The southernmost NC barrier island, just over the line from Little River SC. Same shelf-source phosphate-tooth wash as the Grand Strand, with much less foot traffic — especially the Bird Island Reserve walk at the west end.
Solid hunting day. Best window opens around the 5:20 PM low (0.9 ft, likely 0.4 ft above NOAA → less beach). Moderate S winds (7 mph); onshore at the low will drown the beach face; seas 2–3 ft, some stir.
Next 3 days: Today is the pick (58); Sun runs cooler at 45.
Plan around the good low-tide window. 4.2ft swing · low 5:20 PM · ~0.4ft above predicted (onshore wind) · post-storm.
Impact on visibility and stir-up over the next 5 days.
The Hunt Score blends tide range, lunar phase, daylight timing, recent stir, wind setup, and surf.
Solid. Reliable productivity expected.
We are deliberate about which factors to include. These are not currently in the model:
If you think we should add one of these, log a hunt with notes — every rated outcome helps us decide which signals actually predict tooth count.
Walk the wrack line on a falling tide after a NE blow. Cover the half-mile west toward the Bird Island Kindred Spirit mailbox — the further you walk, the better the odds. Sift dark shell-and-pebble lag.
Free public beach access at the Sunset Beach pier and several street ends. Bird Island Coastal Reserve at the west end is open daylight hours, foot traffic only.
Open beach collection of loose surface fossils is fine. Bird Island Reserve has stricter rules — no digging, no removing live shells/wildlife; surface tooth collecting is tolerated.
Trophy = headline find · Rare = real score · Uncommon = some trips · Common = most trips.
The beachcomber's bonus round — what else the geology gives up.
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