Northern Sharks Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 Could one of you Florida folks, or anyone else, please tell me what formation the Waccasassa River would expose? I assume it's Pliocene or late Miocene. Thanks There's no limit to what you can accomplish when you're supposed to be doing something else Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Pristis Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 Could one of you Florida folks, or anyone else, please tell me what formation the Waccasassa River would expose? I assume it's Pliocene or late Miocene. Thanks I don't think there's anything but thin Pleistocene terrestrial deposits underlain by Late Eocene Ocala Group Limestones. There's not much relief in its drainage (restricted to Levy County), and it is not an incised stream like the Santa Fe. In fact, until you get near the mouth, the stream meanders through river swamp and hardwood hammock without exposing the limestone. I have spent some time diving and wading in that stream. It's barely a creek for most of its length. Whatcha' got from the Waccasassa? http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time? ---Shakespeare, The Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Sharks Posted December 22, 2008 Author Share Posted December 22, 2008 What I have is a Great White tooth. I had some spare time and was adding more pics to my album and as I was editing a pic of this tooth, I realized I didn't know a formation. Could this really be from the Waccasassa? Pleistocene certainly works as far as age, but is it only terrestrial, or would there be marine deposits closer to the Gulf? There's no limit to what you can accomplish when you're supposed to be doing something else Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Pristis Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 What I have is a Great White tooth. I had some spare time and was adding more pics to my album and as I was editing a pic of this tooth, I realized I didn't know a formation. Could this really be from the Waccasassa? Pleistocene certainly works as far as age, but is it only terrestrial, or would there be marine deposits closer to the Gulf? You're asking a philosophical question, "It it possible?" The answer is, "Yes." I didn't explore the salt-marsh mouth of this black-water river. I started out one day to do so -- I must have had some intelligence that there were fossils there. I launched at the boat ramp you can see on the map, and went down-stream a fair distance. I could hear -- even over the noise of the outboard engine -- booming splashes along the banks as I navigated along the saltmarsh channel. It didn't take long to figure out that there was an extraordinary number of huge 'gators living in this stream! They were launching themselves from the banks into the water as the boat approached. I did the intelligent thing (rather than the intelligence thing); I turned the boat back upstream where the 'gators were not so big and numerous. http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time? ---Shakespeare, The Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pristiformes Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 I don't think there's anything but thin Pleistocene terrestrial deposits underlain by Late Eocene Ocala Group Limestones. There's not much relief in its drainage (restricted to Levy County), and it is not an incised stream like the Santa Fe. In fact, until you get near the mouth, the stream meanders through river swamp and hardwood hammock without exposing the limestone. I have spent some time diving and wading in that stream. It's barely a creek for most of its length. Whatcha' got from the Waccasassa? The Waccasassa River certainly can and does produce both marine and terrestrial fossils. I have found terrestrial mammal and freshwater turtle stuff along with Carcharhinid teeth and sirenian bones there. It seems to produce primarily terrestrial fossils but I believe that the Carcharodon tooth is certainly possible from that river. I found a nice long section of Pomatodelphis rostrum while diving the river. I've never found a white shark tooth from the river but I believe my buddy Kenney has there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Pristis Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 The Waccasassa River certainly can and does produce both marine and terrestrial fossils. I have found terrestrial mammal and freshwater turtle stuff along with Carcharhinid teeth and sirenian bones there. It seems to produce primarily terrestrial fossils but I believe that the Carcharodon tooth is certainly possible from that river. I found a nice long section of Pomatodelphis rostrum while diving the river. I've never found a white shark tooth from the river but I believe my buddy Kenney has there. That doesn't surprise me, you never know what you may find. The surprise I'd like to avoid is the one that arises from accidentally cornering a large 'gator in a small stream. I have always felt comfortable in the Suwannee because there is plenty of room for the 'gators to evade a diver. I've only cornered one 'gator, and that was in January in the Suwannee. He was (no doubt) sluggish in the cold water, and I was glad of it! I actually chased him out of the cypress roots when I surfaced with some salvage. He was there on the bottom when I went back down. A tense moment or two! I abandoned my dive plan in the Waccasassa on a hot day in late summer. Wintertime would be the only time of year I would consider going into the Waccasassa downstream. I've seen some remarkably large 'gators in the Peace River, though they seem to be mighty respectful in that small stream. http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time? ---Shakespeare, The Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Sharks Posted December 23, 2008 Author Share Posted December 23, 2008 Thanks for the info guys. There's no limit to what you can accomplish when you're supposed to be doing something else Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pristiformes Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 A beautiful tooth, Northern Sharks. Thanks for showing us the photo of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest solius symbiosus Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 That doesn't surprise me, you never know what you may find. The surprise I'd like to avoid is the one that arises from accidentally cornering a large 'gator in a small stream. I have always felt comfortable in the Suwannee because there is plenty of room for the 'gators to evade a diver. I've only cornered one 'gator, and that was in January in the Suwannee. He was (no doubt) sluggish in the cold water, and I was glad of it! I actually chased him out of the cypress roots when I surfaced with some salvage. He was there on the bottom when I went back down. A tense moment or two! I abandoned my dive plan in the Waccasassa on a hot day in late summer. Wintertime would be the only time of year I would consider going into the Waccasassa downstream. I've seen some remarkably large 'gators in the Peace River, though they seem to be mighty respectful in that small stream. Man eating beasts frighten me! Here is to all you Florida collectors... Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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