Charleston Fossil Adventures

Ashby was awesome and super patient with our crew. He made sure to hint at hidden fossils to those that weren't finding them as quickly and answer all of our questions at the same time. This was our second tour with him and he know how to gauge a group's pace as well as include everyone and spend extra time coaching them if needed. We always end our times with Ashby feeling proud of our finds and what we've learned!

My family (five adults and two children) did the Folly Beach shark tooth hunt and we had such a lovely time. Ashby was GREAT with the kids ("Mr. Ashby! Mr. Ashby! Is this the right color? Mr. Ashby! Is this the right shape? Mr. Ashby! Mr. Ashby!"). He was so patient and natural with them. Ashby has an encyclopedic knowledge of the fossils of Folly Beach (he wrote the book -- literally). He taught us what to look for along the shell line of the beach, explained why Folly Beach is such an optimal location, then literally pointed out the shark's teeth and fossils that we blithely overlooked, even drawing boxes around areas that contained teeth so that the kids (and adults) could find what we otherwise would have missed. Afterwards, he identified our finds for us on video so we could remember what we had. This was an absolutely wonderful little expedition to take with the kids and we look forward to doing an adult adventure in the creeks in search of larger prey!

This was my second time going on the 3/4 day kayak adventure. Since my first one, I began growing my knowledge on fossils and going a second time helped further my learning as well as grow my collection. Ashby makes the trip extremely exciting and educational in a way like no other. It is an outing I will try to go back to again and again. Outside of the fun learning experience, you will also walk away with a lot of great fossils. I cannot emphasize how great of an experience Ashby provides at Charleston Fossil Adventures.

I did the half-day kayak and fossil hunt experience and recommend to those that enjoy the outdoors. Ashby is so knowledgable about the things you will find. Everyone in our group left with dozens of fossils. I was not as adept at fossil hunting as the others in my group but Ashby patiently helped me get the hang of it, plus he shared his finds too. Be sure to follow the instructions that you receive about what to bring and how to prepare.

We had a great day on the water with Charleston Fossil Adventures!! The sun was shining and the birds were out. Of course the wind always blows in your face no matter which direction you are paddling! Everyone found something to take home and thoroughly enjoyed the video identification at the end. Ashby was very patient and helpful for those of us who had not hunted fossils like this before. Two of our group were first time shark tooth finders but I am betting it is just the beginning of their collections.

Our family (2 adults, 9 yr old, and 4 yr old) had been trying to do this adventure for nearly two years. We were not disappointed by the wait. The hunt was amazing and Ashby has that special gift in enthusiastically transmitting information while holding your attention. Ashby patiently identified every piece of phosphate our 4-yr old picked up (Our son is still talking about the man with the blue and yellow backpack). We look forward to planning our next adventure, and it will be with Ashby.

My husband and I have always wanted to go on a fossil dig/tour, and this was no disappointment! Ashby was the best guide I’ve had for any tour! I loved that he was scientific with his finds and very passionate about teaching to his clients.
He was also competent in first aid, which is comforting since this is an outdoor event. He even reminded everyone to make sure they stay hydrated throughout.
We found so many fossils including megalodon teeth pieces, ivory of tusk woolly mammoth, and large great white teeth, among many others! After our finds, we gathered again as a group, and we took videos of him telling each one of us individually about each find! He was very detailed!
We bought his book, and can’t wait to use it as a reference!
This fossil hunt was definitely an adventure and a really fun learning experience.
We can’t wait to schedule again!

Ashby was a wonderful guide and his knowledge and experience greatly enhanced this trip. We did the 1/2 day kayak trip. This is a good trip for those who enjoy being out on the water, but the kayaking part was not too far or taxing for anyone who is concerned about the level of skill or endurance needed. Ashby was great at communicating prior to the trip and giving us all the details on what to bring, etc. We found lots of great fossils and sharks' teeth, and Ashby helped us zone in on the best places to look/how to differentiate between what we were looking for and what we weren't and helped us identify each fossil as we went along. When we were done, he went back and sorted all of our finds and told us about each different fossil or tooth. I would definitely recommend this trip to anyone who enjoys the outdoors, and the real advantage to booking with Charleston Fossil Adventures is that you get a guide who extremely knowledgeable and passionate about your finds.

We did a half day Edisto Beach adventure with the owner Ashby. We got amazing, sunny weather in mid-February for a lovely walk down the beach and a search for fossils and sharks teeth. Ashby’s knowledge, enthusiasm, and keen eye were all infectious. Before you know it you will start picking up every little black thing you find on the beach and asking Ashby what it is! Everyone else on the beach not in our group either knew him by sight or came over to ask him about their finds! I got my first shark tooth ever and collectively we found fossilized turtle shell, animal bone, fish bone, shark’s teeth, and more (see photo) and now we have to figure out how to display what we found at home. We had an educational and fun time and will definitely look to book one of his upcoming kayak or boat tours. Don’t forget your sunscreen particularly in the winter when you might not otherwise wear any!

My husband and friend collected with Ashby guiding us on a kayak to a beach to collect. What a splendid adventure! Not only did Ashby guide us but he patiently “trained our eyes” to discover shark’s teeth, vertabra, whale bone, and so much more! Ashby would call one of us over to him where he’d point out a spot and say “now look here, in this area and see what you can see” and after a few minutes, one of us could be heard exclaiming “Aha - there!” At the end of our trip, Ashby sorted our finds and as I videoed, Ashby identified each find by genus and approximate age. He is an excellent teacher, knowledgeable and patient. I cannot rate this adventure highly enough!