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Capitola Beach
Best windows in the next two weeks, plus a packing list calibrated for tidal beach hunting.
Top 5 windows · next 14 days
1
Saturday, May 30
6.1ft swing · spring tide · low 3:46 PM · 5.2ft swell · 1.13" recent rain
83
Great
2
Sunday, May 31
6.1ft swing · spring tide · low 4:19 PM · 5.4ft swell
81
Great
3
Monday, June 1
6.0ft swing · spring tide · low 4:54 PM · 5.1ft swell
79
Great
4
Tuesday, June 2
5.8ft swing · low 5:32 PM · 4.1ft swell
77
Great
5
Saturday, June 13
7.7ft swing · low 2:39 PM
74
Great
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
Tools
- ☐Mesh sifter or basket (1/4″ mesh is the sweet spot)
- ☐Knee pads or kneeling foam
- ☐Sand scoop (long handle for water work)
- ☐Quart ziplock + small lidded jar for finds
- ☐Permanent marker for labels
- ☐Caliper or ruler for sizing
Beach-specific
- ☐Rash guard for long sun exposure
- ☐Water shoes — shells and stingrays
- ☐Tide chart screenshot for your day
- ☐Headlamp if hunting low tide near sunrise/sunset
Find care
- ☐Soft toothbrush
- ☐Padded box for any 2″+ tooth
- ☐Cotton or tissue layers between teeth
- ☐Notebook (or open the Toothhound logbook)
Tactic refresher
Search gravelly patches and storm-thrown shell lines at very low tide, especially after heavy winter swell strips the sand.
Don't forget
Surface collecting on the public beach is generally allowed. Do not hammer cliffs or remove material from protected bluff faces.