Looking for help from Treasure Coast hunters

[Tikibarowner]

I am headed to the east coast of Florida next week to visit relatives and there happens to be a storm currently forecast to impact the Treasure Coast at the same time I will be there. I have some basic information on the 1715 fleet wrecks and where to go, but looking for guidance and advice from Treasure Coast veterans regarding how, when and where to hunt so that I abide by all laws and courtesies while I am out.

I understand I have to stay off the dunes and out of the water, but how are those boundaries determined? Is the only area of the beach where you are allowed to hunt located between the high tides mark and the low tide marks? Is any wet area considered "in the water"? Are small inlets cut into the sand by storm action with standing or tidal water considered "in the water"? Can you detect in the water if you are outside the 3000' water lease wreck radius? I assume you use GPS to determine that edge of that radius?

Can you hunt from sun rise to sun set? Do they close the beaches during storms, or are you just expected to use common sense when it comes to safety?

Should I expect to see a bunch of people detecting during or after a storm event? Is there some type of etiquette or courtesy that hunters abide by (distance away from each other, etc.)

I have never detected on a beach before, so any other advice is welcome.

I am using an Equinox 800 so any setting suggestions are also welcome.

Lastly, I am driving a pickup truck down from Virginia. If the storm gets bad, is there some item(s) that you know from past experience would be helpful to me to bring down to donate when I get there to help out, like tarps, water, batteries etc?

 

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[Tikibarowner]

Thanks for the sound advice. Didn’t even think of debris in the surf.

 

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[Deesherman]

Beach erosion

Would like to be on the inside to get first grabs

Anyone have an idea when there would be enough erosion to make it worthwhile to hit the treasure beaches

 

[cheech]

Anyone have an idea when there would be enough erosion to make it worthwhile to hit the treasure beaches

After the storm passes if you can find a way to get on the island then it would be the best time but most the time only locals can get on there I only live an hour south and it’s hard for me to get on there usually up to two weeks afterwards but if this storm stays off the coast enough without much damage to the islands it would be easier to get on there

 

[Bum Luck]

Anyone have an idea when there would be enough erosion to make it worthwhile to hit the treasure beaches

certainly better than any other time.

 

[smallfoot]

nothing to fear from police but I was down there after hurricane and police were throwing guys out of an area
and only allowing fellow police into an area that was producing gold coins

I don't know about this going very far around here. That's when the go pro gets turned on and let them talk themselves into a hole. I have deepest respects for law enforcement but will take no s%&T from one when he's wrong..and that is wrong if it's a public beach.

 

[CASPER-2]

monday 730 am - weather channel shows some nice cuts forming but other fla spots it looks like waters are coming straight in and does not look
like it is doing much to shoreline - so far

 

[urbanmel]

I got to say the report I I read on the home page about this storm being a bust for metal detecting was a bit disappointing. I have surfed that coast for the last 35 years and have talked to my friends over there right now and seen lots of pictures. There is some major sand erosion along the entire coast. It may be starting to calm down now but now to the time to be on the beach hunting. It kind of seems like it was very down played in the report. At least with surfers when the surf is good you can rely on reports to be accurate telling you the conditions but it seems like your saying no need to wast your time and money coming here to look for anything , the beach was in no way eroded.
I always thought I could come to this site and find out what the current conditions for metal detecting the 1715's was, Kind of like checking the surf report.
Your telling me the beaches were not effected at all by the storm? No beach erosion worth mentioning? No different than it was 2 weeks ago? The King tide alone much less Dorian would make this a better chance to find a cob then there has been in months.
Why?? aren't we all in this together?

 

[Billieg]

They just had a news show that showed Sebastian beach getting hammered.

 

[cheech]

I tried to get on Palm Beach Island to my little honey hole and there was no go the cops were still blocking the bridges as of 6:30 today

 

[Billieg]

I tried to get on Palm Beach Island to my little honey hole and there was no go the cops were still blocking the bridges as of 6:30 today

Ya, any outer island will be blocked but beaches on the mainland will be open. They said on the news tonight Vero beach was getting hammered.

 

[Bum Luck]

Looks like boating then?

 

[CASPER-2]

YEARS AGO a detectorists was hunting in Carib. was killed by a palm tree in the water that wave picked up and threw at him like a torpedo
another was killed when hit with a long 2 by 4 - so yes becareful or debris in the water

 

[ColonelDan]

I was at the Treasure Coast yesterday. All along A1A many, if not most of the small access points were locked and some actually had police cars blocking entry. Surfers were parking along the road side and making their way to the beach through heavy thicket!

We were able to get to Bonsteel and it was a bust. Mushy sand throughout. The expected erosion was just not there. Numerous detectors were there however. Comparing results, only one that I met found anything of note. A small silver Reale about thumbnail size and paper thin.

Obviously, I couldn’t see the entire Treasure Coast but Dorian did us no great favors where we were and we covered a pretty extensive distance. Other areas may have been better suited for hunting but again, the areas we saw were covered with soft mushy sand and no notable targets other than a few modern coins.

The most important favor Dorian did for us Florida coast dwellers however was staying so far off our coast and sparing us the damage it could have done. Having gone through my share of hurricanes, I am eternally grateful for such favors! Thank God!

 

[ExcalSam]

I wouldn't worry about high tide/low tide areas. If you can reach the area without getting your neck wet no one will bother you

I wouldn't be too sure about that. Years ago I was detecting up there around Turtle Beach. Was wading in knee deep water. There was a boat over 150 yards out. Next thing I know i got this dingy coming up on me with a couple guys in it. They were pleasant and asked if I had an luck (which I didn't). They then informed me I could not detect in the water.

 

[Billieg]

I wouldn't be too sure about that. Years ago I was detecting up there around Turtle Beach. Was wading in knee deep water. There was a boat over 150 yards out. Next thing I know i got this dingy coming up on me with a couple guys in it. They were pleasant and asked if I had an luck (which I didn't). They then informed me I could not detect in the water.

That's very unusual. I've hunted Fl beaches since 1983 and lived on Vero beach for a year. The only time anyone said anything was once when I was next to the dune a county guy came over and said to stay off the dunes. I already knew that but he was nice about it.

 

[ExcalSam]

Below is a short summary of the major restrictions for our Treasure Coast:

A Very Brief Florida State Law Overview:

You are allowed to hunt the beaches from the foot of the Dune to the low tide line and that includes the beaches adjacent to the 1715 Fleet of Spanish shipwrecks.

does that mean if it is high tide, I can detect in the water to the low tide line

 

[biggmike]

I've always been told that if you're detecting and your feet get wet you are breaking the law in that area. I don't think anyone cares if your feet get wet but anything more than that and there probably would be a problem. Not worth the risk if you ask me. I've always wondered if I paid the $1000 for the salvage rights could I hunt the beach water but probably not. I've also heard that you have to turn everything of value over to the Fishers or Whoever and get a percentage back at the end of the year but haven't researched it enough to really speak on the matter.