What went wrong here?

[E59]

Hi everyone! I just got back from beautiful Pesacola beach (a white sand island) in Florida. I took my Garrett 250 thinking I'd come home with a fist full 'o rings and I came home with a fistful 'o nothin. I was the only person on that beach with a metal detector for the three days that I was there. I pulled countless tabs, caps, and cans out of the sand but nothing more! there were loads of people, it is a nice island what happened? We did have an exciting time in Biloxi beach. We stayed there one night and left shortly thereafter. I dug pieces of roof tin, nails, and even stabbed a hole in my toe. Vastly different than driving just an hour down the coast! All in all it was wonderful but I wished so bad to bring my first ring home. Ahh well, maybe next year.

 

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[Tom_in_CA]

Were you on the wet sand or dry sand? If you were on the wet sand, and getting light-weight stuff like that (tabs for instance), then conditions simply weren't good. The right conditions are when erosion takes out the light-weight stuff, and leaves only the heavier coins, keys, jewelry, etc.... Yes there might still be junk (fishing sinkers for instance), but it will be heavy stuff. When you're in the right wet sand zone, there should never be light-weight stuff, not even molten aluminum (as that is light too). All that stuff is taken out to sea These zones on the sand needn't necessarily be after storms either (although that is the best time to find the conditions). You can find low spots, scallops, steep slopes, etc.... at various times of the year, if you know the physical lay/look of the beach that you are looking for. Here on the west coast, we use the NOAA weather scanner, and know how to judge from swells, directions, tides, etc... as to when erosion might be occuring. Sand is constantly going in and out with the seasons. If the wet sand is soft to the step, and contains light-weight stuff, you're there at the wrong time, or in the wrong spot.

This only addresses the wet sand. As for the dry there, I dunno. I never hunt dry sand, preferring instead to wait for Mother nature to do the work for me

 

[miser]

Part of your problem may be that the beaches were probably re-sanded after last year's hurricane season. The Pensacola area suffers frequently from passign storms. I've had a similar problem on the east coast at Cocoa Beach with re-sanding. It's the beach detectorists nightmare.

The wet sand problem is also very real, especially for detectors like the 250. A nice detector, but from what I've heard, not the best on wet sand.

 

[Nashoba]

.

The wet sand problem is also very real, especially for detectors like the 250. A nice detector, but from what I've heard, not the best on wet sand.

You heard right...I love it otherwise though.

~Nash~

 

[bill gent]

Miser is correct while the ace is a great machine it's not intended for beach use

 

[E59]

Thanks for the info, we were there during light storms but I would have to run back up when the waves came back and when we dug in the wet sand a wave would eventually come and bury our hole. I plan on going back next year and I'm planning on investing in a beach machine and learning more about beach digging from this board.

 

[bazinga]

Just another tip that might help you out....

You said you were on an island, and most islands are visited by locals who own boats and not tourists because they have no way to visit a lot of the islands. Locals are smart and don't wear their jewelry to the beach. Go to beaches that are visited by dumb tourists who wear their engagement rings while swimming in the ocean.

 

[erikk]

Here is another tip. If you are going to do beaches you need another detector. Down this way if you are not using a detector that will go at least 12+ inches in the sand you are out of luck because everyone else is. The Ace 250 might be ok for the tot lots but not for getting the deep stuff. This Will probably ruffle a lot of feathers but that is the way it is. Think about it. If a $200 detector would get it done why buy an expensive one

 

[ronald99]

Everyone always brags about the 250 and alot of people are mislead into believing that the 250 is the greatest detector ever invented,

It is a good starter detector,And work's out great around park's and most other places, But if you plan on beach detecting you need to invest in a detector that will locate deep objects,or you will only find trash and coins that was lost on the dry sand.

I have a minelab and it does a great job on the beach anywhere in Florida

 

[lilmissinsanity]

Part of your problem may be that the beaches were probably re-sanded after last year's hurricane season. The Pensacola area suffers frequently from passign storms. I've had a similar problem on the east coast at Cocoa Beach with re-sanding. It's the beach detectorists nightmare.

right about the resanding. theyve added tons to the shoreline all along the coast in this area
had to start more than once due to storms halting progress & washing away what had been added already. good luck

 

[erikk]

Everyone always brags about the 250 and alot of people are mislead into believing that the 250 is the greatest detector ever invented,

It is a good starter detector,And work's out great around park's and most other places, But if you plan on beach detecting you need to invest in a detector that will locate deep objects,or you will only find trash and coins that was lost on the dry sand.

I have a minelab and it does a great job on the beach anywhere in Florida

You are correct and the key word is STARTER DETECTOR. If you are going to go to the trouble to learn a machine why not start with a really good one where you have a good chance of finding something good. I know it is nice to get a detector for a couple of hundred bucks but it you hunt and don't find much you are going to get discouraged and give it up. Both beaches and dirt are being hammered and unless you have a detector that will go really deep and discriminate to some degree all you are going to be digging are surface clad and trash. If you are walking behind people using Excals, Explorers, DFX F-75 or PI machines what do you think will be left? If you decide the hobby is not for you a high end detector can be resold just as easily as a low end one. At least you will know you had a shot of being in the game.

 

[E59]

This all makes good sense, I hate digging in dirt. I want to dig in the sand as often as I get the chance so I'll be saving my clad ( I forgot to mention that I found $.56 ) for a much better detector.