake Bay. No huge discoveries this trip but it’s only a matter of time. Click the thumbnails for a larger view:
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