A chance to survey the seams (8)
I believe the answer is:
prospect
This might be a double definition.
'a chance' is the first definition.
(I know that chance can be written as prospect)
'survey the seams' is the second definition.
'prospect' can be an answer for 'survey' (thesaurus). I'm not certain of the 'the seams' bit.
'to' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for prospect that I've seen before include "Possibility of future success" , "work at mine" , "View - chances" , "Possibility; wide view" , "Potential customer" .)