The Perfect Storm

[obsessed1]

The storm getting ready to hit the east coast brings wth it many different thoughts. The most important is that everyone do whatever is needed to remain safe. Safety should be first in our minds as we prepare for the storm. But then my mind starts to wander..how many awesome fossils will be uncovered as we get hour after hour of rain? The first instinct is to be there by the cliffs just waiting for the rain to slow down then run out to be first down the beach. But there will be high muddy water for several days, not to mention the waves will remain quite large for a while. The huge chunks of cliffs that have been dry all summer are now going to be heavy with water and will be falling for days. So be patient, wait for conditions to get better. More nice fossils will be found 3 or 4 days after the storm than will be found in the first two. As for me ..I'm looking to Wednesday as the day to be on the beach. Hope to see some of you there. Good Luck and be safe!!!!

[Guest bmorefossil]

ill be going sunday ill tell you how it looks, as for the week i have school in the morning but might try to go

[Metopocetus]

I will be down there on Sunday as well. After Isabel came through the morning after the storm the waves were still up against the cliffs. By nightfall and morning it was a HUGE blowout. I'm hoping for the same Sunday morning. I'll be down there at first light . Good luck everyone.

[PaleoRon]

I'll be polishing up my scuba gear and waiting for the rivers in North Carolina to hit flood stage. Nothing like diving with 50 extra pounds of weight and still struggling not to get swept down river in the torrent, while expecting a submerged tree to come along and ruin your day. Oh well, you can't live forever.

[Uncle Siphuncle]

If I lived near the Cliffs and were pondering when to go, the choice would be simple. Go early and often, I say. After a hurricane I'd do like you said, get out there while the final bands of rain are falling. Then come back every couple days or as conditions change/clear up.

[JohnJ]

Dan, I agree. Keeping a tolerable level of safety in mind, anyone that ventures into the field is hoping for a "perfect" convergence in time. At sites in frequently changing environments, the window of opportunity opens and closes without us there.....dang it!

[Guest bmorefossil]

the way it is looking, the tides will be the same as or even better than it was on the forum trip for sunday. so if i found 5 megs on that trip i should have no problems sunday, lol this is if everything goes as plan. Hey where will you be going on sunday?

[Metopocetus]

It looks like the storm is going to track far enough East of the cliffs. This will create perfect collecting conditions for Sunday. Potential for a big blow out from the North and West winds. . I will be checking out the beach today at least a few times...I will keep the MD people updated.

Edit: At high tide this morning the water was at a normal high tide level (at least at my normal collecting grounds). Through out the day the ENE winds will batter the beach and tonight the WNW winds will create blowout conditions for Sunday morning collecting.

[Metopocetus]

5 foot waves at the beach. Not hard up against the cliffs but I think they will still erode a nice bit. I was able to walk the beach for a little ways...it is low tide though...high tide should have the waves crashing much higher before it rolls out.

Not the best picture...took it with cell phone.

[Metopocetus]

A different vantage point. Its like being a kid at Christmas time just waiting for the water to receed.

[Metopocetus]

If you can get out tomorrow DO IT. As of 7 pm the bay was completely calm. It was high but very calm. The NW winds blowing all night will certainly create a lower than normal tide. Hope to see some of you out there!