The weather the last couple of days has been overcast with some occasional heavy rains. In fact, that was the forecast for today and for the next few days. However, I love hunting on these type of days as you stay cool and there are less people to negotiate when going through the water. Low tide was to be just before 11am and the surf report seemed good so that made a hunt today with my now completely refurbished Merlin a go. Even though I had scored a gold before that was mainly during “test phases” trying to work out all the quirks of a machine that was rough and had a lot of work done on it. I prefer the Sand Shark when I go to South Beach but I just had give Merlin a shot. ("Put me in coach!")
When I parked my car at 7:30 am I almost went back for my sunglasses but I looked off in the distance towards the beach and saw that everything was gray and overcast so I left them. When I got to the beach the surf was almost as calm as it was on Memorial Day. I did not notice any decent areas to work, but I was just happy being out there getting in one of my few last hunts before I leave on another over month long hike in Spain in a few days. Two hours into the hunt, it started to rain and it was heavy as the drops pelted my headphones.
The ocean got choppier as well from the enveloping bad weather that started to surround me. It’s around this time that lightning struck, not literally, but figuratively. I was working a target in a bit deeper section when on the 1st scoop it did not come up. I scan the hole again and hear a bit of sound so I scoop again. I look in the scoop and see 
I actually got pumped up and said “YEAH!” 
So now Merlin, in its final form, is officially christened with the yellow.
I ran into about 5 other
and talked to a couple but they hadn’t scored. I hunted for another 3 hours in all sorts of rainy conditions before finishing the last 20-30 minutes in a section of wet sand to dry off a bit. That’s where all the greenies came from. At home, I was happy to see that the darkened foreign coin that I cleaned was a 5¢ Euro. That’ll help pay for my 1st espresso in Spain in about 10 days along with a bunch of others that I have saved. Finding that gold today on Merlin’s 1st official hunt was just amazing. 
When I parked my car at 7:30 am I almost went back for my sunglasses but I looked off in the distance towards the beach and saw that everything was gray and overcast so I left them. When I got to the beach the surf was almost as calm as it was on Memorial Day. I did not notice any decent areas to work, but I was just happy being out there getting in one of my few last hunts before I leave on another over month long hike in Spain in a few days. Two hours into the hunt, it started to rain and it was heavy as the drops pelted my headphones.
The ocean got choppier as well from the enveloping bad weather that started to surround me. It’s around this time that lightning struck, not literally, but figuratively. I was working a target in a bit deeper section when on the 1st scoop it did not come up. I scan the hole again and hear a bit of sound so I scoop again. I look in the scoop and see I actually got pumped up and said “YEAH!” So now Merlin, in its final form, is officially christened with the yellow. I ran into about 5 other
and talked to a couple but they hadn’t scored. I hunted for another 3 hours in all sorts of rainy conditions before finishing the last 20-30 minutes in a section of wet sand to dry off a bit. That’s where all the greenies came from. At home, I was happy to see that the darkened foreign coin that I cleaned was a 5¢ Euro. That’ll help pay for my 1st espresso in Spain in about 10 days along with a bunch of others that I have saved. Finding that gold today on Merlin’s 1st official hunt was just amazing. 
