Back in Rack

t$ actually got to chez weezil on time today because of the excitement over the plans for the day. We were going exploring to secure a new racking grounds. Surely there were more areas of the river laden with fossil deposits!

We loaded our scuba gear (including my new BC!) into the canoe and headed up river from the launching site. The first new deep bend we passed was the first tested. The bottom was completely blown out. The only thing there was hard, fossil-less, ashley marl. There were sporadic fossils, but nothing to keep our attention. We packed up and continued up river.

The next spot was very promising. There was gravel strewn all over the bottom, but after closer inspection it was not fossil producing. We were becoming discouraged, but our optimism kept us navigating the bends in search of another spot.

The next area was a winner from the second we hit bottom. We were greeted by a thick gravel bed loaded with bone. There were teeth all over the place, including big ones. The gravel gave way to the upper green lens of the ashley - very productive. There was very little sand and in areas, the pleistocene layer was still intact on top of the ashley. My bone bag quickly became a burden. I could barely lift it off the bottom. I finally had to stop picking up bones because the bag wouldn't close!

 I swam up onto a shelf of solid ashley and couldn't stop picking up teeth. Sometimes I was dropping them into my bag by twos and threes. I carefully inspected a log jam with gravel spilling out all over the place. When I was sure it was snake and alligator free, I inched my way in. There was a monster angustidens completely exposed. I couldn't believe how massive it looked. I carefully put it into my bag and kept swimming. I had to move fast because we were almost out of time. I could tell by the channels gouged in the ashley that I had turned the bend. The gravel was blasted up the bank almost to the surface. I passed by all kinds of bones - I need a bigger bone bag.  Then I spied two big cusps and a thick root poking out of the sand. Another beast! I couldn't believe the good fortune.

t$ and I got back to the canoe about the same time, but he looked terrible. I could see his bag was moving with the breeze, so apparently he hunted a less productive area than me. His eyes were all swollen like someone beat him up underwater and took all his teeth. He said he overheated and he was having trouble seeing underwater. The day didn't go as well for young t$, but he would have another chance very soon. I let him look at my finds on the way home so he didn't get bored on the trip.