Megalodon hunt in Cooper River

There is a place in South Carolina where diving underwater gives us a chance for a truly remarkable find. Although the low water temperature, zero visibility, strong currents and the threat of alligators living in the area may put some people off, there is still no shortage of daredevils coming to the banks of the Cooper River.

All because of the huge number of fossils that can be found combing the river bed. Among those who come here to dive, there is a joking expression that they have come to hunt for megalodon. This extinct species of shark, which could reach a body length of up to 25 metres, is the largest to have ever lived on Earth.

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The peculiar cartilaginous structure of its skeleton has meant that not many fossils have survived to this day as a reminder of these creatures, the most distinctive of which are the triangular teeth. It is these that are a magnet for divers descending below the surface of the water in the Cooper River.

Why did megalodon remains appear in the river? For millions of years, areas of today’s South Carolina coastline were under water. Compared to today’s coastline, the ocean once went up to 100 miles inland. So it’s not surprising that the area is rich in finds that represent the remains of giant prehistoric animals.

Despite the shallow depth of about 9 m, the bottom of the Cooper River is in almost Egyptian darkness. Appropriate lighting is therefore absolutely necessary, but it will only make it easier for us to penetrate small sections of the bottom, as water clarity is very poor here.

However, this is not the only difficulty. If we want to take on the challenge and hunt for a megalodon, we will have to additionally secure ourselves with a rope so as not to be swept away by the strong currents found in the Cooper River.

Scouring the bottom we can come across a whole host of fossils. However, only some of them excite divers’ imagination and make the heart beat faster. Of course, we are talking about the teeth of megalodon, which are the object of desire and the most valuable find among the teeth of all other sharks (and there are plenty of those in the river) and the remains of other prehistoric creatures, such as mammoths or whales.

However, the remains of prehistoric fauna are not the only attractions to be found in the murky waters of the Cooper River. In recent years, divers visiting the area have already managed to come across artefacts from the times of the Spanish conquistadors, or objects belonging to soldiers of the United States army who fought in the Civil War.

People who frequently visit South Carolina for its submerged history say that it is the unpredictability of what you find at the bottom that creates the most excitement. Sometimes it’s a megalodon tooth, sometimes a souvenir from the 19th century, and sometimes… an alligator!