Florida Detecting And Reality

[CanSlaw]

How many in Fl made enough to pay for a new machine last year.... raise your hands? CS and Itsa... dont be sand bagging now.

Dew

Yeah but, I did it on northern beaches last year. The beaches in my area have been like IMA original post.

 

[MiTreasureHunter]

I'm fairly new to the hobby (3 years) and I got into it before these TV shows came on air. In just my short time in the hobby I have seen the number of people swinging detectors more then double. I directly relate it to the UNREALISTIC TV shows that depict finding treasure every time you hunt, and then they way over inflate the value of the items they "supposedly" found. I'm not worried about more detectors hitting the beaches and such...sure they will clean up some clad, but I think alot of them will lose interest before learning and getting proficient with their machine. The thing that DOES concern me is these people digging monster holes, destroying ground cover (grass), leaving trash they find laying near the dig site, not filling holes, etc....and this very much worries me that this could lead to the banning of metal detecting in certain areas. I have seen this unresponsible behavior and actually tried to fix the damage and pick up their trash...If I catch someone doing it I will have words with them. I love to talk to the old timers who have been in the hobby for many years....the stories they tell of "the good 'ol days". I have seen the collections of a few of these guys, found mostly back in the 80's and 90's...WOW. Never the less I love the hobby and don't go out with the expectation of finding gold or silver every hunt, in reality even though I try and get out every nce day in the Summer...there can be WEEKS without anything but clad to show. It makes me feel good just removing dangerous metal objects that could potentially injure a people out enjoying themselves and have no idea was is lurking in the water.

 

[aussiedigger]

I'm a bit confussed

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Just for fun I would take that road trip any day......

 

[CanSlaw]

Just for fun I would take that road trip any day......

Come on down, 50,000 plus vacation hunters totally agree with you. Bring your own gold, we don't have much left Plus we need all of the tourist tax dollars we can get, our locals can't afford to wear gold anymore...and that part is the truth.

 

[imalookin2]

How many in Fl made enough to pay for a new machine last year.... raise your hands? CS and Itsa... dont be sand bagging now.

Dew

To say you paid for the machine(s) you have to include the gas, parking and any motels. I paid for my Gt and Excal WITHOUT adding the gas and other costs. I also hunted almost every day if weather and tides permitted. This year the sand is not cooperating so I am WAY behind what I did last year.

 

[itsaring!]

Yeah but, I did it on northern beaches last year. The beaches in my area have been like IMA original post.

The best of it was a chain worth about $345 last year. Diamonds in general are worthless if you don't find a big one. I had 12 gold items last year. That is one a month. Park entry fee can be $3 each entry per park. Sometimes you pay three times in a day. Each ferry ride is $6. Parking is $5 a pop during summer. Just one trip i went on was a 2 hour drive one way. My truck gets about 14 MPG. I'm guessing i lost about 2 grand last year. Lucky this is a hobby. I've seen lots of guys hang it up around here. If you are in it for the money you won't last long. I keep telling my wife one day i'll hit the big one. Just might not be in this lifetime

 

[robby4570]

I have to say my coffee stays hot at 5:30 AM setting at the edge of the pool..... i can sleep with the sliding doors open at night ..... i NEVER wear long pants or anything but flip flops and tee shirts. Im a slob..... and dont miss the cold at all. Im cranking up the AC as we speak.... Ooooo did i mention i can detect every day? Life is very very good.

Dew

Ditto here Dew!

Had a friend from Illinois tell me he was going to put a snowplow blade on the front of his truck and drive south until someone asks "What in the hell is that thing on the front of your truck?" and he'll stop and call that home!!

​

 

[wishooter]

I was down there during the Boat Show.
Flat Rate to Park along the Beach $15.00 for the day.

"But young man, I'm only going to be at the Beach for a few hours."
Anyway Research is everything, no matter what level your at.

The Treasure Coast has always been good to me.
My experience has always been A-1 or 5 Star.

 

[Digsalot]

IMA is telling it like it is. I only get out on the average of 1 weekend a month, take the RV to different beaches around the state ( mostly from cental up)
and this past year or so has been rough.
Very few targets and a lot more people swinging. You can tell the newbies cuz there swinging a foot above the sand I don't bother correcting them any more
Seem's like any time the sand moves out they spend millions to put it back. sucks

 

[HullGuitars]

I'm not really a water hunter but I do detect a whole lot, And have just about as good of luck is anyone. Being self-employed, allows me to detect 3 to 5 times a week. I did some number crunching and came up with my average per our last year. Looks like I brought in a whopping $1.02 Per hour. And that was with $600 of clad. Had a few gold, and quite a bit of silver jewelry. It will be interesting to see how I do this year. I've already found more gold. Maybe I'll double it!

 

[dewcon]

Hull... the problem with determining how well you did for the year comes when you make a few big scores that appraise well, but you cant get the money for them. Also you will find some of your largest loses for the year comes from MANAGEMENT (wife).

Dew

 

[Twisted Bones]

I am new to metal detecting and common sense tells me that because metal detecting has been around for a long time and there have been few really good beach eroding storms here in Florida pickings will be slim on the beaches. I MD purely for the exercise and finding things. I will MD a beach if we happen to be going there for the day but I do not go to the beach specifically to do that. I focus more on parks and such and generally all I will find there is a buck or two in clad. More than I had when I started but not getting rich by any means. If you come to Florida thinking your gonna get rich you really really need a reality check. Come on down and have some fun but lower your expectations significantly, buy a lottery ticket and pray you find enough to buy a drink after a hot day in the sun. Don't get me wrong, metal detecting is very rewarding just not monitarily. Have fun and good luck.


Matt

 

[robby4570]

I don't know if Ima is talking specifically about the beaches here in NW Florida, but last year the beaches from Destin all the way down to St Andrews (that I KNOW of) were replenished with dredge sand from out in the Gulf. We got 10 to 12 inches of new sand all along the beaches in PCB in Feb 2012. I had probably half the finds I had the year before, and almost all of the finds were twice as deep. This year the finds are better and improving but still down from last. After the replenishment I got lots of OLD coins ( been in the water a long time ) that were in "pockets". Now the beaches are getting re-loaded by the Spring breakers and Families and I am looking forward to a great year. I got my best find of my career about 3 months ago.....

18K White Gold, Diamonds around an Aquamarine main stone...

​

 

[canwedigit]

Much of Florida beach hunting is looking at Bikinis. You may find more cash blowing in the wind than gold and silver in the sand and water. Some high dollar designer sunglasses can be found sometimes along with lots of junk all the time. But, its great relaxation and the occasional find make it worthwhile.

 

[itsaring!]

I don't know if Ima is talking specifically about the beaches here in NW Florida, but last year the beaches from Destin all the way down to St Andrews (that I KNOW of) were replenished with dredge sand from out in the Gulf. We got 10 to 12 inches of new sand all along the beaches in PCB in Feb 2012. I had probably half the finds I had the year before, and almost all of the finds were twice as deep. This year the finds are better and improving but still down from last. After the replenishment I got lots of OLD coins ( been in the water a long time ) that were in "pockets". Now the beaches are getting re-loaded by the Spring breakers and Families and I am looking forward to a great year. I got my best find of my career about 3 months ago.....

18K White Gold, Diamonds around an Aquamarine main stone...

​

Main problem we have is two coasts. When the wind comes from the west it helps the west coast guys. When it comes from the east it helps the east coast guys. A west wind here blows the sand off dunes and knocks the waves down. All that replenishing about every three years didn't happen like that back in the 70's. About the time our sand moves it will be time for them to blow money again and make it where the tourists don't get winded walking back and forth to the water. If you ever notice a steep sloped towel line is a pretty straight line. These slow sloped beaches got people laying all over the place. 10 times the work for a dry sander. I haven't seen a sandbar in over six months. When i was a kid i can't remember not having a sandbar. That's why those old inferior machines used to put these new ones to shame. I saw some of those old timers finds. if it was that good today i'd probably be divorced because i'd live in the ocean Florida blows lots of money to make the sand pretty for tourist economy. Surfers like it, detectorists hate it. A flat beach here can beat you into wave submission. With a sandbar at least it takes the force out of the waves in a section. Anybody have decent sand bars yet?

 

[ken(toronto)]

Time is money, so don't forget to count the cost of your time.

What? your time don't cost anything?

Ken

 

[itsaring!]

Time is money, so don't forget to count the cost of your time.

What? your time don't cost anything?

Ken

It does if you don't check the tide charts

 

[Top]

Truth

Hull... the problem with determining how well you did for the year comes when you make a few big scores that appraise well, but you cant get the money for them. Also you will find some of your largest loses for the year comes from MANAGEMENT (wife).

Dew

Dew you are so right. I am out six days a week sometimes twice a day. I am not in the water but I can comd a beach. Now I am finding alternative areas to hunt. Today not even a dollar and all clad. Fustrating!!!

 

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Comb, I need to proof my posts