CarsonChris
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I’ve heard detecting beaches near the bay is off limits. Which California beaches are off limit and what are some good ones? I want to try an ocean hunt.
San Francisco Bay
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metaladdict
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You can detect any beach except for National park beaches and Historic state beaches.
I grew up in the North Bay so only China Camp State Historical beach is the only one I can think of that's Historic.
I detect state beaches and county beaches mainly.
Public beaches are legal if there are any designated as such.
If you detect national park beaches you will be told to leave by a ranger.
I grew up in the North Bay so only China Camp State Historical beach is the only one I can think of that's Historic.
I detect state beaches and county beaches mainly.
Public beaches are legal if there are any designated as such.
If you detect national park beaches you will be told to leave by a ranger.
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Rudy
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Santa Cruz, Carmel and Monterey beaches are quite popular with hunters.
CarsonChris
Elite Member
I know the Monterey beaches have a strong riptide. How is the water at Santa Cruz?
Tom_in_CA
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Santa Cruz main is "bath tub " conditions. That's what makes it so popular.
The only beaches, in all of CA , that are "supposedly " off limits, is any federally administered ones. And fortunately that's very little of our Coastline. Even only a few sections of the Bay Area are federal . Specifically: the GGNRA ones.
And all the rest, you can hunt to your heart's content.
The only beaches, in all of CA , that are "supposedly " off limits, is any federally administered ones. And fortunately that's very little of our Coastline. Even only a few sections of the Bay Area are federal . Specifically: the GGNRA ones.
And all the rest, you can hunt to your heart's content.
KOB
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Easy there Tiger ! Seal Beach ,Ca has strict laws regarding hunting on their beaches. You can punch it up on the web. It's ok. There's probably more that we both don't know about.
Noreaster
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Here in Massachusetts, the Rangers on the "National Sea Shore" beaches will confiscate your metal detector for just having it with you. Mear possession is against the rules.
Tom_in_CA
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I tried "punching it up on the web" . I don't find anything.
Are you referring to this ? : http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/t...-beach-ca-banned-beachcombing-city-beach.html
If so, then it seems this notion was put-to-rest long ago.
What entity administers Seal Beach ? Ie.: Is if state beach ? City beach ? County beach ? Or federal beach ? If you have any laws or rules that say "no md'ing", then I would love to see the link.
Tom_in_CA
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Curious if you know of any incidents, where this has actually happened ? Ie.: someone not using a detector, but... for example .... merely had it in his car or something . Do you know of any such confiscations, when not-being-used ?
Or for that matter: How about a confiscation for someone when-actually-using one ?
Noreaster
Full Member
I was warned by the local hobby shop, so its hear say when it comes to that. I also believe there was a thread on treasure.xxx a few / 10 years back or so.
Here is what the regulation says:
7) Possessing or using a mineral or metal detector, magnetometer, side scan sonar, other metal detecting de-vice, or subbottom profiler.
This paragraph does not apply to: (i) A device broken down and stored or packed to prevent its use while in park areas
https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/CFR-2018-title36-vol1/CFR-2018-title36-vol1-sec2-1/context
36 Code of Federal Regulations 2.1(a)(7)
metaladdict
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I have heard the same for Emerald Bay at the park where a historic house is.At Lake Tahoe.
Tom_in_CA
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Ok. Thanx. The fear of "confiscations" comes up frequently. And ... even for "merely having one " un-used . Yet when you ask around, there's never any examples of this. No one has any such incident to cite.
Or if they CAN cite a "confiscation" incident, it's invariably for someone night-sneaking obvious historic sensitive spots . Or someone being obnoxious that can't take a warning, etc.... Never for "merely having one" .
KOB
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Yes Tom I am. It's still on the books. City of Seal Beal,Ca.gov.
Seal Beach Municipal Code
Title 9: public property, public works and building regulations
Chapter 9.05 Beaches and Piers
9.05.015 Beachcombing Ord.1515
I know , it was beaten to death on that forum with lame excuses. But , it's still on the books. If that doesn't say no metal detecting to you , nothing ever will.
P.s - I wish all the beaches from L.A to Tijuana were illegal. I might be the only one detecting . Just like the old days !
Tom_in_CA
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Ok, now I found it :
"No person shall dig into or under the surface of the city beach, or shall sift, screen or riddle the sand upon the city beach for the purpose of retrieving articles. .... (Ord. 1515) ..."
Ok. The issue I recalled, was some tragic accident where kid making "sand tunnels" got trapped, suffocated, and died. Or an issue of college kids making giant sand pits, etc... Such that the prohibition was merely for "digging". Which some md'rs had thought meant "oh no, can't metal detect now". If that were the case, then yes, I would boldly say that a rule for that was NEVER meant to apply to the "digging" that md'rs do .
The quote from the place you're speaking of, is something different. And no I don't deny that it pretty well describes md'ing (although not mentioning md'ing by-name). But ... let me ask you this: Is this something that anyone currently on the payroll there is even aware of ? Ie.: has anyone known this to be enforced, such that they 'scram' md'rs ?
Because when this issue came up years ago, I recall some So. CA hunters scratching their heads and saying "gee, we hunt there all the time, and no one's ever said anything to us" (ie.: it was "news" to them). Thus concluding it was akin to spitting on sidewalks type thing. Unless I'm mistaken, and there's actually lifeguards or city persons who actually enforce this on md'rs ?
KOB
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Yeah... years ago some kid died. Other kids making big holes or tunnels. Not from detectorist. I used to hunt there back in the day. Not so much now. Never had an issue , but you better fill your holes ! I think it's kinda like a traffic stop. Busted tail light ? Let's pull him over and see what we got. Before you know it , you're cuffed and stuffed. 3 hots and a cot.
Tom_in_CA
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Ok, so this is a city administered beach (as opposed to state or county of federal or private) I got a question , since you're from that area: Do you have any idea why this city instituted such a thing ? Why the heck would they care if someone "retrieves articles" or "sifts the sand" ? Ie.: what put it, on someone's city-hall plate there years ago, that they would ever have dreamed this up, in the first place ?
And ... if this language is to be taken literally, you'll notice it doesn't seem to "exclude all digging". In context, it's only digging "for the purpose of retrieving articles". Therefore I guess digging sandcastles is ok. Just not digging for md'ing.
I could certainly understand if they had a cultural heritage concern going on (heaven forbid you or I found an old coin, eh ?
). Then they could *at least* have an excuse why they care. But in this case, it's just makes no sense. What is the justification ? What was the thing that caused someone in city hall to dream this up ?And I'll bet you dollars to donuts that you could detect there, till you're blue in the face (yes, gasp, retrieving articles), and you'd probably find no one to be aware of such minutia, or care less.
KOB
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Ok, so this is a city administered beach (as opposed to state or county of federal or private) I got a question , since you're from that area: Do you have any idea why this city instituted such a thing ? Why the heck would they care if someone "retrieves articles" or "sifts the sand" ? Ie.: what put it, on someone's city-hall plate there years ago, that they would ever have dreamed this up, in the first place ?
And ... if this language is to be taken literally, you'll notice it doesn't seem to "exclude all digging". In context, it's only digging "for the purpose of retrieving articles". Therefore I guess digging sandcastles is ok. Just not digging for md'ing.
I could certainly understand if they had a cultural heritage concern going on (heaven forbid you or I found an old coin, eh ?
And I'll bet you dollars to donuts that you could detect there, till you're blue in the face (yes, gasp, retrieving articles), and you'd probably find no one to be aware of such minutia, or care less.
Your right on all fronts here. I personally don't know why they concocted this up. Can only assume it was because of that poor kid. Law was around the same time. Yes , guys still hunt there. City just doesn't want a repeat of a freak accident. Though caused by humans. I remember some years ago down here they prohibited people from playing playing football , frisbee, etc on the beach. People were getting hurt , fights , shot and so on. It was all over the news. Just bizarre. Was temporary as I recall.
Could you imagine : a woman losing her diamond ring. Her party of 10 at the beach all start digging around in the sand looking for it. Lifeguard or cop pulls up and cites them all for sifting the sand trying to retrieve the ring. Just ludicrous !
Tom_in_CA
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No. I can not imagine that . There's not a lifeguard in the world, (not even a mean lifeguard having a bad hair day) who would even notice, or even forbid such a thing. Despite this crystal clear wording. And I bet ... You'd be hard-pressed to find anyone in city hall there (or any lifeguards, etc..) who are even aware of the wording, or care less.
KOB
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How much you wanna bet ? Lol. I can assure you there is someone there that knows the codes inside and out. I've learned alot from from being on here.
Though not a land hunter , I'm learning. I read alot about people here regarding permissions. So now what I do is this: i find a park where i want to hunt. I go to the city hall and speak to someone regarding the laws on metal detecting parks. Been successful 3 times. If any city tells me no , I will just move on. This is so I'm prepared if some fool rolls up on me and says "you can't detect or dig here" BS. Everyone I've talked to has been cool. Helps to have the right attitude when I do this. Haven't personally gone into Seal Beach City Hall. Not sure if I want to. Hahaha....
