Cooper River Dive Site - Jacquot - Protosirenid Sirenian

Site: Name: Jacquot
River: Cooper River

Coordinates: N33 02.880 W79 56.100

NOAA Tidal Station: Download Tidal Chart
Dean Hall - Cooper River
Charleston Harbor Tidal Station Differences
Times: High +2 hr. 21 min.,
Low +2 hr. 7 min.
Heights: High *0.68, Low *1.58

Best Dive: As most sites anywhere betwem an one and a half hours prior to an ebb or flood tide. When tidal currents are strong on an ebbing tide, a nice eddy will form alomg the west side of the river at this location where the depth of the river is listed as 15 feet on the navigation chart. There is a fossil bed mixed with areas of sand in this shallower area..Best fossil bed lies at Mid-River

Description: Fossil bed approximately mid-river amd fossil bed with sand mix along west river bank.

Dive Briefing: The shallow area mentioned above that forms an eddy on an ebbying tide is good place for new divers getting accustomed to diving the Cooper River. And more advance diviers can swim from the shaaloow to mid river when the current is not to strong.

Hazards: Boat Traffic - Recreational Boaters, usually there is NO large tugs barges or vessels in this area of the Cooper River, but smaller tugs pushing barges have travel occassionally through this area into lake Moultrie above the towm of Moncks Corner, SC

Point if interest: In the summer of 2009 Richard Jacquot found at this site what appeared to be a Dugong skull cap. I recall him looking at it sevral times explaining that he thought something about its shape was a "little" different. He sent pictures of the skull cap and sent them to Dr. Richard Hulbert at the University of Florida which reccomed it be sent for further study to Washington D.C. . It was determine that it was scientifically important specimen of a rare dugong/ mantee creature of a Protosirenid Sirenian from the Eocene epoch 56-34 million years ago, the fossil now lives in the Smithsonian. A pretty cool fossil find from the Cooper River! hence the Dive Site name, change from "The Spot Behind Johnny's Boat" to Jacquot! Have Fun and Dive Safely. See Richard's website for more info on his Protosirenid Sirenian find!