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Best Place to Find Sharks Teeth in Florida and the History Behind It
When you are searching for the best place to find sharks teeth in Florida, then look no more. The Venice Beach is considered as the shark tooth capital of the world.
You can take a trip to this place and be overwhelmed with the number of shark teeth washed on the shore. There were even huge megalodon shark teeth that were discovered in the area a couple of years ago. These sharks have existed millions of years ago.
There is a long history behind this beach’s popularity as the shark tooth capital.
To begin with, let us take a closer look at Florida’s history. This state was submerged under water around 50 million years ago. During those times, layers of limestones were accumulated on the sea floor. This helped created the bed rock of the state.
Since global climate has changed and sea levels began to trop, an island of limestone started to appear in north Central Florida. It was called the Orange Island.
This small island started to expand. Land animals began wandering around the area, but it still maintained a huge coast where marine lives thrived.
Eventually, nutrient rich deposits from the Appalachian Mountains started to sink into the bottom of the coast which led to the entombing on dead marine animals. Fossils from this formation then started to wash ashore over the years.
Why Are There A Lot of Shark Teeth?
The history only tells us that there are different sorts of marine animals that could have been fossilized due to temperature changes and mineral deposits. However, Venice Beach in particular has a lot of fossilized shark teeth because sharks grew in number through the years.
Each shark can lose over 10,000 teeth in a lifetime. You can multiply this with the number of sharks that have lived in the area. This will give you a glimpse of just how much shark teeth can be found there.
Starting the Hunt
Looking for shark teeth of different sizes and coming from different types of shark can be very exciting. The best part is that there is no particular time of the year where it is best to hunt. Any time is a perfect time for hunting.
You just have to avoid stormy seasons since it can be risky. You also need to make sure that the trip is done during low tide to uncover more shark teeth.
The most recommended time is the morning right after the storm has passed. This is a time when people are still asleep or won’t even dare go to the beach just yet. In short, you don’t have a lot of competitors for the teeth.
Be Patient
Even if you are alone in looking for shark teeth, it does not mean you will find a lot. In fact, as you start to comb the beach, you will mostly find shells and other debris.
Yes, there are lots of fossilized shark teeth in the area, but through the years, most of them have been removed. We all know that fossilization does not take place over night. It takes years.
Finding one could be very difficult. You need to be patient enough to comb the entire sea shore and don’t leave a stone not turned. They might just be hidden somewhere.
Use a Sifter
Generally speaking, shark teeth can be found without any equipment at all. You just have to be patient enough to cover all the areas where you can possibly find out.
However, those who are searching for small shells and other valuable relics use a sifter. This device screens out other debris that you don’t need. You may also use one in searching for shark teeth. It somehow makes the process easier, but it does not guarantee great results.
Just Have Fun
Venice Beach is now a popular place for shark teeth hunting and is considered as the best place to find sharks teeth in Florida. Therefore, you can expect those who came before you to have gotten a lot.
You may have to be more patient if you want to bring something home. To make it easier for you, it is best if you think about how fun the process could be instead of expecting to get something out of it.
Sources:
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Find-Shark-Teeth/
http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/florida-land-and-sea/hunt-sharks-teeth/
http://www.fossilguy.com/sites/venice/
http://www.veniceflorida.com/shark.htm