diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5815b96..246832f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -37,8 +37,9 @@ Open a page-free Descriptive Book, name its Age, and press Create. Rivencraft
 assigns the book a permanent Age UUID, creates a dedicated vanilla-like runtime
 dimension, and prepares a five-by-five cobblestone arrival platform at the
 highest suitable nearby terrain. Solid blocks and tree leaves are valid
-footing. If no suitable surface is available, the
-platform is generated at Y=63. Reopen the book and click its preview to travel.
+footing. Candidate columns are scanned from the top down so cave floors are not
+selected, and fluid-covered columns are excluded. If no suitable surface is
+available, the platform is generated at Y=63. Reopen the book and click its preview to travel.
 Copies of the written book continue to resolve to the same persistent Age
 across server restarts.
 
diff --git a/docs/PORTING.md b/docs/PORTING.md
index 25372b5..2c0e5f6 100644
--- a/docs/PORTING.md
+++ b/docs/PORTING.md
@@ -202,6 +202,10 @@ no suitable natural footing exists.
 Version 0.2.10.2 allows leaf blocks to count as proper natural footing when
 selecting the highest arrival surface.
 
+Version 0.2.10.3 scans each candidate column downward from the dimension's top
+before choosing footing, preventing cave floors from being selected as the Age
+arrival surface. Columns covered by fluid remain ineligible.
+
 The preview code is separated behind a renderer interface and uses an isolated
 Ponder level populated from server-authoritative destination snapshots.
 
diff --git a/gradle.properties b/gradle.properties
index d34e415..aa70f67 100644
--- a/gradle.properties
+++ b/gradle.properties
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ mod_name=Rivencraft
 # The license of the mod. Review your options at https://choosealicense.com/. All Rights Reserved is the default.
 mod_license=LGPL-3.0-or-later
 # The mod version. Rivencraft uses the x.y.z.b policy documented in README.md.
-mod_version=0.2.10.2
+mod_version=0.2.10.3
 # The group ID for the mod. It is only important when publishing as an artifact to a Maven repository.
 # This should match the base package used for the mod sources.
 # See https://maven.apache.org/guides/mini/guide-naming-conventions.html
diff --git a/src/main/java/net/dnorberg/rivencraft/book/AgeDimensionService.java b/src/main/java/net/dnorberg/rivencraft/book/AgeDimensionService.java
index 8a67f76..ac7c80b 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/dnorberg/rivencraft/book/AgeDimensionService.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/dnorberg/rivencraft/book/AgeDimensionService.java
@@ -121,18 +121,12 @@ public final class AgeDimensionService {
 
         for (int x = -SURFACE_SEARCH_RADIUS; x <= SURFACE_SEARCH_RADIUS; x++) {
             for (int z = -SURFACE_SEARCH_RADIUS; z <= SURFACE_SEARCH_RADIUS; z++) {
-                int floorY = level.getHeight(Heightmap.Types.WORLD_SURFACE, x, z) - 1;
-                if (floorY < level.getMinBuildHeight() || floorY > maximumFloorY) {
+                Optional<BlockPos> columnFooting = highestFootingInColumn(level, x, z, maximumFloorY);
+                if (columnFooting.isEmpty()) {
                     continue;
                 }
 
-                BlockPos candidate = new BlockPos(x, floorY, z);
-                var state = level.getBlockState(candidate);
-                if (!level.getFluidState(candidate).isEmpty()
-                        || (!state.is(BlockTags.LEAVES)
-                        && !state.isFaceSturdy(level, candidate, net.minecraft.core.Direction.UP))) {
-                    continue;
-                }
+                BlockPos candidate = columnFooting.get();
 
                 if (best == null || candidate.getY() > best.getY()
                         || (candidate.getY() == best.getY()
@@ -145,6 +139,27 @@ public final class AgeDimensionService {
         return Optional.ofNullable(best);
     }
 
+    /** Scans downward from the top so cave floors cannot be mistaken for surface footing. */
+    private static Optional<BlockPos> highestFootingInColumn(ServerLevel level, int x, int z, int maximumFloorY) {
+        BlockPos.MutableBlockPos candidate = new BlockPos.MutableBlockPos(x, maximumFloorY, z);
+        for (int y = maximumFloorY; y >= level.getMinBuildHeight(); y--) {
+            candidate.setY(y);
+            if (!level.getFluidState(candidate).isEmpty()) {
+                return Optional.empty();
+            }
+
+            var state = level.getBlockState(candidate);
+            if (state.isAir()) {
+                continue;
+            }
+            if (state.is(BlockTags.LEAVES)
+                    || state.isFaceSturdy(level, candidate, net.minecraft.core.Direction.UP)) {
+                return Optional.of(candidate.immutable());
+            }
+        }
+        return Optional.empty();
+    }
+
     private static BlockPos fallbackSpawnFloor(ServerLevel level) {
         int floorY = Math.clamp(FALLBACK_PLATFORM_Y,
                 level.getMinBuildHeight(), level.getMaxBuildHeight() - 5);