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Stratford Hall Cliffs (Potomac, VA)
Best windows in the next two weeks, plus a packing list calibrated for cliff beach hunting.
Top 5 windows · next 14 days
1
Sunday, June 28
Cliff site — continuous erosion baseline · heavy rain (0.6") — fresh cliff slumps likely · low tide during daylight · best low 70
70
Great
2
Monday, June 29
Cliff site — continuous erosion baseline · heavy rain (0.6") — fresh cliff slumps likely · low tide during daylight · spring tide · best low 69
69
Good
3
Wednesday, July 1
Cliff site — continuous erosion baseline · low tide during daylight · best low 60
60
Good
4
Tuesday, June 30
Cliff site — continuous erosion baseline · low tide during daylight · spring tide · best low 59
59
Good
5
Thursday, July 2
Cliff site — continuous erosion baseline · low tide during daylight · best low 59
59
Good
Packing checklist
Essentials
- ☐Water (more than you think)
- ☐Hat + polarized sunglasses
- ☐Reef-safe sunscreen
- ☐Phone with offline copy of this dossier
- ☐Snack / electrolytes
- ☐Trash bag — leave it cleaner than you found it
Creek tools
- ☐Sifter + folding shovel
- ☐Wading shoes
- ☐Fanny pack or hip pouch for finds
- ☐Small magnet for testing iron-rich matrix
Find care
- ☐Soft toothbrush
- ☐Padded box for any 2″+ tooth
- ☐Cotton or tissue layers between teeth
- ☐Notebook (or open the Toothhound logbook)
Trip planning
- ☐Permit for the preserve (some are required)
- ☐Recent weather check — high creek = no go
Tactic refresher
Walk the narrow beach below the cliffs at low tide. Search the swash zone and recently slumped material; do not dig into or undercut the cliffs. Best after winter storms.
Don't forget
Surface collecting only on plantation property with paid admission. Removing material from the cliff face is prohibited.