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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
Thursday, June 18
Cliff site — continuous erosion baseline · recent rain (0.3") — clay saturated · low tide during daylight · best low 63
63
Good
2
Monday, June 8
Cliff site — continuous erosion baseline · low tide during daylight · best low 62
62
Good
3
Tuesday, June 16
Cliff site — continuous erosion baseline · low tide during daylight · best low 61
61
Good
4
Friday, June 12
Cliff site — continuous erosion baseline · low tide during daylight · best low 60
60
Good
5
Saturday, June 13
Cliff site — continuous erosion baseline · low tide during daylight · best low 60
60
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.