Aurora, NC:

Running of the Fossil Fanatics
March 2008




The spring 2008 seasons collecting area is IMMENSE! I’m sure awesome fossils will be found every weekend for the whole season!

Running of the Fossil Fanatics



Running of the Fossil Fanatics! The opening day of Aurora is stimulating. The first bus group heading into the mine is filled with paleontologists, geologists, and hardcore fossil nuts (like myself). One can feel the electricity in the air and taste the enthusiasm.

When the bus stops at the ramp, the entrance into fossil heaven, a growing aura of energy envelops the group. As the group awaits for the O.K. to enter the mine, emotions such as excitement, anxiety, and enthusiasm all ferment together.

Finally, when the O.K is given, the group begins to walk. The pace soon quickens. It soon turns into a race to get to the new collecting area. What undiscovered treasures wait at the back of the mine? It reminds me of the running of the bulls. However, instead of running in fear for ones life, one runs to the cry of an undiscovered fossil.



Running of the fossil fanatics.


Amy and I did quite well in the mine. The first few hours were spent in frustration as 3 megs were found sticking out of the matrix. However, when exhumed, they were all only fragments. The tides then turned as I noticed a large 4 7/8" slant height meg just laying out, nearly fully exposed on a Yorktown hillside. After that find, the rest of the day was cake.

Highlights include 2 nice whale teeth, both of which are very large. Also found was a PERFECT 2.75” mako, and a few porpoise finger digits that I needed for my porpoise hand reconstruction.

Thank you PCS for allowing us to collect! It's been great!


Amy collecting on a ridge.



Trying to climb this hill.



Collecting in a boulder field with some nice Pungo coquina blocks



This would have been a nice meg. It's only a partial meg.



Here is a beat up reworked meg. It actually appears it was knocked loose by a foot as someone walked by. This demonstrates the need to search carefully!



A nice cow shark



This is the 2.75" perfect mako just laying on a pedistal. There were footprints all around it.



This is the 4 7/8" slant height meg as found. Just lying out in plain site.



My "victory" shot.



Fossils Found



Here is the haul for the trip. Of course, numerouse whale verts are not shown here.



This is the 4 7/8" slant height lower megalodon.



Here is a PERFECT 2 3/4" mako.



A beautiful cow shark.



Here is an unusually large sperm whale tooth. The tip is sheared off from feeding.



This is another large sperm whale tooth. Notice the extreme shape variation from the previous one.



These are two beautiful whale tympanic bulla, or ear bones.



Here's a nice bird bone, probably an Ulna.







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