Agates in Florida!!!

Nice finds, I could see some coral polyps in those samples. Copied this from the internet years ago and have forgotten where I found it. Possibly jamesp may have posted it here.

FLORIDA AGATIZED CORAL

"Beautiful specimens of agatized coral have been known from the Ballast Point area of Tampa Bay since the late nineteenth century. These specimens are actually chalcedony pseudomorphs after coral or aragonite (the mineral which made up the original coral skeletons). The exterior detail of specimens from this and other locations is often preserved in exquisite detail, thanks to the silicification process. However, interior detail of the original coral skeleton is often obscured in geodes, replaced by chalcedony and white common opal. At many locations, other silicified fossils such as mollusks, mangrove roots and crustaceans can also occasionally be found.

Agatized and silicified corals are largely associated with Tertiary marine sedimentary formations from the eastern Florida Panhandle and nearby South Georgia through Central and West Florida, as far south as Sarasota County. Calcified corals have been found in several Southern Florida localities. Most of the major deposits seem to occur in upper Oligocene to lower Miocene shallow marine limestones and marls. With rare exceptions, most collectible locations occur in the subsurface, and are discovered along river channels or from dredging and other human excavations.

The best agatized coral geodes have been collected from localized deposits in the lower St. Marks Formation near the Aucilla and Econfina River basins in coastal North Florida, from Hawthorn Group formations exposed in the bed of the Withlacoochee River near the Florida – Georgia border, and from the Tampa Member of the Arcadia Formation (Hawthorn Group) in the Tampa Bay – Dunedin area of west central Florida. Beautiful solid silicified / agatized coral heads have long been known to occur along the banks of the Suwannee River and it’s tributaries in the vicinity of White Springs. These specimens (mostly colonial coral “heads”), when sawn across the “grain”, can show incredible detail reminiscent of some well-preserved petrified wood specimens. Unlike the agatized coral geodes, individual coral septae can often be seen preserved in solid silicified/agatized specimens. Pieces can be found in almost any imaginable color, and were a favorite knapping material of Native Americans, as seen in the many stone artifacts collected from the region.

Many Florida agatized coral locations, once open to collecting, are now closed. The best remaining collectible areas are along the causeway and beaches of Honeymoon Island State Park near Dunedin, the river bed and banks of the Suwannee River in the vicinity of and downstream from White Springs, and the bed of the Withlacoochee River near Clyattvillle, Georgia. River collecting is best during times of low water. In addition, small creek beds and quarries in many North Florida counties sometimes expose collectible agatized/silicified corals in small quantities."

Toss an anchor and prop wash the ocean floor in 3 to 4 feet of water off Honeymoon during the summer. Harvest by snorkling.
In many spots you will find all the wicked coral pseudomorphs and solid coral heads you want.
Don't get caught...not allowed to raise silt anymore.
There is mega tons of fine silicified coral under the sand around Honeymoon.

Alternate is to look for construction excavations in and around Tampa.
The coral vein averages about 12 inches deep and varies in depth 0 to 25 feet under the sand.
And the shores of Tampa Bay where excavation/dredging projects commence.

Snorkeling in 5 to 8 feet off water of Ballast point yields killer chert and occasional coral heads. And fine bottles.

Suwannee and Withlacochee River polyp finds Rocket Rockhound.
No shortage of fine silicified coral down your way.




Couple of tumbled specimens

Just caught that Tela. Thanks

Those are beautiful. I only wish it wasn’t such a drive for me to get to that part of Florida id go all the time if it was closer. 6 hours of driving to get there and back from honeymoon island for me. Snorkeling for those corals must have been a lot of fun, I’ve got to try and figure out how I can make that happen

Good to know. So best time to go is after a big storm?