Description
I am always excited when river diving season rolls around. It is the best way to beat the sweltering South Carolina summer heat in my humble opinion and represents unlimited shark tooth collecting freedom. Sure, I COULD go diving in the winter but I don't enjoy cold water diving. I've been scuba diving for fossils for 30+ years and my attitude has shifted over time. There was no limit back in the beginning. I remember squeezing myself into a semi-dry suit in the middle of December when the air temperature was 45 degrees. I can still feel the icy needles of cold water stabbing me at every seam as I fought the current and happily picked up every tooth I saw. But over time as my collection grew and my tolerance for polar conditions waned, my attitude gradually shifted from "I can't get enough of this!" to "The teeth have been down there for millions of years, they can wait a few more months until the water warms up." Which is where I remain today. I still love diving for teeth, I just want it to be warmer. I'm not opposed to wearing a thin wetsuit to start diving early or to extend the season, but as glorious as it sounds, my days of enduring near-hypothermia conditions are probably over. Today as the first day of my 2026 river diving season, it was still just a tiny bit chilly but I only had to wear my 3 mil, and once the initial shock was over I was fine the rest of my dives. I breathed my tanks to their limits because it turned out to be a really good day. I found some great teeth and even a relic which was a nice surprise! It's going to be a great dive season!