The turf hunter just finished his trip to the beach, and...

[sgoss66]

Well, we just completed or trip to Destin, FL, and my first crack at beach hunting.

First off, it was alot of fun. We arrived Sunday, the day after Hurricane Nate made landfall just west, near Biloxi, Mississippi. I hit the beach for several hours each day, Monday through Saturday morning (this morning).

I was pleased to find that the E-Trac I borrowed from a friend (while my SE Pro was in the shop for repair) worked well on the beach...dry sand, wet sand, even shallow water, the machine did a good job.

However, I had a real hard time figuring things out. Having never beach hunted before, and having just had a hurricane come ashore, I don't know how much of the conditions i experienced were "normal." It seemed to me like there was a TON of sand on the beach, and huge sand bars just offshore. I couldnt figure out any "pattern," as there didn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to where i was finding stuff. I would hunt way up on the dry sand, and dig a 12" deep beer bottle cap, and 5 feet away, dig a 6" deep crusty coin. On the sloping wet sand, I would dig a 6" deep pull tab, and a few feet away dig a lead fishing weight from the same depth. Not many targets in the wet sand, and along the towel/chair line the only "recent drops" I managed were modern coins and bottle caps/pull tabs. The only jewelry pieces were a large junk hoop earring, and a junk pendant.

I don't know what to take from this, as far as "lessons learned" for the next time. Don't know how "normal" or "abnormal" the beach conditions were, bur there seemed to be no "rhyme or reason" as to why things were in the places they were in. All types of targets in all strata and types of sand. Also, was very surprised that in 15-20 hours hunting, and the detector reaching a good 10 to 12" depth, and with several nickels dug plus lots of pull tabs, some foil, pieces of aluminum cans, zippers, lead weights, etc., that I dug no gold, and not even any silver. Seemed unusual to me, with that many hours hunting, no?

In any case, I enjoyed it; just not sure whether I should take any "lessons learned" from the trip, or if conditions were unusual and uncommon such that next trip would likely be totally different. Any thoughts?

Steve

 

[rottonr]

That sounds like this turf hunter turned fresh water hunter 5 years ago feels like on a once a year trip to the coast. I'm looking forward to the ocean pros feedback.

 

[bootyhoundpa]

From my somewhat limited saltwater beach experiences i can tell you sometimes it wont make sense and other times when you finally figure out what is going on high tide is coming in.. helps to have general knowledge of the beach you are hunting too,like history, last time replenished etc.. as long as you had fun it was worthwhile. ..

 

[sgoss66]

Yes, bootyhoundpa, it was fun, and thus worthwhile.

It's just that I realize there is a lot to learn, and in my attempt to educate myself, I would like to know what "take aways" I might remember, in terms of learning some things from this trip. I kind of feel like the beach conditions were unusual, in which case it would be a mistake to try and generalize, and "learn any lessons" from this experience.

Steve

 

[Sanderling]

Sounds like a typical day on the beach to me Steve. As a beach hunter for 20 plus years I have found that there is no rhyme or reason concerning where you find targets on the beach. As a friend of mine always says, "It all depends on where you step." I was in Destin last November for four days and hunted seven different beach areas and found a total of $1.91, rabies dog tag, and a corroded multi tool. Heck of a pretty area though. HH

 

[sgoss66]

Sanderling -- interesting. Thanks for your input; sounds like your experience was quite similar to mine. As a scientist, and thus someone who likes to "figure things out" and find the logic therein, I don't do well with "random." SURELY, my brain says, what appears to be "random" can't REALLY be "random..." Can it? There MUST be logic hidden in there, beneath the apparent randomness...right?

I think this is why I struggle to understand the "fairer sex."

Anyway, I agree, a very pretty area -- and will simply have to try again next time we are there.

But, there HAS to be some logic that can explain things, some pattern to be found. Right?! PLEASE don't tell me beach hunting is like trying to understand my teenage daughter! LOL!!

Steve

 

[Sanderling]

Afraid so Steve. I can go to the beach one day and hit a lot of targets. Go the next to the same area and there is very little to find. Having said that, you just never know what you are going to dig up out there and that is what keeps me going back. I have found a variety of items over the years. Cell phones, an E cigarette device, a couple of crematory tags, dental bridges (could be related to the crematory tags), coins, watches, bracelets, rings, you name it. If people lose it you can find it. The next time you go it may be a totally different experience for you, so don't drive yourself nuts trying to figure it out. Just go and enjoy!

 

[sgoss66]

Sanderling,

Ugh! I hate random!!

Anyway, in the end, your last sentence is that one that applies...next time I have the opportunity, I will do it again, and enjoy it...

Steve

 

[bootyhoundpa]

Sgoss66. I believe it's an organized conspiracy orchestrated by those little sand fleas..it's the only rational answer as the sand doesn't appear to move much but the targets do... i recall several years back being at the beach one evening, there were like 8 people working the wet sand and everyone was getting the occasional target but no one was too busy... long story short after the sun went down about an hour after most everyone left i started hitting targets right and left hunting the same sand everyone else including myself had hunted just an hour or 2 prior.. i didn't find any gold that night but did find 4 rings and pocketful of clad.. it was a very calm night and no real particular reason i could figure why the sudden quanity of targets appeared... sometimes you just gotta be in the right place with machine in hand when the vault opens.. ya know,if you could invent some sort of coin that could be pinpoint tracked with gps on a daily basis you might be the 1st to crack the code otherwise there are just way too many variables. . you're not wrong to ponder the question ,everyone does .. play your hunches sooner or later you'll be right...

 

[sgoss66]

Fascinating post, bootyhound. It really is. I agree, it's those doggone sand fleas! There were sure a ton of those things in the wet sand, I'll tell you that. Every wave that would wash up and then retreat, you'd see those tentacles sticking out of the sand!

Seriously, though, strange story -- fits in with the "randomness" that I experienced!

I can promise you I will keep pondering, it's in my nature; can't help it! But without being there, living near the beach, where I can "gather data" on a regular basis by doing it over, and over, and over again, I'm not sure this is something I'm ever going to figure out, or become very good at. Still, I enjoyed it and will keep trying, every time I have the chance. Didn't think I'd enjoy it as much as I did; I guess the good news is, my wife and daughter LOVE the beach, so it would be easy to talk them into going any time!

Steve

 

[Dancer]

Well sgo your experience about discribes the average beach hunt. Truth is where booze is seriously limited , good targets and tabs start thinning out. Don't like random, just remember everyone has already hunted the oblivious. But as the hound related, things change with every slap of the waves. Luck & a lot of hours.

Dancer

 

[sgoss66]

Dancer --

I understand your point about the booze. Also, your point about "luck and a lot of hours" makes sense too. I can see where it would take a good bit of both. I'm sure, as with other types of detecting, the more skill and experience you acquire, the more you can begin to turn the "luck" in your favor. But still, there's an element of good fortune involved no matter what type of detecting you are doing.

What I felt like was that I was wasting a lot of time, ignorantly hunting areas that any good beach hunter would have said "don't hunt there, you are almost certain to find nothing there; instead, hunt this type of area today, because of x/y/z factors." That's what I wish I was able to do. If I knew I was working the right parts of the beach based on the conditions that day, but there just were no finds to be had that day, I'm good with that. But, I didn't have that ability, obviously, and I would love to get closer to that place where I knew which parts of the beach to focus my attention, and which to ignore. I've learned to do that fairly well (reading the conditions, terrain, etc.) when coin hunting in your average park, school yard, or lawn, but I felt like I was "flying blind" on the beach. Probably because I was! The only thing I had confidence in, is knowing what my machine was telling me; as for where I should have been focusing my efforts, though? No clue.

I am looking forward to "next time," whenever that might be.

Steve

 

[Sanderling]

Steve, lots of detectorists like the so called towel line where beach goers congregate for their day in the sun. I also look for low spots and cuts in the sand. These areas have been productive, but not always. What I like to do is go coast to coast (east to west, tide line to the dunes) back and forth and see if there is a pattern of finds within a certain area. If so, I go pole to pole (north to south) and this has been productive as well. Occasionally you can hit a coin spill or an area that for some reason is rich in targets. We will make a beach detectorist out of you yet lol.

 

[sgoss66]

We will make a beach detectorist out of you yet lol.

LOL!

I am good with that; as much as my wife and daughter love the beach, there will be more trips in the future I am sure. So more opportunities for me to try and learn some of the "tricks of the trade!"

I tried some of that "east to west" that you talked about -- from water's edge to dunes -- but in Destin that's "north to south!" LOL. But I knew what you meant. I was trying to see, like you said, if I could find any clue about where the goodies might have been located, relatively speaking. But I couldn't make rhyme or reason of it. Too random. I do think Nate had something to do with that. I really do. I think it brought in a lot of sand.

"Pole-to-pole," I was able to find some relative "concentration" of recently dropped coins. That's the one thing I was able to notice. Not surprising there.

I really look forward to trying this again; I think a second time -- NOT the day after a hurricane and associated storm surge comes onshore -- will be a big help, in terms of me learning a bit more about how things go on the beach.

Thanks!!

Steve

 

[Sanderling]

Sounds like you are on the right track as far as beach hunting! I am a Florida East coastie, so I am all north south/east west, but you got it. Betting you will have better luck next time you go. Be sure and let us know how you make out.

 

[sgoss66]

Will do, Sanderling, and I appreciate the advice from you, and everyone else.

Next time I go, I will of course have my Explorer, and most likely will be bringing an Equinox, too (assuming it does as well as I expect it to in the wet salt sand).

Really looking forward to it, actually...which surprises me. I was only half-enthused about the idea at first, but warmed up to it with time, and ESPECIALLY after having done it, I actually really enjoyed the challenge.

Steve

 

[Sanderling]

You are welcome Steve. Saving my $$$ for an Equinox as well! If you ever get over to the east coast - Daytona area - let me know. For now HH.

 

[sgoss66]

Sanderling --

Will do, for sure. Thank you!

Steve

 

[LawrencetheMDer]

If you put together everything said already, that is what I wanted to say - there is some sanity to the randomness as noted by running the blanket line, high tide line, foot of dunes (particularly after a big one like Irma) for surfing coins, cuts, low points, etc. On the other hand, targets are sometimes in the least expected spots and thus we often grid a portion of the beach, like in front of an expensive hotel, by going back and forth between the dunes and water line and then crossing again at 90 deg.
But there is also a lot to be said about knowing how to read a beach (both in water and out), people traffic patterns (I actually use Google to assess beach traffic patterns, when available), when a beach is "sanded-in", how to tell deep pockets in the water from land, when is low and high tides, etc., etc. For those of us who enjoy detecting the surf all day, prep includes weather particularly wind, tide and surf height and water temp...not to mention being constantly on guard for sting rays, shark, red tide and rip-tides, etc. But enjoy every minute which go by in seconds.

 

[ColonelDan]

I do 99% of my detecting on Floirda's east coast beaches and enjoyed reading about your experiences! I agree with the comments offered thus far and can reassure you that good targets are where you find them. I've done well in dry sand, wet sand and in the surf. You can't tell where "depositors" will drop goodies. But...you can narrow the search area by looking in areas that have a tendency to trap the heavier items...like low spots in the wet sand, around beach entrances, along the "towel line", around areas where people tend to congregate (volley ball courts, snack stands, piers etc) The more you go the more you learn.

In terms of environmental prep, I always wear long pants, long sleeve shirts, sun hat with neck flap, use plenty of sunscreen and carry water. When people ask why I cover up so I merely tell them its to protect against the sun, sand fleas and jelly fish. It only take one time being stung by a jelly fish and you quickly learn.

Soldier on...