Next Peace River Monthly Trip: Dec. 9, 2023 (Paid, Active Members only and water levels permitting)
- Zolfo Springs Guage Next Brooksville Trip: Dec. 13, 2023 (Paid, Active Members only. Limit 20 People)
Next CEMEX Center Hill Trip: Dec. 20, 2023 (Paid, Active Members only. Limit 20 People)
Check the
Field Trips page or
the Calendar for details!
President's Message
2023-2024 Season
Tampa Bay Fossil Club
And just like that, 2023 is over. Over the past few years my
December messages seem to continue a common theme. Get out there
and hunt for some fossils! The summer rains and hurricanes have
helped the rivers wash a lot of fossils from their buried hiding
spots. It’s one of the few benefits we get from the bad weather
many of you have had to endure during Florida’s long wet season.
Just like in the past, I think everyone will have a great winter/spring
fossil hunting season and find lots of good fossils. It seems the rain
has finally slacked off and the currents and depth in the rivers have
calmed down. The visibility is clearing up too.
TBFC’s river trips have been canceled recently due to safety concerns with
currents and depth, but I expect folks will be finding lots
of shark teeth and other goodies very soon. There’s never been a
better time to start planning your trips into the rivers for some
SCUBA diving or screening washing. Visit our Facebook page to
hook up with other fossil hunters who are planning fossil hunting
trips. Don’t forget to keep those hunting permits up to date too!
TBFC had a great auction at the November meeting. We had LOTS
of items and made a good amount of money to spend on scholarships this
coming year. I want to thank Dr. Bob Sinibaldi for working the auction and
to all of you who donated items. And, to those
of you who spent money on the auction items. Last but not least, a
nod to Bill Faucher for chairing the meeting in my absence (I was
fossil hunting...) Thank you all!
Missed a meeting or just want to watch
it again? You can view our past live stream meetings in the playlist below (Also found in the "About" section):
Read the Chronicles each
month (Members Only), check
the calendar here on the TBFC website, and follow us on Facebook. Also,
please be very cautious while venturing out into the rivers and
creeks. There’s nothing in those rivers worth dying for.
FossilFest 2024: Please don’t forget that FossilFest 2024 is right
around the corner (March 15, 16 & 17). Please put those dates into
your calendars. We will start signing up volunteers in January.
I want to wish all TBFC members a Merry Christmas and the happiest of holidays (for those of
you who celebrate something different) and a prosperous and safe 2024. Be
good to each other and be safe out there.
Good Hunting,
Mike Searle
Announcements
Dec. 9, 2023
Paleo Tech Talks by
Dr. Sarah Sheffield & Students, USF Geosciences
7PM IN-PERSON CLUB MEETING at the USF
Behavioral Science Room #103
Many of you already
know about Tech Talks. If you don’t,
they’re very popular
technical
talks covering a wide
range of technical
concepts and ideas.
For TBFC, our December meeting will feature Paleo Tech Talks.
Short presentations
and Q&A sessions on
different topics.
Ohav Harris: Echinoderm diversity through the Paleozoic Era.
Elizabeth Altier: Estimating the effect of latitude on echinoderm
body plans.
Haley Vantoorenburg, Taylor Rand, Karla Rodriguez, Ohav Harris,
and Elizabeth Altier: USF Geology and Paleontology Collections: fossil
preservation and museum organization.
Tampa Bay Fossil Chronicles
Hopefully you’ve noticed that TBFC has stepped up its game with
the newsletter each month. In addition to all of our regular
contributors, we’ve added two new recurring articles this season. “In
Touch with Inverts” by Rob Carlson was added in September. Recently added, “Paleo Analysis” by Steve Vicari.
Each month Steve will be discussing interesting prehistoric fauna and how they
relate to extant species.
Please check out all of the articles in each
issue. Only TBFC members receive the Chronicles, we don’t post it online or on Facebook.
