What is Proggin’? – A Natural Treasure Hunting Pastime

Growing up in Maryland, my parents’ idea of a vacation was tent camping – affordable, low technology, and spending time on public lands. Summertime trips to the western Bay shore were no exception to that pattern. Along with the tent big enough to hold five, we packed the car with sleeping bags, a massive cooler, bathing suits and beach towels, a ton of library books, and spent a week unplugged on the shores of Calvert County.

When I got older, my parents bought a beach house there, in a sleepy community composed of part and full-time residents. No internet, no cable, not even AC, but with the house came the investment in a Windrider Trimaran, a three-pontoon sailboat that could fit all of us. So, even with the addition of a house and swapping sleeping bags for bunk beds, the summer pattern remained the same: bathing suits, library books, and the preparation to unplug. There is no doubt that these experiences shaped who I became.

My father and brother pose with our little sailboat.

My family takes a moment to appreciate the shore.

The Pastime of Proggin’

At the beach, the pastime we found ourselves engaging in the most over those years is called Progging (or Proggin’, often pronounced with the last G dropped). If you don’t know, Proggin’ is a very Chesapeake-specific term for beachcombing. We’d spend hours just walking the shore, looking down at what washed up. The point was to be present, with the prospect of finding something really cool. And boy, do the shores of Calvert County have some cool things. Home to Calvert Cliffs State Park, the nearby sands are regularly dotted with fossils that have washed out of the clay cliffs.

A proggin’ bonanza!

Gear Up

Now, if you’re going proggin’, you’ll want to be prepared. You can go in any weather, but make sure you dress for it. On the top of the list is sunscreen and other sun protection like hats and sunglasses. It’s surprising how long you’ll accidentally spend outside when you’re on the hunt. You also have to decide how wet you’re willing to get. I prefer bare feet so I can wade, but keeping beach shoes on is a possibility. Lastly, you need to decide if you’re a tool person. A sieve, a net with some reach, or a collection bucket might come in handy.

Play it Safe

The next thing to be aware of is safety. Trash, fish hooks, and submerged hazards along the shore pose a risk for injury. Depending on the time of year, wildlife can also be a problem, like washed up jellyfish tentacles. Currents aren’t usually a big deal since this is a shore-based activity, but keep a lookout for warning signs all the same. The last piece to keep in mind is if there are any laws around collecting, being on private property, historical artifacts, and the like.

An example of a man made hazard- a rusty screw protruding from broken concrete.

Now you can get proggin’!

This past President’s Day weekend, we went on yet another proggin’ excursion. Let’s see what we found.

An example of what a typical shark’s tooth will look like washed up on the shore.

A razor clam shell.

Can you find the shark’s tooth in this picture?

Fossilized bone fragments are more common than teeth.

Man-made treasures can be just as coveted. Part of my brother’s sea glass collection.

More bone fragments; they come in all shapes and sizes.

A complete, intact horseshoe crab molt.

The biggest oyster shell I’ve ever found!

One day a complete deceased seahorse washed up at my feet. A rare find.

The classic goal is to find the biggest shark’s tooth you can!

Once you’ve gone proggin’ a few times, you might find that you want something to do with all your treasures. How can you display or use them? The first option is decor. I have a glass jar turned lamp that I am slowly filling with bone fragments, and a bedside table with removable glass top, so I can show off a lot of my finds. You can also turn items into art, jewelry, and we even replaced all the stones in our mancala game with sharks teeth!

Share Your Finds and Enjoy the Process

Another great idea is to connect with a local resource like a museum association. They can help identify your finds, and perhaps you’ll have something really unique on your hands that you could contribute to a collection!

Proggin’ is one of my favorite hobbies for so many reasons. It’s affordable and accessible – you don’t need any fancy gear or to spend any money. It creates an extended period of time where you can unplug and just study the Bay and all it offers. As a kid, proggin’ helped my attention span, and fostered an increase in appreciation for nature and my curiosity. I’ve also learned so much over the years, and it all started with seeing something in the sand and thinking “huh, what is that?”

If proggin’ sounds fun, join us for a Project Clean Stream event and see what you can find in your own local waterways.