Yes, you can find shark teeth at Cocoa Beach and along the surrounding stretch of Florida’s Space Coast. While the Atlantic coast is not as famous for this activity as the Gulf Coast, persistent beachcombers routinely discover these prehistoric treasures. The teeth found here are almost universally fossilized, meaning they are not recent losses but remnants from ancient sharks that swam in the waters millions of years ago. Finding one of these small, dark relics requires patience, but it is a completely achievable goal for anyone visiting the area.
Why Shark Teeth Are Found on Florida Beaches
Shark teeth are found on Florida beaches due to the state’s unique geological history, involving repeated submergence under shallow marine waters. Over millions of years, the remains of marine life, including countless shed shark teeth, settled into the sediment. This process occurred extensively during the Miocene and Pliocene epochs, making the fossilized teeth approximately 2 to 35 million years old.
These teeth become preserved through permineralization, where the original organic material is slowly replaced by surrounding minerals like silica and calcite. This mineral replacement hardens the teeth and gives them their characteristic dark color (black, gray, or brown), which contrasts sharply with the white beach sand. Wave action and coastal erosion constantly cut into these ancient, fossil-rich layers that lie just offshore.
Ocean currents then act as a natural sorting mechanism, concentrating the dense, fossilized teeth and depositing them onto the shore. Although the finds are typically smaller teeth from species like Lemon, Bull, or Tiger sharks, fragments from the massive extinct Megalodon shark can also occasionally wash ashore.
Essential Techniques for Successful Searching
Finding fossilized teeth requires a focused approach, combining visual searching with simple mechanical aid. The most basic technique involves a visual scan along the high-tide line (the wrack line), where the ocean deposits shell fragments and other debris. Look for small, dark, triangular or pointed shapes that stand out against the lighter-colored shell hash.
A more effective method involves using a sifter, which can be a purpose-built screen, kitchen strainer, or colander. This technique is best performed near the water’s edge, where the waves crash and the sediment is wet and loose. Scoop up a mixture of sand and shell material, then gently shake the sifter to allow the finer sand to wash away with the receding water.
The dense, heavier shark teeth will remain trapped in the screen along with larger shell fragments and pebbles. Because the fossilized teeth are significantly denser than the average shell, the ocean naturally sorts them, making this process highly efficient. Repeating this sifting process in areas with a heavy concentration of small, dark pebbles and shells will greatly increase your chances of a successful find.
Specific Locations and Optimal Timing
The success of your shark tooth hunt depends heavily on environmental factors and choosing the right spot. Low tide is generally the best time to search, as the receding water exposes a wider expanse of beach that has not been picked over. This expanded area often includes fresh shell lines and gravel deposits newly revealed by the diminished surf.
A productive time for fossil hunting is immediately following a strong storm or period of rough surf. High-energy waves churn up the seafloor, disturbing the submerged fossil layers and pushing new material onto the beach. Searching immediately after a cold front or a minor storm has passed can yield a fresh bounty of teeth and other fossils.
For Cocoa Beach specifically, looking near inlets or areas known for heavy shell deposits often proves beneficial. Beaches along the southern stretch of the Space Coast, such as those near Patrick Air Force Base, sometimes report higher concentrations of fossil material due to offshore currents. Recent beach renourishment or dredging projects can also expose and deposit deep offshore fossil material directly onto the shore, creating a temporary but highly productive hunting ground.