Florida - no digging on federal park lands and beaches ??

[EMTFlorida]

Guys,

What is the law regarding metal detecting and digging? I'm in St Augustine, FL and I know there's tons that can be uncovered here. I researched the florida laws and there isn't too much explanation regarding the legalities. EXCEPT I read that on federal land such as federal parks, it's illegal to metal detect or dig and remove items and you could face a year in prison and a $20k fine.

So if that's the case, how in the world has this guy been doing it for 41 years, in st augustine FL, and even combing areas that are in low tide (which the law states is illegal) Metal detectorist finds rare treasures under sands | StAugustine.com

Is it more of like "if it doesn't have a sign that says no metal detecting, it's OK"? I also can't determine what areas of the beach the federal parks own; where that line ends. And when the line does end, can you dig underwater? Some laws say submersible items cannot be removed.

So then what about Mel Fisher or anyone else out there discovering shipwrecks? Is this illegal now?

I really want to get into this, it's been a hobby that has interested me for years now; just want to make sure I'm clear on the laws.

 

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[EMTFlorida]

Since the tax payers pay for federal beaches and upkeep, we should be allow to search for single coins and jewels and buried treasures. We need to complain to our Congress members.

I dont see why it's not legal. I don't see them out there metal detecting themselves and I can only imagine they're sitting on millions of dollars worth of treasures, especially at Fort Matanzas, home of the Matanzas massacre.

Who knows though, maybe they did metal detect out there themselves...

 

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[FISHEYE]

You can dig all you want on fed parks at beaches by using whats called a sand flea rake.You can use the sand fleas as bait for fishing.Whatever else you scoop up in the rake you can keep too.Just dont let anyone on the beach see you pocket the metal stuff.You can also sift all the dry sand you want with a metal or plastic sifter.A ranger at the cape told me this.You can even take driftwood off the beaches.I found a nice part of a 1800's era rudder post with copper sheeting and nails on it at the cape.I carried it 8 miles down the beach.

 

[ARC]

That is the correct answer. St Augustine says no metal detecting on public land anywhere in town. They do not own the beaches, however, and beaches are allowed. NO metal detecting at national park beaches, such as Fort Matanzas. Across the way at the public beach is fine.

So, AARC, what if you find something on those beaches that is dated quite old? Let's say I find a coin that looks 400 years old. Does FL state law require you to report the find, or are you OK to pocket it and move on?

I will let you know when and IF I find one

 

[aquanut]

I emailed the National Park Service a couple years ago to ask them to give me a reason why we can't metal detect the beaches on the National Seashore and they never responded.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I emailed the National Park Service a couple years ago to ask them to give me a reason why we can't metal detect the beaches on the National Seashore and they never responded.

No surprise there....

 

[Tom_in_CA]

I dont see why it's not legal. I don't see them out there metal detecting themselves ....

I emailed the National Park Service a couple years ago to ask them to give me a reason why we can't metal detect the beaches on the National Seashore and they never responded.

What EMT and aquanut are saying makes sense to us md'rs. Because we would rationalize that the "stuff will just rot there till eternity". And that even the most WELL FUNDED team of academic archaeologists will NEVER be able to sift or detect even a couple of acres of a single national park or beach (at their puny 4 x 4 pits they dig with tweezers).

So why would/does anyone care if .... gasp ... you or I came along and found a ring, or a barber dime, etc.... ? But as much as this may make perfect sense to you and I, the purist archie (and hence the govt. to which they answer to) does not see it that way. They would answer like this:

"How do you know, that 100 or 1000 yrs. from now, some future generation archaeologist MIGHT NOT DIG in that exact spot ? And now you have thus robbed future generations of learning/knowing about their past, by having "ripped that item out of context", blah blah blah.

For example: Consider the archaeology going on right now in Egypt. Some of it , that yield a great bunch of information about ancient Egypt, is not at "ground zero" of the obvious pyramids themselves. But perhaps miles upstream or downstream at worker villages. Places that you could argue are "not sensitive" (when compared to the actual obvious pyramids themselves). Yet when you look at the great things constructed about the past, from all the "ho-hum" items pulled from the blue collar villages, you can't argue with the great history it reveals.

SO IN THE SAME WAY: You can't *say for certain* that the buffalo nickel you pulled from the seemingly innocuous stretch of public land today, might not be important for some future archie 1000+ yrs. from now.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Also: Let's be perfectly honest: Even if the govt. or archies DID see the logic of EMT's and Aquanut's objection. And let's say that they relented and said:

"Ok. But just not at historic sensitive parts of various state or federal parks".

Well guess what we md'rs would admittedly do next ? We'd be perpetually "pushing the envelope". Like the "camel's nose in the tent". I mean, let's be honest: Who's going to sit there and draw up imaginary lines around any such sensitive monument spot ? Is it 30 yards ? 100 yards? And what exactly constitutes sensitive off-limits spots ? New ones are found all the time in new discoveries afterall.

So you can hardly blame them for just "making it simple" and saying "at the entire forest" or "at the entire beach of such & such entity", despite our cries of foul.

 

[Sandman]

if you worry about if it's legal, you in the wrong hobby.