Did not detect, but did some recon

Bajanick

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I drove a long way to check out this state beach/park I have wanted to detect.

I hiked around for a while, then drove to another section and hiked around and did some recon.

I was thought for sure there would be no detecting allowed because its a state beach and a state historical site. The signs say things like "No removal of any natural feature" you cannot remove things like shells or even rocks.

After hiking down about 1/3 of a mile I make it to the beach and theres a guy detecting right in front of me, LOL. I asked him if he found anything, he said, just started, I didnt want to bother him so I walked around a bit.

I guess its ok to detect because there were lots of workers and state employees around and they didnt seem to mind.

I was tired from driving and hiking around (getting old sucks) and did not pull out the nox but I know exactly where to, park, where and how to pay and, what areas to detect when I go back.
 
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What do they mean by "natural feature" ?. Shells, rocks, starfish ? So I guess coins & jewelry are not considered natural features & therefore are allowed to be removed from the beach. So you can go ahead & metal detect. :)

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That was definitely a good sign to see someone detecting there with lots of workers and state employees around that didn't seem to mind :thumbsup:
 
That was definitely a good sign to see someone detecting there with lots of workers and state employees around that didn't seem to mind :thumbsup:
Yea, I will return with detector in hand, LOL.

Should have got pictures with a datestamp.

Proof, LOL. :)

What do they mean by "natural feature" ?. Shells, rocks, starfish ? So I guess coins & jewelry are not considered natural features & therefore are allowed to be removed from the beach. So you can go ahead & metal detect. :)

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

Theres the Historical Site thing but as long as I stay whatever distance away maybe that would be ok, :)
 
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.... I was thought for sure there would be no detecting allowed because its a state beach and a state historical site. ....

Bajanick, since you are from CA, let me chime in. I've seen this matter evolve and shape for 40+ yrs. here now. Do you want the technical answer ? Or the realistic answer ?

Technically: The same exact state park's dept. that administers the inland state parks, is the exact same park's dept. that administers the state park beaches here. Thus there is *technically* no reason why whatever rules apply to the inland parks, don't also apply to the beaches here. And state of CA park's dept's rules does not have any *specific* rule forbidding md'ing. Ie.: It's silent on the issue.

But with that said, we come to the dreaded boiler-plate "cultural heritage verbiage" . Ie.: that protect artifacts, blah blah. And "artifact" is typically defined as items and coins over 50 yrs. old. So... technically ... you can detect state parks and beaches, as long as you are only looking for modern coins. :roll: And ... of course .... as long as you're not snooping around obvious historic monuments.

Not sure what "historical site" you are referring to, on your particular location. Did you mean on the land adjacent to the beach ? Or on the beach itself ?

The long & short of is: You can detect at every state park beach here in CA, and be totally ignored. But at some of the inland state parks (especially if they're historically themed) , you'll be ushered on. And they would point to the cultural heritage language as their reason. But ... technically ... there's no reason why that ALSO wouldn't apply to the beaches here too. It's just that, in actual practice, it's just not been an issue. For some reason.... beaches aren't held to that standard.

HOWEVER, there has been some instances of persons asking "can I?" , that I know of (for example at a state beach only ~20 min. from me) and they got a "no" passed down from Sacramento to them. At beaches that, ironically, have been detected , adnauseam, since the beginning of time. For as long as anyone can remember . Hence it's plain to see they were victims of "no one cared till you asked" routine.

So the technical answer of state of CA beaches, is probably different than the reality of the situation. And ..... it's best left that way. Why rock that boat ? :cool3:

Just avoid obvious historically sensitive state inland parks. The state park beaches haven't been an issue. Like what you saw on your walk : You are typically ignored.
 
I was waiting for you to chime in Tom, :D

I Agree, There is no digging or disturbing the natural environment allowed in CA state parks but since its on a beach that would be hard to enforce, Are they going to stop kids from making sand castles. :laughbounce:

I will return..........

:neo:
 
Hence it's plain to see they were victims of "no one cared till you asked" routine.

Read every sign going into a location or park, it it does not SAY no metal detecting, just detect and see what happens. If no one runs out in the first half hour, get out the Trowel. Personally, I think 90% of NO's come when people see a detector in one hand and a long shovel in the other.
 
I was waiting for you to chime in Tom, :D ...


Yes, ... an unhealthy "bee in my bonnet", I know :laughing:

.... There is no digging or disturbing the natural environment allowed in CA state parks....

Actually, that can be said of any and all parks, of any level (city, county, state, fed, etc...). AKA "deface", "molest", "alter", etc.... Shame on all of us therefore, on every speck of public land, eh ? :frustrated:

.... but since its on a beach that would be hard to enforce, ...

HHmmm, well let me just be the "devil's advocate" here: What does it matter whether it's "hard to enforce" ? What does it matter whether "no passerbys ever seem to care" ? Isn't it your duty to: "Obey all laws" ? As the code of ethics clearly says ? Tsk tsk.

... Are they going to stop kids from making sand castles.....

Don't you know what the difference is between those kids who-made-sand-castles (and harvested/collected/took seashells) and md'rs is ? The difference is: Those kids didn't ask "Can I ?".

Ie.: They should have asked: "Hi, can I alter and deface the beach?" and "Hi, can I take and remove natural features ?" Then: Your grade school kid would have received a "no" for his sand castle. And your grade school daughter would have received a "no" to collecting that seashell for her grade school art project.

Durned them kids for not asking permission ! They're giving us all a bad name. If they had only asked, and gotten those "no's", then THEY TOO could have started forums lamenting their "lack of freedoms" and "silly bureaucracies". Shame on those kids for not asking :no:
 
Read every sign going into a location or park, it it does not SAY no metal detecting, just detect and see what happens.....

Ok, I'll be the devil's advocate here: What does it matter whether or not there's a "sign", that does or doesn't say "no md'ing" there ? In the same way that: There's not a sign that says "No murder", right ?

Thus .... it's entirely possible that there's a rule, down a city or county hall, that says "no md'ing", that just doesn't happen to be listed on the sign. Thus: The fact that it's "not on any signs" doesn't mean it's not still a "rule". Right ?

... I think 90% of NO's come when people see a detector in one hand and a long shovel in the other.

Actually, whether or not there is a digging implement (shovel, trowel, lesche, etc....) seen in an md'rs other hand: I don't know that that has much difference on the outcome. I'm of the opinion that often-time: The mere PRESENCE of a "man with a metal detector", can conjur up images of "holes" and "digging". Whether or not the passerby/busybody ever actually *saw* a digging tool of any sort.

So, the trick is: Not to get "every last one of those gripers to "sign off on you". But rather : The less those gripers see of you, the better. At least for nicely manicured turf. For the beach, as I think we can all agree, .... "alteration" and "holes" doesn't seem to be an issue.

JMHO.
 
The mere PRESENCE of a "man with a metal detector", can conjur up images of "holes" and "digging".

Not nearly as bad a a shovel will. If I saw a bozo come to my door with a long shovel, I would say No before he could ask.
 
Not nearly as bad a a shovel will. .....

Well ... of course, if you have a long-handle shovel, then yes .... you're going to REALLY "conjur up images of holes".

But even with zero digging implements in tow, and even not even stooping to dig a target (ie.: merely walking along swinging) : There is no shortage of passerbys who still can think "holes". And .... no ... it's not "built up angst" because they "saw a shovel" or "hole" in the past. It can merely be the mental image of what that person is about to do. EVEN if they never saw a shovel or a hole. The mere fact that they might have once seen a man stoop to dig (even if nothing but a probe/screwdriver) can make the nosy-parker think "aha ! holes".
 
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