My Weekend Fossil Hunting Trip to Edisto Beach State Park

I want to tell you about a weekend fossil huntingThis particular Saturday was before Christmas
trip I took a few weeks ago. It was a cold, butand the weather forecast was for a clear, sunny
sunny Saturday in December. I live about threeand cold day. I imagined this would be an excellent
and one half hours from the beach I was planningtime to hunt fossils. I was right! We arrived
on visiting, so I started out rather early, aboutaround 8:30am and bundled ourselves to protect
4:30am. I was going to Edisto Beach State Park inagainst the cold and began our expedition! I was
South Carolina.really happy to see the many shell beds up and
This was a trip I had been anticipating for quitedown the coast! I have pictures at my website.
some time. Because I live in South Carolina, mostWe began walking up the beach toward the
of my fossil hunting trips have been limited to thecampground. There was no one on the beach and
beaches of my state. I had not visited Edistowe soon started finding sharks teeth and some
Beach before this. The majority of my trips havepetrified wood. There was also an abundance of
been to the beaches of Myrtle Beach and Huntingshells some of which I couldn't pass up.
Island. I had read that Edisto Beach State ParkAs the morning turned into afternoon, the
was an excellent beach to hunt fossils so naturallytemperature rose enough that we were able to
I was eager to visit.shed our heavy coats and stocking hats. We
First, a little history about my fossil hunting. Somewere now beachcombing in light jackets under
twenty years ago or so I was invited to go tobeautiful blue skies. By now, other people were
the beach with an aunt. During the trip, Aunt Nitacoming to the beach, probably from the
introduced me to hunting sharks teeth. Maybe Icampground. We left the beach heading home
was a little young, but I did not enjoy this pastabout 3:30pm.
time. Several years later, I was walking along theWe had a great experience at Edisto. We found
beach and happened to look down and see amany fine specimens to add to our collection. I
sharks tooth. I reached to pick it up and suddenlyhave had good luck finding sharks teeth and
remembered the excitement my Aunt Nitapetrified wood at both Myrtle Beach and Hunting
displayed upon finding a sharks tooth. I must haveIsland. Now I can add Edisto Beach State Park to
been about 20. That was 23 years ago. Today, Imy list of great beaches to find fossils.
don't miss an opportunity to go fossil hunting.