|
TBFC Season 2024-2025 updates: Next Club Meeting is Sept. 6, 2025 @ 7pm EDT with Patty Moore, President of the Paleo Preserve Fossil Museum in the USF Behavioral Science Room #103 (In-Person) Next Peace River Monthly Trip: Sept. 13, 2025 (Paid, Active Members only and water levels permitting) - Zolfo Springs Guage *NEW* Crystal River Holcim Mine: Oct. 11, 2025 (Paid, Active Members only. 18 or older. Limit 25 People) - Check the Chronicles for Details Next CEMEX Center Hill Trip: Oct. 15, 2025 (Paid, Active Members only. 18 or older. Limit 20 People) - Check the Chronicles for Details Next Brooksville Trip: Nov. 5, 2025 (Paid, Active Members only. 18 or older. Limit 20 People) - Check the Chronicles for Details Next Bone Valley Fossil Farm Trip: Sept. 27, 2025, Oct. 25, 2025 (Paid, Active Members only. Limit 20 People) - Come to the next Meeting and/or Check Facebook for Details For any updates you can check the Field Trips page or the Calendar for details! contact us or send us a Facebook message if you have questions. |
Be sure to renew your Fossil
Permits! Never Dig into the River banks! Collection of Artifacts is Illegal on Florida state owned land!
President's Message
2025-2026 Season
TBFC Is Back in Action!
Welcome back, fossil fanatics! The school bells are ringing, the worst of summer’s heat is on its way out (who am I kidding?), and that means it’s time to shake the Tampa Bay Fossil Club out of its seasonal slumber.
Behind the scenes, your TBFC Officers and Directors have been busy gearing up for another fantastic season, packed with engaging meetings, fascinating guest speakers, and as many fossil-hunting field trips as we can organize. Ready to dig in?
The start of our 2025–2026 season brings renewed excitement. Unless we’re hit by a global virus, a monster hurricane, or a surprise slime invasion, we’re planning for a full return to normal club activities. We’re grateful for your continued support through the ups and downs of recent years, and we’re confident this season will run smoothly thanks to the hard work of our officers, directors, and dedicated volunteers.
Last year around this time, Hurricane Debby was already flooding Florida’s rivers. This year, despite some recent rain, the Peace River is holding steady—just under 6 feet at Zolfo Springs. That means it’s still open for adult fossil hunters! Don’t miss the chance to screen wash or snorkel while conditions last. Whether you join us at a TBFC meeting, field trip or link up with fellow enthusiasts on our Facebook page, now’s the time to get out there and find some fossils!
Today is the day, and tomorrow is the day, and so on. Get out there and do your snorkeling, or screen washing or SCUBA diving. That’s how it’s done; no top-secret spots, or special clique of buddies. You just need to go. Get out there and find something special! I would like to congratulate the scholarship winners we presented to in June. Both Taylor Rand (USF) and Mitchell Riegler (UF) were in attendance to receive their awards and give a brief presentation on their research. We are proud of them and look forward to the good work they will do in paleontology.
I look forward to seeing all of you at the meetings this season.
Good Hunting,
Missed a meeting or just want to watch it again? You can view our past meeting recordings or live streams in the playlist below (Also found in the About section):
Announcements
Next Meeting Presentation
Sept. 6, 2025A Brief History of Leisey, the Legend and Legacy
with Patty Moore, President, Paleo Preserve
7PM IN-PERSON CLUB MEETING at USF Behavioral Science Room #103
Patty Moore is the President of the Paleontological
Education Preserve; aka
Paleo Preserve Fossil Museum. She’s done many
jobs through the years
from chemist to zookeeper
but her children’s interest
in fossils brought her to
paleontology. If you’ve
been around TBFC for a
minute or some years, you
probably already know
Patty. She can be found at most TBFC meetings, sometimes giving
us updates on the Paleo Preserve, and volunteering at FossilFest
each year.
If you’ve heard some of the “old timers” talking about hunting
fossils at the Leisey Shell Pit and wondered what they were talking
about, come and learn! Patty will share the history of the Leisey
Shell Pit, its significance in Florida’s fossil history, how it relates to
the Tampa Bay Fossil Club, and its impact on the Florida Museum of
Natural History fossil digs.
Tampa Bay Fossil Chronicles
Hopefully you’ve noticed that TBFC has stepped up its game with the newsletter each month.
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.
Be sure to renew your Fossil
Permits! Never Dig into the River banks! Collection of Artifacts is Illegal on Florida state owned land!
