River fossil hunting adventure: rare plesiosaur bone discovery and retrieval

[@MotoLego]

"I couldn't leave it!" Floating it was a great idea. Mad dash for the booty! I bet you are feeling it.

[@MamlamboFossils]

Hahahaha I was so sore the next day! Now to try and figure out what it is and how to prep it:)

[@carolkara987]

It doesn't matter what obstacle is in your way you don't let it phase you; you just deal with it, and always with smile and a laugh . I love your adventures and can't wait to find out what the bones are.

[@MamlamboFossils]

Thanks Carol! The bones look to be from a large plesiosaur and is the humerus :D

[@HeroicaPlay]

It's a blast watching this pleasant giant stomp around collecting history.

[@MamlamboFossils]

Hahaha pleasant giant 😁 love it!!

[@dirk_o7]

The feeling when you get back to the car with your finds after pushing yourself a bit too hard can’t quite be put into words. Great find. Happy hunting!

[@MamlamboFossils]

That's true! I was starving after that, dinner tasted so good!

[@gaelicwarrior5064]

6:40 That's the first time that creature has swam in 65 million years.

[@MamlamboFossils]

Love it! I didn't even think of that. Glad I could give it one last outing!

[@salishseaquest7952]

When you say 'Adventure", you really mean it! Escaped Kayak, Capsized Kayak, Heavy Weightlifting. But it looks to have been worth the effort. Looking forward to seeing the Final Results.

[@MamlamboFossils]

Hahahah it was certainly an adventure! I really felt it the next day :)

[@Terraldinho]

What a cracking video! I think you're mad trying to retrieve those blocks alone - I would have cried! Loved the video and the escapee fossils - fab job on getting them home!

[@MamlamboFossils]

Thanks so much Terry! Not going to lie, I was pretty close to giving up at one point. Glad I got both pieces home though 😁

[@Doxymeister]

What a feeling that must have been, after working so hard to get those heavy stones floated down the river, only to have it overturn!!! I'd have been in panic-mode, LOL. Well done, sir, well done! Kudos to Shona and family, what a neat surprise. Now, I'm really looking forward to the "big reveal"--when we find out what this creature really was. Very neat video, Mamlambo!

[@MamlamboFossils]

I was pretty close to leaving them in the river! It's going to be a bit of work to get that bone exposed, that's for sure!

[@madinrno5670]

"Come back fossils !" ... 😮... 🤣

[@MamlamboFossils]

Poor things were almost lost... for a few more million years!

[@Dani_-ec4is]

Even petrified animals / things try to escape 😂...🤣.

[@quietone748]

The Plesiosaur: "I AM FREEEEEEE! I AM GOING TO SWIM AWAY NOW!!!!" lol Only took a few million years to get it mobile again :) Fascinating find, and thank you for sharing your adventure with us!

[@veganseppia5626]

These videos are a great motivation for the paleontology degree i’m doing! Thank you!⛏

[@MamlamboFossils]

That's great! So exciting that you get to study paleontology 😀

[@mirkatu3249]

I totally panicked when you said you lost the kayak! Am so glad you recovered it with your heard-earned treasures still aboard! :-)

[@MamlamboFossils]

It was even worse off camera, I fell into a deep hole and couldn't get to the boat! It was chaos 😂

[@hannesdendoncker959]

So wholesome you reply to everyone :) Loved the video, been watching lots of your videos lately, keep it up!

[@MamlamboFossils]

Thanks Hannes 😁 glad you're enjoying the videos! I'm off on an adventure tomorrow so should have an exciting video hopefully soon. Keep well!

[@hannesdendoncker959]

@@MamlamboFossils Looking forward to it!

[@fossiladventures2926]

Great adventure and determination. Look forward to seeing it prepped and identified. There is a lot of matrix to shift though . Thanks for taking us along with you as always :)

[@MamlamboFossils]

Thanks! It's been ID'd as a plesiosaur humerus, my first! It's going to be a big project to prep!

[@ethanhawtin7561]

I believe it’s a plesiosaur humerus/femur. A good friend of mine found one very similar to yours over here on the Jurassic coast England. The only difference is my friends was 59cm long!!! I’ve never seen one as large as this ever! It’s a RARE find! Congrats

[@MamlamboFossils]

Thanks so much Ethan! I'm very happy with it 😁

[@MamlamboFossils]

I did some googling and it looks like a humerus! Thanks for the help 😁

[@ethanhawtin7561]

@@MamlamboFossils anytime!!!

[@steveclark4291]

Thank you for the adventure which was totally awesome ! The finds WOW sure glad that you got them ! Please be careful wouldn't want my friend to get hurt way out there ! Take care , stay safe and healthy with whatever you maybe doing next ! Still doing well here in Kansas . It's just getting colder as winter starts coming in !

[@MamlamboFossils]

I'm very careful :) Thanks so much for watching! Hope it doesn't get too cold there!

[@turtlefoot13]

Great video with great adventure. Fun and easy to watch. Keep it up my friend!

[@MamlamboFossils]

Thanks Doug! Glad you enjoyed the adventure, so much drama in it 😄

[@LouellaLikes]

That was a fantastic find and a great exercise! Thanks for taking us on your adventure !

[@MamlamboFossils]

Glad you enjoyed it! It really was some intense exercise :)

[@Anubis30224]

Just think. That's probably the first time in millions of years that that Plesiosaur escaped a predator! Life -uh - finds a way -Absolutely fantastic find!! I would have had a heart attack just finding that, let alone managing to bring it home! Well done!

[@MamlamboFossils]

Thanks Molly! Hahahaha I didn't think of it like that, probably didn't think it would be swimming down a river like that 60-million-years-later!

[@markclelland3510]

Like a red wagon without wheels. Ingenuity at work. Great find.

[@MamlamboFossils]

Little red boat for the win 😁

[@turtlefoot13]

Fun video to watch. Great job and keep them coming my friend.

[@MamlamboFossils]

Thanks Doug! Glad you're enjoying them 😄

[@tracey6038]

Mate, you deserve a medal for determination and dedication. Good on ya and I can't wait for the prep. You Rock😂😂😂

[@MamlamboFossils]

Thanks 👍 I was pretty close to giving up, that water was cold as well! Still probably from snow melt in the mountains.

[@thewoodsmanstickmakero.c.w7862]

All the effort pays off. Hi from Ireland, great videos. I am learning so much from them. Thanks and keep up the good work.

[@brianbeverage7345]

That was awesome! Great job filming. It was like I was there struggling with you. It reminded me of a time my son and I had to carry a bear out of the mountains. Thanks, Mamlambo!

[@Corntassels]

I'm making my way through the videos still, and this was an unexpected wild ride! Such an exciting find! Me: Surely he will come back for the remaining rocks... Also me: You know he's gonna put them all in the kayak... hahaha😆Then came the escape and I confess I nearly died when you laughed and yelled out "Come back, fossils!" And then the river attempted to defeat you once again with the capsize and I started to worry you didn't have snacks, enough water, or sunlight left. But true to form, you surmounted the obstacles and made it to the car with the concretions. I humbly submit that your kayak should be named "Endurance" if it doesn't already have a name lol. I greatly look forward to learning what was in these concretions, and well done!

[@margiebrown7436]

Wow, those are big! Can’t wait to see what they are. Great video 😊

[@MamlamboFossils]

Thanks! Looks to be a plesiosaur humerus!

[@OutThereLearning]

Great adventure! look forward to seeing how you prepare that bone.

[@MamlamboFossils]

Thanks 😁 looking forward to the conference 👍

[@brucevanderzanden9638]

Awesome adventure you had here! I like the shirts. You did good improvising to get your fossils home. I look forward to when you get them prepped!

[@MamlamboFossils]

Thanks Bruce! I'm still at the looking stage, where I try and figure out how I am going to prep such a beast :)

[@brucevanderzanden9638]

That is a beast for sure! Stay safe and have a great day

[@chova1000]

Wow!!!!!!!!!! VERY NICE!!!!!

[@MamlamboFossils]

Thanks Osvaldo!

[@alexandermelchers1497]

Have been saving this for a moment when I've got enough time to fully appreciate it... and it didn't disappoint ;) When you showed the footage of the bone as you found it a couple of weeks before (@00:07), at the beginning of the video, the bone didn't particularly look like a paddle bone to me. Rather I was thinking of a part of the pectoral or pelvic girdle of a plesiosaur, even if it appeared to be too thick for it. However, when you later pulled it out of the river @02:52, it did indeed look much more like a paddle bone - a plesiosaur paddle! Plesiosaur paddles are easily distinguishable from both mosasaur and pliosaur ones, since the latter have rounded distal ends to their propodials, whereas mosasaur propodials have a completely different shape from the shaft-and-fan model (for lack of a better way to describe them) plesiosaurians have. Awesome find, and well worth the effort, I should say! I don't envy you the work you had to do for it, but the find is certainly something to be jealous of!

[@MamlamboFossils]

Thanks so much for the amazing info! You have so much knowledge around these cretaceous animals! I found an even bigger block of bones in a different locations. It must weigh 3 tons at least, a beautiful humerus exposed as well. I'm off to another Cretaceous deposit on Wednesdays. Should find some pretty good fossils there as well. Thanks for the great comment!!

[@alexandermelchers1497]

@@MamlamboFossils Thanks! I try, as my main interest lies in that area. However, the counter-side of the coin is my knowledge is way less extensive in other areas than is yours. I'm always impressed by your very broad general knowledge! ;)

[@MamlamboFossils]

@@alexandermelchers1497 I've got a question about another Cretaceous marine reptile fossil. I'm hoping you can help me 😁. Can I email you perhaps? My email is [e-mail]

[@cynthiarowley719]

That was quite a trip. You really love fossils. Happy to join your fanclub🐑. The planet growing closer. 👋👋🖖

[@MamlamboFossils]

Thanks for joining Cynthia 😁

[@msnnmoore1728]

Great Adventure my friend. We use a similar sit-on-top kayak on some of our creeks around. They're awesome floats and help make the impossible possible. Be safe and we'll see you soon!

[@MamlamboFossils]

Very cool! The kayak did work well, it would have been impossible without it!

[@afineliner740]

What an adventure !!! Runaway fossils, that has got to be a first. You certainly don't do things the easy way, hope you are well rewarded once you start prepping that monster !!

[@MamlamboFossils]

Hahaha it was quite an adventure! I also dropped it again later on but was too tired to film it 😂 prepping it is going to be interesting, still figuring out how to do it.

[@lindalewis5066]

I knew you couldn't leave that rock behind! 😂 Getting your workout for these fossils! 😅 Can't wait for the finished prep! 👍💌 Such fun, thoughtful gifts. 😁

[@MamlamboFossils]

Hahahah I can never leave the big ones behind :D It was a really good workout, I sure felt it the next day!

[@lindalewis5066]

@@MamlamboFossils 😂 But it was worth it!

[@sleepingdogs8939]

Were you able to find all the stones you had in the boat after it capsized? It looked like you had three stones at the beginning of the trip back. Also, it might be worth looking around for more fossils from that skeleton. The fossil you found had to come from somewhere not too far away.

[@MamlamboFossils]

Good spotting! I couldn't find the smaller one. I will go back and look for it with a mask and snorkel :) I also lost my rock hammer so need to make a trip back for sure.

[@bobm5500]

I would love to be there looks like a lot of fun , Normally boats and rocks don't mix , but you have toast that idea out the window . Now you have got me looking at the rocks on the beach . I have found limestone with shells inclusion where it should not be . Showed it to a local Geo - he arsked "You found this on the beach "( with a puzzled look on his face ) . Great video all the best for christmas and new year .

[@MamlamboFossils]

Hahahah that is awesome! You might find something new soon on that beach 😁 glad the fossil big bit you as well.

[@sarejen6868]

WOW! You did an awesome job getting them both home, quite the workout eh? Hmm going to have to think of a nickname for the boat? Can't wait to see what it is!

[@MamlamboFossils]

Great idea!! Little red boat maybe?

[@stevecorrigan5139]

Can't wait to see what this is!

[@MamlamboFossils]

Me neither! Hitting up the socials and forums now 😄

[@steveclark4291]

That is a very sweet present from a fan of yours !

[@MamlamboFossils]

It really is!

[@adamrodgers9175]

Was just thinking. You need a little red wagon with big rubber wheels for days when you find a rock big enough that it needs to be pulled.

[@MamlamboFossils]

Hahahhaa the river might have been a little deep for the little red wagon

[@Happyhandcannon]

I learned today, that a Mamlambo is a creature. Always wondered about the blue fish with a big smile & a safari hat. 😁Great effort on the bones! 👍

[@MamlamboFossils]

Hahahah yeah it's the South African version of Nessie. Thanks for watching!

[@jacquelinejudge1659]

Love love this show have now watched them all fabulous tutorship as weelll

[@MamlamboFossils]

Glad you like them! Busy editing some more at the moment!

[@almontepaolilli7531]

Great job saving the fossils.

[@MamlamboFossils]

Thanks Almonte!

[@raygrange7312]

I take my hat off to you. Your a tough ol bugger. And great gifts.

[@MamlamboFossils]

Hahahaha thanks Ray! Yeah, the gifts are beautiful!

[@mattg6333]

As usual, this is a cool video. Especially when we are still blocked at home! Hope you wil succeed to prep this gigantic bone!

[@MamlamboFossils]

Fingers crossed! It's going to be a big project!

[@Karen-lf9do]

Happy for you with your great find. Love your blue eyes and you wonderful smile, not flirting- iam an Oklahoma USA grandma. Love watching your vids.

[@MamlamboFossils]

Hahahaha thanks so much Karen! Hope you're doing well that side 😄 Glad you are enjoying the videos!

[@ramalama9030]

Greetings ........it looks very similar to bones we find in concretions in Canada........Mark the spot so that you can find the rest of it.......the preservation looks incredible. My guess would be marine reptile just like you said. The exposed bone looks very diagnostic .......I’m sure a marine paleontologist could tell you exactly what kind of bone it is!

[@MamlamboFossils]

Thanks for the info! I GPS tag all the spots I find fossils in :) I'm pretty sure it's a humerus bone :)

[@MRTOMBO]

I had a random thought about what you do based on some work experience: Is there a way to "x-ray" rock/concretions to see what's inside? Where I once worked in manufacturing, at the Die Cast building we had an x-ray machine where we'd take samplings of Aluminum die-cast parts to check for air-bubbles / voids inside the solid aluminum. You'd get a 3D image of the part with any internal voids/bubbles mapped out. Not portable at all, etc., etc., but, I wondered if anything like this exists for peering into pieces of stone/concretions to see if there's something inside. Really interesting what you do prowling through rock for signs of past life.

[@MamlamboFossils]

There is a way to see into the rocks! X-rays and CT scans work to an extent, but to really get into the rock you need a neutron scanner which penetrates through the dense rock I usually find the fossils in. You can then even 3D print the fossil! Crazy what they can do these days :)

[@jakemoeller7850]

Well done! A very entertaining video. 👍

[@MamlamboFossils]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@forsmarc]

Wauw what a ride to watch!! 😀

[@MamlamboFossils]

A rollercoaster of emotions 😁

[@johnpayne2465]

If you had a tiny inflatable boat (missing part of the floor even better) or could create a donut shaped raft with webbing/ netting that can grip a rock, then you could use the tide to lift heavy rocks and or fossils, for recovery.

[@MamlamboFossils]

I've thought of doing that, I just need to save up for a boat 😀

[@utamakunind7992]

Great video man, can't waiting for the next video xD

[@MamlamboFossils]

Thanks so much! I had a good day for whale ear bones which should come out soon 😁

[@Flylikea]

This is so beautiful 💯

[@MamlamboFossils]

Thanks so much Evangelia 😁

[@madsonicboating]

awesome effort great finds and recovery!! love your videos man i'm hooked! in south canty area so hopefully one day can explore somewhere to find my own fossil

[@MamlamboFossils]

Awesome! South Canterbury has some great sites as well! You should find a fossil if you have a look around the Timaru coast :) Thanks for watching!

[@grayhaven451]

You da man! Looks like a good time

[@MamlamboFossils]

Hahhaa thanks! It was more enjoyable looking back 😁 that water was freezing!

[@ivantimofivichkuslov175]

Adventure! Woohoooo!

[@MamlamboFossils]

River treasure adventure 😁

[@jokypoky]

I would have just stopped after the capsize, well done!

[@MamlamboFossils]

Hahahhaa no fossil left behind 😁

[@sherikee1]

LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL YOU ARE SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOKED LOL YOU CAN RESIST, BLESS YOUR HEART

[@OffRampAdventures]

Believe it or not, our adventure through a very realistic Dinosaur World attraction made me click on you video! It's all become very interesting!

[@MamlamboFossils]

Awesome! Glad it got you interested in fossils, I find them fascinating 😁

[@crashalot63]

At 2:32 - "They are a lot bigger than I remembered." Yeah, that is a mental trick that our brain put us through, all the time. Like - "Oh, it's not that big, and is not that heavy at all either..."

[@MamlamboFossils]

Hahahah yeah, it ended up being quite a mission 😁

[@crashalot63]

@@MamlamboFossils Brutal workout - carrying heavy rocks through streaming water - respect!!!

[@killertiger121]

Will you attempt to extract the bones? Or would it be too risky with your current technology?

[@MamlamboFossils]

I will, it's going to be a big project but well worth it in the end I think :)

[@whotknots]

I thought I saw a third smaller piece of bone in the bow or stern, did you retrieve that bit too?

[@MamlamboFossils]

No, I couldn't find it in the water. It must have washed away. I took it in case there was more of the bone in it so not a huge loss.

[@NewZealandRocksDownunder]

The Mrs laughed when you put both rocks back on the kayak, I guess she has seen that before lol

[@MamlamboFossils]

Hahahah rockhounds are all the same 😂 try and take ALL the rocks 😁

[@Jmp5nb]

You are highly regarded internationally!

[@diandirk3423]

Was googeling around looking for swordfish fossils but haven't found a single one... I think you got something special there

[@MamlamboFossils]

They are quite rare! There was one found towards Dunedin that a paper was written on, but not on something like the one I found from what I can see :)

[@jimbracknell5648]

Now I dont feel so bad about lugging a heavy backpack up a steep hill! It kinda looks like a scapula in the top view, I couldnt make out the bone in the profile though. Is it round in cross section or kinda flat?

[@MamlamboFossils]

Hiya Jim, I'm pretty sure it is a plesiosaur humerus. It's pretty flat in cross section. Thanks for watching!

[@skoitch]

Can’t wait to see this one prepped! Might make a series! 🤣😅😂

[@MamlamboFossils]

I think it will be a big job. I'm wondering if there are other bones in there as well 🤔

[@phillipdavis3705]

like always love the videos. Do you sell, or donate to museum? or keep. just curious.👍

[@MamlamboFossils]

I donate to the museum if they want any. Otherwise I index it and file it away. I don't sell any 😁

[@bogmoggy9758]

"We need a bigger boat" !

[@MamlamboFossils]

Hahahaha I certainly do!

[@PrimalRenegade17]

Just curiously do you know of any fossil hunting/prep channels based in Australia? I would love to go fossil hunting but. Am based in OZ and have no idea where to even start looking for info. Quick google searches did not help that much :/

[@PrimalRenegade17]

Btw am new here love your channel 😁

[@MamlamboFossils]

Have you checked out: kzbin.info/door/I7eAPlkN1Sv88Gk8TX8OBg

[@scotttrent9348]

That looked like a blast chasing down your boat. Can't wait to see what you have found. If you have a chance go on Wikipedia and search for "gray fossil site" this place if probably 5 miles from my home its really cool. Keep the videos coming they are great. God Bless

[@MamlamboFossils]

Thanks Scott! I think it is a plesiosaur humerus 😁 I'll check out that fossil site you mentioned 😀

[@Paleos1000]

Plesi humerus! Woohoo! More likely plesi at a cursory and uneducated glance - elongate. Mosasaur humerus is odd and compressed from memory. All guesses by the way as will be hard to tell until it's prepped I guess.

[@MamlamboFossils]

I think you're right, it's pretty much identical to the plesiosaur humerus (humeri?) I can find online 😄 Not sure how to prep it yet, so might let it mature in my garden for a couple of weeks while I figure it out.

[@milapi2001]

you are truly amazing!!!!!!!!

[@MamlamboFossils]

Hahaha thanks! I was close to giving up there!

[@jordanlee4477]

Looks to me like a plesiosaur humerus/ paddle bone, I’ve found some up here in the Texas Cretaceous :) Nice find congrats!

[@MamlamboFossils]

Thanks so much Jordan. I'm leaning that way too 😁

[@mikeferman9979]

😂😂 awsome as usual 🤘

[@MamlamboFossils]

Thanks Mike!

[@violet3009]

Does fossil crab worth anything?

[@MamlamboFossils]

They are worth the labour you put into prepping them 😁

[@MrKartikch]

Please tell us how to identify a fossil rock and how to differentiate between normal rock and fossil rock.

[@MamlamboFossils]

It takes a while to start figuring it out. It has to be in an area with fossils and then I usually look for anything with bits that I van identify that is sticking out 😁

[@MrKartikch]

@@MamlamboFossils ok thanks

[@mollyhollypollydolly8760]

I definitely think this is a “more then i can handle” deal. Literally 😂😅

[@MamlamboFossils]

I was very close to giving up 😁

[@Leon_T_Ward]

Hey Mamlambo, can you please give me tips on fossil hunting in NZ please.

[@MamlamboFossils]

Hiya Leon! If you're in NZ you're in luck! There will be fossils nearby. Go checkout the website www.geotrips.org.nz/ to get an idea what is in your area. NZ is packed full of fossils :)

[@Leon_T_Ward]

Thank you.

[@kerikilelit5713]

friend yesterday I got extraordinary fossil wood

[@MamlamboFossils]

Oooh tell me more!!!

[@steveclark4291]

That sounds interesting ! I would like to hear more too ! But you're probably in New Zealand ! I am in Kansas in the middle of the United States !

[@gabem6362]

@@steveclark4291 in the Land of Oz

[@mikeforcerer8537]

thought you might need a fork lift to get the rock in the boat.

[@MamlamboFossils]

Just had to use my legs :)

[@caseyjude5472]

You didn’t pack a snack?!? Wow, you must’ve been starving!

[@MamlamboFossils]

Snacks take up fossil space 😂

[@caseyjude5472]

@@MamlamboFossils Lol!

[@MamlamboFossils]

@@caseyjude5472 I usually do take a few bits of beef jerky (biltong) and cheese along 😀

[@utamakunind7992]

"Comeback Fossils" -Mamlambo 2020

[@MamlamboFossils]

Hahahha I was worried about them!!

[@jacquelinejudge1659]

Where's the prep though

[@MamlamboFossils]

Prep for this fossil is going to take a bit of time, it's a monster and I am still trying to figure out what the best way will be :)

[@jacquelinejudge1659]

@@MamlamboFossils hi ,I decided I'd prep a stone .five minutes later I threw it over the garden you must have the patience of a saint lol

[@marelizepinto6209]

Van waar heet jy? 😉

[@MamlamboFossils]

Hahhaa n klein dorpie in Suid-Afrika

[@marelizepinto6209]

@@MamlamboFossils, mag ek vra waar? Hoekom het ons nie so baie fossiele hier nie? Of weet ek net nie daarvan nie? 🙄

[@sherikee1]

OH NOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOPE YOU FOUND THEM

[@MamlamboFossils]

I found the fossils, not my hammer!

[@aaronweslowski5269]

Due dillegence! Yes!🤑

[@MamlamboFossils]

Thanks Aaron!

[@sherikee1]

LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL FUN FUN FUN LOL

[@MamlamboFossils]

It was!

[@the45uspresidenttrump63]

He mamlabo remember me

[@MamlamboFossils]

Sorry, I can't recall meeting you. You will have to refresh my memory.

[@the45uspresidenttrump63]

I told you.about how u like fossil hunting in ohio and I have a rock with alot of little clam looking things

[@the45uspresidenttrump63]

I mean how I like f

[@sherikee1]

PERSERVERANCE PAYS OFF

[@MamlamboFossils]

It does!