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

Peace River Adventure

The Peace River Adventure - Second only to FossilFest, the Tampa Bay Fossil Club’s Peace River Adventure was once one of our most anticipated events of the year. For many, it was more than just a field trip, it was a three-day (or longer) experience filled with camping, canoeing, sifting, snorkeling, and even SCUBA diving along the Peace River in search of fossils. We created special event shirts, enjoyed a catered BBQ dinner, held our popular Peace River auction, and gathered each evening around the campfire to share stories and make campfire pies (thanks to Dr. Bob). Thousands have attended over the years, and countless memories were made. For many of us, those memories remain some of the most cherished in our club’s history. Unfortunately, the last Peace River Adventure took place in 2019.

Then came COVID. Just as we began looking forward to gathering again, a series of devastating storms, Hurricanes Ian, Helene, and Milton, along with Tropical Storm Colin, severely damaged or eliminated the facilities we once relied upon. To make matters more challenging, the site we used for screening and snorkeling no longer offers day passes, limiting access for many participants. More recently, recurring toxic algae blooms have raised additional safety concerns.

There was a time when we worried whether enough members would attend. In later years, our concern shifted to whether we could accommodate everyone who wanted to join in. While we have attempted smaller “Mini Adventures,” participation has been limited, and it simply hasn’t been the same.

So why do I even bring this up? This is the time of year when the Adventure would normally be planned, and I’ve been asked countless times in recent weeks if the Peace River Adventure will return. The honest answer is that we don’t yet know, but please know that both the Board and I remain committed to exploring every possible option, as this event has always been a meaningful part of our club and we would welcome the opportunity to bring it back.

New Members! - Over the last few meetings, we’ve been thrilled to welcome an increasing number of new members. It’s genuinely exciting to see fresh faces in the crowd, and we look forward to getting to know each of you, both at our meetings and out in the field. If you’re new to TBFC, thank you for choosing to join us. You are now part of a community of almost 600 fossil enthusiasts who share a passion for discovery, science, and Florida’s rich prehistoric past.

We meet monthly (except July and August), typically on the first Saturday. Schedule updates to the website will be made, as occasional schedule changes do occur. Field trips are also listed here and discussed at each meeting. We encourage you to attend regularly and join us afterward for a late dinner, where the conversation continues, usually about fossils, but not always, until the restaurant finally asks us to leave.

FossilFest 2026: - A full report on FossilFest will be in the May Chronicles

In closing, I want to again say thank you again to everyone who helped this past month.
I look forward to seeing all the new faces, and familiar, at the April meeting

Be good to one another and stay safe out there.

Good Hunting,

Mike Searle

Please be very cautious while venturing out into the rivers and creeks. There’s nothing in those rivers worth dying for.

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):