Reading a beach?

[Top]

Questions for those of you with some experience detecting different beaches, both dry sand and wet:

Is there a good resource such as a text or video that explains the conditions to look for in reading a beach?

Alternatively, are all beaches so different in different parts of the world that it is difficult to write about generic beaching reading?

Thanks for sharing your knowledge,
Tim

 

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[flgliderpilot]

Flat beach shallow bank, deep sand, no rocks or large heavy shells = bad.

Steep bank, rocks, or shallow sand (hard shell underneath) = good

Steep is relative.. you need to know whats "normal" for your beach.

Here is a photo of excellent conditions after a storm. This beach is typically soft white sand with tiny shells and a seaweed line.

I pulled a mid 1900s military button just the other day from this beach. Not a gold ring but it has probably been buried for 75 years. Neptune is cleaning house but its only temporary.

 

[CASPER-2]

but sometimes - you just never know - lot of the older books used to say don't waste your time on the sand bars
though ive done well on some - friend pulled a 5 oz chain off of a sand bar that no one wanted to hit
we have some beaches up here that the towns sifted all the shells and rocks out so you'll never see hard bottom there
we have a few others where they brought sand in long ago that was "cleaned" - so once again you wont see rocks or shells ever
but theres plenty of good stuff in it - you need to get out often and learn the beaches - you will discover the changes
the more you go - hopefully

 

[Terry Soloman]

Dry Sand: Grid Detect the sand in areas where people enter and exit the beach; Grid Detect the "Towel line" which is the high tide line and 25-yards inland.

Wet Sand: Look for black sand and shallow bowls or depressions on the face of the beach. Think like gold - "Where would something as heavy as I am settle on this beach?" If your feet are sinking into the wet sand, you are not in the right place. Look for more solid clay-like areas where the sand has been pulled away.

The main thing is NOT to stroll up or down the beach swinging your detector like a meth addict. S-L-O-W D-O-W-N, and GRID the area you are searching! Keep your coil ON THE SAND. Every half-inch off the sand is a loss in depth. That's it. No books or videos needed. I was taught by a Navy SEAL, Rusty Henry. He told me it is simple, and it is. Just use common sense.

 

[flgliderpilot]

but sometimes - you just never know - lot of the older books used to say don't waste your time on the sand bars
though ive done well on some - friend pulled a 5 oz chain off of a sand bar that no one wanted to hit

I usually check the sand bars.. if you think about it, it's the beach when the waves are breaking further out. They are tossing the stuff up on the beach (which is actually the sand bar).

 

[Top]

Thanks for all the tips.

I plan to use the Tect O Trak app to help with griding the beach using the permanent kiosks as references.
I will likely be the only one detecting this beach. It is almost 6km of busy touristy beach.
But most Brazilians do not wear expensive items to the beach. Maybe wedding bands. But I detected here about 7 seven years ago and found several coins.
https://www.google.com.br/maps/@-26.9947814,-48.6306316,14z?hl=en

 

[jyt2017]

On the "you never know" note. I was detecting on day. Few years ago. And actually walked off a cut to the low tide line. The low tide line was all sand. I found a quarter. Did a small circle pattern. And then found my first gold coin. It was a pendant that got dumped probably by a surfer.

On books. I read any I can get my hands on. Twice. Just in case I missed anything.

So books old and new. Time. Effort. And more research. I have also learned each beach has its own way. Not all productive beaches wash out to rocks in order to give up the goodies. Explore. What's over there?

You can do all the research and still ruin your day if you don't prepare for each hunt. Go over your stuff. Don't let anyone distract you either.

Pay at attention to storms. Visit the beach a lot. Explore.

hh gl -Joe

but sometimes - you just never know - lot of the older books used to say don't waste your time on the sand bars
though ive done well on some - friend pulled a 5 oz chain off of a sand bar that no one wanted to hit
we have some beaches up here that the towns sifted all the shells and rocks out so you'll never see hard bottom there
we have a few others where they brought sand in long ago that was "cleaned" - so once again you wont see rocks or shells ever
but theres plenty of good stuff in it - you need to get out often and learn the beaches - you will discover the changes
the more you go - hopefully
View attachment 1265771

 

[flgliderpilot]

Yes all good points... even a flat sand beach can have pockets where things collect. You must analyze everything and think about what is happening with the sand and where things get lost and end up. It's constantly changing so you need to sometimes think outside the box.

Also, if you see someone else detecting don't assume they have ruined it for you. They are often going too fast and/or not gridding effectively ... watch them and determine the areas they are missing at each pass or not searching and go hit them hard. Just convince yourself they have saved you time by eliminating areas of trash for you.

Good luck!

 

[OBN]

Nothing better then getting to know your own beach by being out there as often as possible and watching how mother nature changes it.

 

[Top]

Nothing better then getting to know your own beach by being out there as often as possible and watching how mother nature changes it.

Well, I have received a lot of great tips and I am thankful. In general they are a place to start instead of me starting from nothing.

This tip though is probably one of the best. Since I will be on the beach almost 24/7 for 2 months, I will watch it closely. I should be able to learn something in that time.
Plus, I'll be going back often.

I can't wait for next weekend.