Coastal Expeditions' Shark Tooth Beach Drop on Big Crab Bank Island in Charleston Harbor--A Hunt of Fun

Shark teeth are a highly sought-after relic of the past. Like the gold rush days of the West, where miners sifted streams for the king of nuggets, shark teeth hunters sort through the tidal deposits of the barrier island beaches of Charleston in search of the mother load of shark teeth, the teeth of the Megalodon.

There are several shark teeth tours offered in Charleston by different outfitters. We chose Coastal Expeditions' Shark Tooth Beach Drop, scheduled from October 16 to March 14. The tour's destination is a man made island in Charleston Harbor called Big Crab Bank Island, formed by the dredging of the harbor. This tour is not to be confused with the Morris Island Shark Tooth Beach Drop offered beginning March 15. A mistake I made. I should have read the details that this was a trip to Shark Tooth Island, a.k.a. Big Crab Bank Island.

Coastal Expeditions' Coast Guard-certified vessel for this tour departs from their Shem Creek location. Bottlenose dolphins and Eastern brown pelicans are present to be seen as the vessel heads down Shem Creek and out into Charleston Harbor past Small Crab Bank Island. On the morning of our tour, there were no dolphins in the creek, and the pelicans were sparse, but numerous other species of birds were spotted and named by the naturalist. It is just the nature of wildlife viewing. It can be hit or miss. Wildlife makes no promises and do what they do at their leisure.

 

You will enjoy views of the downtown skyline, Ravenel Bridge, Fort Sumter, and other iconic landmarks on the trip to the island. After reaching the island, we departed directly onto the beach by way of a plank extended from the boat with the assistance of Coastal Expeditions' naturalist. He did not join the group on the hunt. I do not know if he gave any instructions to anyone on how to spot fossils in the sand.

Once on the beach, we left the group and began our search, as did most everyone else. Most of the island is a bird sanctuary. You are not allowed in those sections. The tidal deposits of tiny shells and other ocean debris were sparse and scattered across the beach. It wasn't long after starting the hunt my companion found our first shark tooth. She had the keener eye. It was strange how a fair number of clamshell bits and pieces are shaped like a shark's tooth, often fooling you into thinking you spotted one.

The majority of the group's finds were small. The chances of finding a Megalodon tooth are slim to none on Big Crab Bank Island, but not impossible. What comes to shore is dependent on the rising and falling tides. We found 10 in all, with the largest about one and a quarter inches. Other finds included interesting shells and bones.

The boat ride is relaxing. The narrative by the captain and naturalist was informative. The hunt takes patience and a keen eye. The walk on the beach the day of our trip, in the warm Charleston sun for a December day, was pleasant. The tour duration was 3 hours, which included a 30-min boat eco-tour each way. The price is $65 for adults and children 12 and under $40.

Shem Creek Flagship, 514 Mill Street, Mount Pleasant, SC