Dredging question

[Steve and Bia]

Here in Ocean City I met a native resident who is really interested in the surf hunting hobby. He told me about his son in who in 1976 found 6 dabloons in the sand at 100th street while building a sand castle. This was after a dredging. When he son was older he bought a metal detetcor and hunted the beach but never found another gold coin. Later his son became some sort of archeologist. Anyway, the man also told me that every ten years they dredge the surf lane and blow the sand on the beach. Then a dozer or grader smoothes it out. He also said they do this at every beach. Even Florida! I asked him if they need a permit to dredge protected areas in Florida and he laughed pretty hard.

Has anyone heard of this at your favorite beach? Do they really do that?

 

[Bottomfeeder]

I have nothing but contempt for "archeologists". to me they rank right under time share salesmen and Congressmen.
Think about it, they not only get to dig where no one else is allowed, but WE pay them for doing it. such a SWEEEEET deal, don't ya think?
"Permits?? they don't need no stinkin permits" to paraphrase John belushi.

 

[Steve and Bia]

He laughed when I asked if they could dredge "protected waters" without a permit.

 

[Bottomfeeder]

No telling what they are doing. I know we'd get "dredged" if we bothered those areas.

 

[Jim Pa]

It's called replenishing the beach.Done all the time.Remember one thing.If it wasn't for treasure hunters or metal detectorists,there wouldn't be any archaeologists.When we find something ,we do the research and give them the information.They then get a building and call it a museum or historical society and charge you to look at the artifacts.Then they try to put the site off limits to detecting.Next time you talk to an archaeologist,ask them when was the last time they personally dug for something.They use Students for free help.Watch the next time a shopping center is going to be built.They will not say there may be artifacts on that property,only if you want to detect there.Every detectorist should contact their State Reps and get laws on the books to protect the metal detects.Actually the metal detecting companies should be lobbying for that.

 

[Steve and Bia]

I understand what your saying but it seems my post is hard to read and understand.

1. The boy was child when he found the Dabloon's which may have "inspired" him to become an archeologist. (So says his Father)

2. The Father, the Hotel Manager, is a very nice man, who gave me interesting tidbits.

3. "He laughed pretty hard" (The Father) when I asked him about dredging equipment needing a permit to move sand from protected areas because it was obviously a stupid question. (I'm good at stupid questions) It was never answered because they either can't do protected areas or they do them when cleared.

4. I don't know anything about archeology nor have I bumped heads with one in this hobby. Although, in 1980, in Alexandria Virginia, my dad and I were hunting a construction site that just broke ground and within minutes we started digging up caskets. My father called the police and we showed him the finds. A news crew showed up and the next day it was all over the paper and television. An "archeology Team" was called in and they ID'd some 20+ graves from the 1800's and had them moved to another location. The process took nearly a year.

On a different note, we ran across lots of remains, mostly Indian graves, as relic hunters. My dad still has a rib bone with a 69'r lodged in it.

 

[LiL-John]

Hi Folks..I'm one that got arrested for digging in an area that was always one of my favorites. I'm LiL-John of Finders Keepers of Edgewater,MD. This happened about in 1990 at a Place called Edgewater Md where I live and work. It is on the Chesapeake bay just below Annapolis. It was a site that Washington visited when in that area. It was a shipping location for local trade on the river and bay. At that time water hunting was legal to the high tide mark with out trespassing, as in most area's as long as we always came by boat and kept our feet wet. I have been hunting the water since 1970 making my own water proof machines at the time. I was a multi line dealer at the time, and using the Garrett Xl 500 and pulse and digging with a long handle scoop. The police were called to chase us but I stood my ground. I'm a Viet Nam vet with ptsd from combat in Nam in 1968, needless to say authority doesn't set well with me, when I'm right. To make the story short the Marine Police were called to handle the action because it was on the water. In turn I knew them and sold them mahines. They told the real police we were legal to do what we were doing. After they went and talked to the Archaeologist people we had another story. The Law was changed and it now stated " All waters of the State of Maryland that is controled by the state you can not dig anyting over a 100 years old, or dig on sites that they have as protected.If you do dig up anything over a 100 years old you are to report that site to them . The law is very poor,for you have to break it to see if your target is over a 100 years old besides they " arch socity does not publish where any sites are, you must call them. Yes it cost me a few thousand dollars to be defended but the State dropped the case for the judge was going our way for such an ambiguous law. Besides the oyster and clam people pull up many artifacts and their sites would be off limits due the the law. The case was nol processed so the law is still on the books, I fought but the State figured a way to keep the law. So just be careful while digging and watch what you do with your 100 year old stuff. Anyone can contact me at 410-798-9546 for I didn't want to make this sooooo long.

 

[Steve and Bia]

n/t