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Go or No Go?

LordOfTheZincs

Elite Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2013
Messages
3,095
Location
San Juan Island Washington
A local beach I heard rumor of. Only one sign at the parking area. I tried to get a pic on here of the sign at the trail head leading to the beach but seems to be something wrong with the file? Anyways this is what it say's verbatim. "Eagle Cove Beach Public access includes the trail and beach. The surrounding area and the cliffs are fragile and privately owned. To respect private property and to protect the slopes please stay on the beach." The sign below it say's "Eagle Cove County Day Park No Camping No Fires Pack It Out Open 8am-Dusk" I went there yesterday and checked this place out. People laying out in the sun at 68 deg.??? Kids digging around in the sand and building sand castles, dogs running off leash etc. Also found a pic. of kids digging clams on a field trip there on google. This is almost like a California or Fl. type beach I had been looking for out here but didn't know existed until I ran into a loose lipped dude in a bar one night when I took my gf Tawnee out to play pool. He was a freakin idiot but at least he was right about this place........:lol: I already did the research and know the answer and also what I will be doing at this place but based off of signage, what say you? :?:
 
Why aren't you there digging right now?! How is this even a question, there is NOTHING saying you can't detect, just keep it to the beach so you don't get into private property.

GO HUNT!
 
Why aren't you there digging right now?! How is this even a question, there is NOTHING saying you can't detect, just keep it to the beach so you don't get into private property.

GO HUNT!

What Jason said. :pirates: Are you still here?

Geez man I post a place AFTER I loot it! Pirate Up! :laughing:

Good luck to you it sounds like a great spot.
 
I have to work today. :( AND! I may have to slip in under the cover of darkness anyways. ;) Or in broad daylight with my orange W T F safety vest on? :lol:

I will make a small confession. I am nervous as heck whenever I go into a new place. Always.

But nervous stays in the car when I get out.

As soon as I'm out of the car and gearing up I hit the place like a boss. I not only belong there, I own it. :cool:

Good hunting to you! :grin:
 
reply

If the sign to the entrance to a park or beach didn't say "no detecting", then as everyone else here says "what's there to question? Why would you think you can't?"

But there's a slight possibility that some rule or law could exist on the books down at whatever public entity administers that, that doesn't necessarily appear on the sign. Example: The sign probably also doesn't forbid nudity, or stealing, yet .... odds are ... such verbage IS at city or county hall.

So what entity's beach is it? County? city ? State ? federal ? etc.... And unless something down at city or county or state hall specifically said "no metal detectors", then: Presto, it's not prohibited. But most of us wouldn't even go that far. And .... as long as it's not an obvious historic sensitive monument, would simply go, in-lieu of what you're saying.
 
Hi LOTZ, no brainer there! Says public beach and trail. Isn't that your AKA? John Q Public? Hope you find lots of goodies!
 
I say do your research without actually VERBALLY asking for permission and if it checks out then hunt it and good luck. Hopefully this will not be another hateful / rude thread gone south. :popcorn:
 
Oh excuse me, County parks no, some state parks yes. This was pulled from their pdf. There is a national park around the bend called American camp but the cove is outside American Camps boundaries, it's one of the national park NO NO'S for sure but to me hunting to the tide line in this cove is perfectly acceptable.

350 COURT ST #8
FRIDAY HARBOR WA
98250
(360) 378
-
8420
fax (360) 378
-
2075
e
-
mail
[email protected]
www.sanjuanco.com/
parks/
Metal Detecting Policy
Each San Juan County Park property is subject to thousands of
visitors each year, making it a challenge to manage these precious
properties. Please help prevent further degradation of these park
lands by adhering to the San Juan County Parks prohibition on
metal detecting.

Metal detecting activities are not allowed on any County
Park property.

Several of our San Juan County Parks are located on
culturally sensitive ground. Every effort must be made to
keep these archaeological sites intact and undisturbed.

Anyone observed using metal detecting equipment or digging
on County Park property will be asked to cease their activity
immediately. Those who persist will be asked to leave the
park.

If you observe someone using metal detecting equipment or
digging on
County Park property, please contact the Park
office. Photos, physical description and vehicle description, if
available, are helpful.
You may refer to San Juan County Code Title 12.08 for applicable
sections that protect the resources in our parks for th
e citizens of
San Juan County.
At the time this policy was written, metal detecting was permitted
at more than 60 state parks throughout Washington. Users of
metal detectors must register first with Washington State Parks
and
comply with posted regulations. The registration form, rules
and a list of parks that allow detecting may be found in the
brochure "
Metal Detecting in W
ashington state parks
," available
from park rangers or by calling (360) 902
-
8500; Washington
Telecommunications Relay Service (800) 833
-
6388

I'm goin rogue :mad:
 
I say you pack in a couple rolls of pennies and scatter 'em. Make sure you bring your metal detector so you can gather them up and pack 'em back out.:lol: If it is specifically forbidden, I wouldn't recommend it. Otherwise clean the place out, trash and treasure alike!
 
well well well

Well well mr. Zincs: It appears that you have a case where the following factors are present:

a) it's a county run beach.

b) the sign at the entrance to the beach has nothing forbidding metal detectors

c) But there IS something in minutia of rules (yet not on the sign) saying "no metal detectors" in their county park's codes.

Therefore, I suppose the technical answer to your question is: you can't do it. :wow: If you had just gone, perhaps no one would have cared or noticed (not saying that makes it right, but ... just saying). I mean, barring an obvious historic sensitive monument or something. And even if someone there DID say something, I'm betting you'd have been "alerted" (since it's not on the sign) and again, ok, so be it. You'd give lip service and move on. (again, not saying that makes it right, but ... just saying).

Anyhow, the technical answer is: "no". And on a side-note: that's rare that county parks anywhere have anything that detailed, so as to prohibit detectors. It's usually left up to catch-all verbage like "alter" "deface" "collect", "remove" and so forth. Rarely does something that specific exist down to city and county levels. I'm betting that places where such things exist, are either a) riddled with admittedly sensitive monuments, or b) persons in the past went in asking "can I?" thus leading for an eventual rule to "address the pressing issue".
 
For me regardless of the rules (unless they are posted) I just go . I have been asked to leave by authorities 2 or 3 times out of more than 1000 hunts. By the way I often see rangers and police when detecting I just wave to say Hi and keep detecting.
 
Here's a map (i hope) of the place. https://www.google.com/maps/@48.4608377,-123.0261289,15z Not worried about someone stealing my spot, I live on a little island and have only seen one other person detecting and that was a year ago (tourist season) someone from MI. It is close to Natl. park boundaries but a boundary is a boundary. If it was that sensitive the boundary would include Eagle cove also......not just grandma's cove. Therefore the sign I saw as I was driving by ;) was not in that boundary and didn't say I couldn't so................:pirate2: J.Rush? You still thinkin about coming out this weekend??? Do you have any sand scoops? :lol: Also, I've never been i jail in WA. Hows the food? :laughing:
 
Did a very brief amount of research on this Lord (geez that sounds strange to say):

Metal Detecting Policy
Each San Juan County Park property is subject to thousands of
visitors each year, making it a challenge to manage these precious
properties. Please help prevent further degradation of these park
lands by adhering to the San Juan County Parks prohibition on
metal detecting.

Metal detecting activities are not allowed on any County
Park property.

Several of our San Juan County Parks are located on
culturally sensitive ground. Every effort must be made to
keep these archaeological sites intact and undisturbed.

Anyone observed using metal detecting equipment or digging
on County Park property will be asked to cease their activity
immediately. Those who persist will be asked to leave the
park.

If you observe someone using metal detecting equipment or
digging on
County Park property, please contact the Park
office. Photos, physical description and vehicle description, if
available, are helpful.
You may refer to San Juan County Code Title 12.08 for applicable
sections that protect the resources in our parks for the citizens of San Juan County.

Having only briefly glanced thru San Juan County Code Title 12.08 and not all the ordinances, and having briefly glanced at the Definition section of the code I would say additional research might be warranted to determine if MDing is actually BANNED under a CODIFIED ORDINANCE or if this is just an interpretation by a the County Park administrator? Sorry, I just don't have time to research everybody's local codes.

A couple of things I noted:

In section 12.08.020 DEFINITIONS: I did not see the term "Metal Detector" defined. Strange? This is usually the first place I look at to determine if MDing is banned by ordinance. Raises a question in my mind.

As for "Metal detecting activities are not allowed on any County
Park property"
... they reference 12.08 as their authority to say MDing is banned. However, I did not see 'upon glancing' at 12.08 any wording that does actually ban MDing. HUH? Again, upon a very cursory review of the code they quote as their authority, it's beginning to possibly look like an overreach of interpretation by someone in a position of authority.

Another note: Since the penalty stated is being tossed for 24 hours, not a monetary fine or imprisonment... they know most people would just stay away from the park rather than question their authority or put in time RESEARCHING and formulating their own opinion.

OK, my disclaimer: Much research is still needed to determine if, IN FACT, there is a CODIFIED ORDINANCE which would legally ban MD at any San Juan County park.

This is just my OPINION on what I glanced at and no more. It is not legal advice PERIOD. :waiting:

Good luck Lord on determining your opinion...[never thought I'd ever be saying this.:laughing:]

 
very interesting

very interesting mountain digger. And also did you notice this:

"Anyone observed using metal detecting equipment or digging
on County Park property will be asked to cease their activity
immediately. Those who persist will be asked to leave the
park.
"

Hmmm, ok, I'm fine with that. Sure. I mean, heck, it's almost as if that verbage is saying you can go "till told otherwise". Gee, so I suppose that .... if they DON'T see me thus leading to their asking me to leave, then gee, .... Such is the wonder and brilliance of not being a sore-thumb sticking out at high noon begging for attention, eh ? :roll::laughing:
 
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