FF5 spent the summer deep in fieldwork. We focused on advancing our research initiatives in Apalachee Bay, Florida, where the peninsula meets the panhandle at the Big Bend. This season, we carried out field operations on Ocholocknee Shoals, south of Wakulla County, on the west side of Apalachee Bay.
We partnered with the Aucilla Research Institute (ARI) in Monticello, Florida, and the Georgia–Florida Aerial Search Team (G‑FAST) in Lamont, Florida. ARI leads cultural resource research and educational work throughout the Big Bend. G‑FAST handles logistics and supports natural‑disaster response and search‑and‑rescue operations across the Gulf region. Both groups maintain strong ties to local communities, a priority we share at FF5. We aim to advance scientific research while serving the communities that steward these sites. That approach creates the strongest foundation for shared collaboration and long‑term stewardship.
Ochlocknee Shoals
This site shows how modern community collaboration and stewardship can directly support research goals. Dr. George Cole of ARI proposed Ocholocknee Shoals as a target for renewed survey several years ago. He has spent his entire career advancing the discipline across Florida and beyond. He also completed a bathymetric LiDAR survey on the eastern side of Apalachee Bay, mapping the paleochannels of the Aucilla and Econfina Rivers—both major archaeological and geological hotspots.
His team’s LiDAR data mapped both areas with unprecedented detail. When Dr. Cole discovered that no one had surveyed this popular swimming and fishing spot in the Bay since the nineteenth century, the gap immediately caught his attention. He secured a state of Florida grant and launched the study in collaboration with FF5, G‑FAST, and ARI.
LIDAR scanning
LiDAR, or Light Detection and Ranging, uses laser scanning to create high‑resolution maps of whatever it targets. When we map terrain, we generate Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) with roughly four‑inch accuracy. Specialized lasers allow us to scan underwater by cutting through light interference in the water column. This bathymetric LiDAR doesn’t match the accuracy of terrestrial systems, and it can’t reach depths beyond about fifty feet. Ocholocknee Shoals, however, sits in shallow water—less than thirty feet—and the Bay’s clear conditions make it ideal for a bathymetric LiDAR survey.
Dr. Cole didn’t want to this study to rely solely on the LiDAR scanning, however. For this site, that meant a diver survey at various locations across the shoals. By the time the LiDAR survey was done, FF5 had coordinated with Dr. Cole, ARI, G-FAST, and the LiDAR scanning company to develop a plan for this phase of the project. The objectives were threefold. First, we needed to characterize the seabed – is it sandy, is there eel grass present, how deep is it, and how coarse or fine are the sediments? Second, what is the geology of each target area like – are rocky outcrops present, or flowing freshwater springs for example? Third, is there any submerged pre-contact archaeology present at these sites?
offshore excursion
The FF5 team went offshore along with ARI divers and G-FAST crews to test multiple areas on the shoals from May to June 2022. Out of two rounds of fieldwork, we managed to get 6 days in the water offshore. We assessed about seven different areas across the shoals in depths ranging from 6 to 25 feet and observed multiple different kinds of marine environments.
We didn’t see any evidence for rock outcrops or spring outflow points in these areas. Marine life was relatively abundant, including one very cool sea turtle sighting. We detected one paleochannel feature that runs from north to south along the eastern portion of the shoals. Unlike the paleochannels on the east side that tend to contain archaeological deposits, this channel was infilled with fine sands and overgrown with eel grass. Any archaeological remains that might have been present alongside this channel are now buried. This is good news considering that this part of the shoals is between 6 and around 15 feet deep and could be impacted by modern activities that could potentially damage archaeological deposits.
Deeper Targets
We moved to the western side of the shoals and into deeper water. These new areas reached about twenty feet and held far less eel grass than our earlier sites. The seabed shifted to much coarser sand filled with shell hash, and rocky outcrops broke up the bottom. As we examined the outcrops, we identified both St. Mark’s limestone—the typical bedrock in this part of Florida—and harder material that sounded like chert. First Americans prized chert for crafting high‑quality stone tools, and in the Big Bend, chert often appears alongside archaeological deposits. That discovery gave us very encouraging news.
We searched extensively for flowing freshwater springs at the deeper dive sites. We didn’t locate any obvious spring vents, which makes sense given our limited time offshore. Over six days, we logged six to nine diver hours per day, reaching a total of fifty‑four diver hours on our targets. For comparison, a standard eight‑hour survey day with a four‑person crew produces thirty‑two person‑hours in a single day. Even though we didn’t find an actual spring vent, we gathered indirect evidence that points to their presence at two target locations. We recorded shifts in water temperature and saw very fine sediments—both signs of freshwater mixing with marine environments. These indicators suggest we closed in on the targets we set out to investigate.
Fieldwork Recap
We consider this field season a success. Underwater surveys and prospecting challenge us on every front, yet we pushed through poor weather above the waterline, equipment failures, and low visibility at depth. We identified four distinct seabed environments at different depths and locations—features the LiDAR data didn’t capture. These observations expanded our dataset with firsthand evidence and strengthened the mapping work Dr. Cole leads. We also sharpened our predictive models to pinpoint areas where we may recover genuine archaeological deposits during future fieldwork. Throughout the season, we valued the chance to work alongside our partners and close friends at ARI and G‑FAST, whose commitment to community stewardship helps us protect this unique stretch of the Gulf of Mexico.
Stay tuned for future fieldwork and shenanigans.
JWCH
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