My Beach Hunting Nightmare: Attack of the Groupies and Rugrats!

[fllawboy]

I went to Crandon Beach on Key Biscayne this evening to get in some detecting to relax and enjoy myself, or at least I thought that was the way it was going to go. I got there and the beach was starting to thin out so I thought I would be fine, I avoided the people as best I could and hunted behind the lifeguard stands and in the palms. This is where the first rug-rat attacked me. She was about three years old and every time I scooped out some sand from a hole, she would run over and kick sand back in. Her parents were there laughing and thought it was the funniest thing. I bit my tongue and just smiled, and mom finally realized that it was not so cute and got her back under control.

Then a gentlemen came up to me and started asking me questions about the metal detector and metal detecting in general. He was a nice guy and again I thought to myself you need to be an ambassador for the hobby, so I took the time to speak to him and explain to him what I was doing and what I had found so far. He was very polite and very interested in the hobby. After 30 minutes of talking to him, he finally let me go.

I thought, now I can finally get to some detecting. The beach had thinned out more and I moved to the area on each side of the lifeguard stands and towards the water. Attack of the second rug-rat! This little guy was about 6 years old and very interested in what I was doing. Again, I went out of my way to be nice to him and be an ambassador for the hobby. I explained to him that I was looking for coins and jewelry and that when I found trash, like bottle caps and pull-tabs I would pick them up and throw them out to keep the beach clean. I seemed to like this idea and for the next 1 1/2 hours he was on me like white on rice. In fact he started digging around me every time I dug a hole. He would find bottle caps and give them to me. He must have given me about 30 of them in the time he decided to "help" me. This got old fast, but the kid was having fun and I did not want to be mean to him. So thinking I could get rid of him by giving him the next piece of treasure I found, I dug the next penny signal I got and gave it to him. He was happy, but now he was hooked. I know now that I made a big mistake. While over the next 20 minutes I gave him a Quarter and a few more pennies and even told him he should give them to his mom so he did not loose them. I told me not to worry he had a pocket! So I started swinging again and walking toward the lifeguard stand. Up ahead of me I see a glitter of gold in the sand, I stop swinging and look ahead about three feet and see the out line of either a gold hoop earing or a bracelet. Well, the little guy was watching me like a hawk and saw that I saw something ahead and darted forward. Yes, he found what I had been looking at before I could even move a foot. In his little hand he was now holding one of the largest gold hoop earing I had ever seen. It had to be four inches in diameter. Needless to say he was very happy and I was very disappointed, so close yet so far from gold today.

After about another 20 minutes, his parents finally decide to call him over to them, I guess the metal detector baby sitting service had served its purpose for them. As he was leaving to go to his parents the little guy turns to me and says " I guess I won the contest today, I found gold!" I was speechless! I really did not know what to say to the little guy, he was pretty arrogant about it! So much for being a nice guy and not wanting to be mean to the little fellow! He walked over to his parents and I was finally free of all groupies!

I hunted for about another 15 to 20 minutes before my battery went to low and I had to stop. I did find the face of a watch, it looks like gold, but came up in the silver range and has diamonds on the face. My guess is it is from a fake watch. I found 125 bottle caps and pull-tabs, plus the 30 the rug-rat gave me. I also found about 2.45 in clad. Not that bad of a day, but not the day I had been expecting when I left the house to go detecting. :veryangry:

 

[mattockman]

n/t

 

[Mstal]

That one of the funniest stories I have heard. You tell it so well LOL. Thanks for sharing, Because as a newbie to this, I know now, I need to get rid of kids, gently of course, if I run into one that wants to tag along.

 

[scubadetector]

Yes too funny but miserable!! That is why I dive. I stay away from EVERYBODY!!!

 

[Lou from downunder]

My most recent rugrat adventure was a couple of months ago when the weather here was still warm enough for crowds to descend upon the waters. Happily detecting away on snorkle in waist deep water I was descended upon by a crowd of kids. "What you doing mista etc etc". Politely explained what I was about and satisfied, they all left , but one....... a little fat kid. Why is it always a little fat kid? And always with attitude?
Anyway he just kept hanging around... and hanging around..... till finally one dive, I'm lying on the bottom fanning away and he decides it would be fun to stand on my flippers. I hit the surface, turn slowly with him determined not to get off my flippers, face full of attitude...... and I say to him... please... do not... stand on my FLIPPERS!
Fatty just shrugs and instead made a point of standing in front of me wherever I chose to swing the coil.
I admitted defeat and swam around the next rocky point into the next bay.
I'm there for about an hour and notice a huge crowd gather at the waters edge. A guy with a video wades in next to me and starts filming the gathered multitudes. On asking whats going on he informs me that a mass baptising is about to take place.
I left.
Still, it was'nt too bad a day. One 9ct mens wedding band, one small 9ct earring and enough coin to cover running costs.

Cheers Lou.

 

[Bobbie]

Head down........walk..........swing coil..........hear nothing else but what is in the headphones. People get discouraged and go away.......especially rugrats. Or your 2nd option is hunt in the early morning or late day when there are few visitors at the beach.......and the rugrats are in bed!!

 

[PaPa-Joe-Fla.]

On the flip side while trying to avoid the kids by going in deeper water or just moving in a different direction, I have hit some good targets that I may have missed. I do my best to avoid others as I hunt , but that is next to impossible on some beaches here in Fl. I will answer some questions and then excuse myself and go on. Like Bobbie said the headphones give you a good excuse to ignore others if you wish. We have all had those days with the kids, but it comes with the territory. Thanks for sharing and HH

 

[Magicman]

I have used my headphones for an excuse. Most people are polite and I say a couple words. But if I notice they are being a little off I pretend I really can't hear what they are saying and shrug my shoulders. I guess that comes from doing magic shows and speaking in public, reading body language. As for the kids I am polite and direct, "sorry kids I don't want you to get hurt or anything so go play, thank you".

 

[tropico5]

I suppose you can call me a kid , i am 14 and that has happened to me but not with detecting. Kids come bugging me etc,i can't remeber what for.
But just say to them politely please can i just finish this. ill be back in a second you wait here.
They normally jsut go away and play and wait for you,and you jsut never show.

 

[2muchhomework]

I always tell little kids that I am looking for anything metal that they might step on and get hurt so I need to clean up the beach. They see that I usually find bottlecaps and pulltabs and leave. They think I work there and am only looking for trash so they don't usually stay and bother me. I never tell them I am hunting for any kind of treasure. Too interesting.