Sanibel Area Water Detecting

[Skull and Crossbones]

I'm relatively new to water detecting and just bought the new White's PI detector - rated to 100 ft. I've done a lot of dry sand detecting on Sanibel and Ft. Myers Beach and found nothing worth reporting. Water detecting off Sanibel - at the lighthouse has turned up a few coins but that's it. i'm only detecting in waste deep water. I'm having luck on all spans of the Sanibel Causeway - mostly the north side of the spoil islands - pulling up a few dollars worth of pocket change every hour in about 1' to waste deep water.

Any suggestions on better locations in SW Florida, deeper water in these locations? I'm scuba certified too so i can go deep.

Also, has anyone done Venice Beach area? I'm there all the time doing shart teeth/fossil dives.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Cry Of The Eagle: History And Legends Of The Cherokee Indians And Their Buried Treasure - Grab it through Amazon!

[GuerillaBill]

I live across the street from Venice beach, and can tell you there are about 6 metal detectorists who hit the Venice beaches every day. Sand and water is detected heavily, so any targets dropped are found quickly.

The average age in Venice is 72, so most people going to the Venice beaches are not the kind of people who wear lots of gaudy jewelry, and don't often go in the water.

On most days, I see more divers in wet suits in the water than tourists in swim suits.

You'll likely have much better luck up on Siesta key - 100 times more people there, and the right demographics to leave interesting targets behind.

Bill

 

[Skull and Crossbones]

That's sort of what i figured about Venice. Same with Sanibel - all old and leave their jewelry in the condo's. The Sanibel Causeway is a great place to detect. All younger and blinged up. I can hit the north side of one of the spoil islands and get about $2 - $5 within an hour in a 15'x15' area at any given time. Haven't found any rings or jewelry yet out there.

 

[JP]

Hi. Give it time and they will be found. The only problem like GuerillaBill said is there are many detectorists now with water detectors.

As far as Siesta Key, last time I was there, about a month ago, I saw without exaggerating the issue probably 15 people with detectors in hand. There were maybe 10 of them out in the water, all wearing wet suits. I saw zero beach goers in the water, but us detectorists were out there. I dug 2 encrusted pennies.

The last time I hit Clearwater beach it was about the same. There were an army of Ace 250s scouring the drysand and maybe 7 persons out in the water. The water was too cold for a normal human to have entered to lose a valuable item.....but we were there just in case.

Also, I notice that people are out even earlier detecting than in the past. A friend and I hit a few "secret" spots last month at 4 am. When we arrived at one there was already someone there who had been there since 3 am. His grand take for arriving so early....3 quarters, 50 pull tabs, and no jewelry....but he got there first.

 

[Skull and Crossbones]

Well i take the philosophy of "even if i don't find anything - at least i'm at the beach." Of course i live 15 minutes from the Sanibel Lighthouse so i can hit it several times a week. I'm thinking about diving with the detector in about 10 feet of water out near the swim buoys but the current is so swift the closer to the point - not to mention the idiot boat drivers that don't know what a dive flag looks like.

of course i can't wait until spring break is over and head down to the Lani Kai, but FMB is a detectorist hot spot.

 

[mlayers]

My best places has been old swimming holes. Since you scuba dive I would go inlake an work those old swimming holes at the lakes and ponds. Good luck and let us know what you find...Matt

 

[Skull and Crossbones]

O.K. let me run this idea......the downtown area of Fort Myers and the Punta Rassa area near the Sanibel Causeway were old industrial and cattle loading areas for ships. The water downtown FM is dark and muddy whlie the Punta Rassa area is clearer but has a wicked current. Think anything worthwhile will come of this? I also had a friend that used to dive in the Caloosahatchee River out from the old Thomas Edison Estate. Edison had a dock that ran way out into the river. The marine patrol would chase him away. Maybe some good stuff out there.

 

[COTTON]

Skull.Just sent ya a pm.,,,,,,,,,Cotton