1st Trip to Maryland For Shark Teeth and Would Appreciate Insights

[AlwaysISOSharkTeeth412]

Hi everyone! I’m a novice shark tooth enthusiast who lives in western Pa. I’m taking a day trip to the Calvert Cliffs area this coming Sunday for the first time to search for shark teeth. Based on my cursory research aka google, I was thinking to try Matoaka cabins, but I wanted to see what the member of this forum think would be the best place to go to given my non-resident status. Any tips on the area would be GREATLY appreciated!!

[val horn]

I like purse state park if you can go near lowtide.  More beach and more shark teeth  but fewer different species and few large teeth

[Elmo]

I second purse, but it’s not on the Cliffs. Purse is located on the Potomac. Slim pickings on finding any big boys, but you will find plenty if you’re doing some sifting. I’m actually heading down on Monday and expect to get at least 400 shark teeth and ray plates put together. The tide is a big factor, but I’ll have the whole day to kill if needed. 

[automech]

Weekends at Purse State Park can be brutal with crowds and no parking available. Same for Douglas State Park up the road. There is a fee at Moatoka, but, a lot less of a crowd. For your first time out, I'd recommend getting your feet wet along the Bay. 

 

I use willyweather.com for tide charts. It's very good. For example, the Sunday forecast for the MD area is a low of 46F, and a high of 62F. with a west wind of 13mph. So, at Purse, you would have constant waves crashing into the shore. On the Bay, the wind is at your back "pushing" the surf away from the shore.

[AlwaysISOSharkTeeth412]

That’s really helpful to know! Any preference between Matoaka and Flag Ponds? Those are the two locations I’m contemplating.

[automech]

Flag Ponds is a real nice place also. It's relatively flat. No cliff area. But, can produce some good stuff. It's a state park. It's $15 a car ($10/person for Matoaka) to get in for out of state vehicles. If you google map each area, you can get an idea of the layout.

There was a post the other day where someone found a muskrat skull fossil at Flag Pond while walking along the shore.

You might have to just flip a quarter.