Beach Detecting

[Sal66]

Hey everyone ! I have a question about detecting on beaches. There's a beach that I've been to since I was little. All the time that I've been there I never saw anyone Detecting, so it should be a good site. The problem is the tide in most areas comes in at night all the way to the back wall, so the beach is moist in alot of spots most of the time. What's good is that at low tide the water goes pretty far out ( at least 300 yds).
I own a whites XLT. Will I get alot of false signals because of the wet sand ? What would be a good detector to use that's inexpensive. I'm sure there's some good finds since the town was established in the 1700's and there are so many visitors a year, there has to be some jewlery somewhere.They don't comb the beach either.
Also, how do I figure out the ideal distance to go out during low tide ? Should I estimate the water line at normal tide and go out a certain distance to increase my chances or would anywhere be good? I figure the good spots should be around the little sand bar areas at low tide also .
Could some of you Beach Comber's out there help me out?
Thanks. Sal

[Cheap Thrills]

I would look for a good deal on a used Minelab Sovereign .

[Lowjiber]

Not all beaches are as bad as discussed in forums. I started hunting beaches with another AD member, SeaBeeRon, several years ago on one of the worst beaches in the country...Santa Cruz, Ca. That beach has so much black sand that you can literally see it in the run-off groves.

Even that beach is huntable with an inexpensive machine...albeit much easier with the more sophisticated machines. Here are just a few comments that might make life on the beach more comfortable and rewarding...

1. On every beach, there is a towel line where most beach bums put their towels down. The line will slightly move as the tides vary, but it is a very good place to begin your hunt before the next high tide.

2. When the tide makes a high-to-low cycle, many dropped goodies around the towel line are swept out. Some are deep enough in the sand beforehand to remain, but the tide gets many, if not the majority, of them.

3. Needless to say, a water-proof detector is invaluable at a beach. Wading in water while detecting is an art in itself, but one that is easily learned with the right equipment. Target recovery in the water is difficult, but with a few techniques and the right scoop (long-handled and big are two major requirements) can handle even the most difficult situation.

4. Nails and hair-pins!!! OMG, they are the bane of everyone who is seriously detecting on the beach. Nails are more prevalent on beaches that allow bonfires. Hair-pins are used for everything...obviously hair control, but as bookmarks, etc. If your detector has the ability to mask iron...do it. There aren't many (if any) good iron targets on a beach. (We won't even mention bottle caps. :rolleyes: )

5. Speaking of discrimination...If your detector has a discrimination gain control, turn it down (less gain). You simply don't need a large amount of disc gain to identify targets on a beach. Tip: If your detector beeps when you accidently touch the sand with your coil...your disc sensitivity is too high.

6. While we're on the subject of discrimination, let's talk about detectors. Discriminating machines such as the Minelab Soverign are very good on a beach because they have very sensitive controls that can filter out false signals from the sand and provide excellent target identification. The best discriminating machine I've ever used on a beach is a Minelab Excalibur. It's water-proof and almost idiot proof when it comes to ease of use (I need that. :rolleyes: )

My preference on a beach is a Pulse-Induction machine. They don't discriminate anything (exception being the White's TDI, but they're difficult to learn). PI's take a little bit of getting used to, but they are DEEP...mine will send you digging to China after the back of a tiny silver ear ring. With a little practice, the user can discern a hair pin from a good target almost every time...it's all about the sound.

7. Technique is everything on a minerialized beach. Obviously, a good ground balance can help. However, most good machines track and adjust ground balance on-the-fly. Some machines adjust more quickly than others, but none are fast enough to eliminate changing ground conditions totally.

If your machine has a track lock (MXT for example), turn it on after balancing.

Regardless, always make an effort to hunt perpendicular to the water line. In other words, hunt in-and-out with respect to the ocean. Swing slowly. These two actions will help negate the effects of crossing over pockets of the dreaded black sand which tend to run parallel to the water line.

8. General beach thoughts (Gosh! Does this guy ever shut up?):
Sand has a tendency on most beaches to accumulate between major storms. Keep an eye on the weatherman. When a major storm has hit a beach, you should be there at daybreak to beat guys like me. A major storm hitting a beach can remove several feet of sand...revealing many targets that were previously missed.

You mentioned tides. If you don't have a good tide program, here's one for a PC: http://www.wxtide32.com/

Here's one for a Mac OSx: http://homepage.mac.com/lrucker/XTide/

Use your newly gained information regarding the EXACT times of low tides and be there at least an hour before low tide.

Hope this helps.

(Below is a pic of &quot:beerbuddy:lack Sand on the Santa Cruz beach.)

[CyberSage]

Great post John! Very informative.

[Relic Whisperer]

I too have an XLT and can tell you the wet salt sand and XLT are not friendly with each other. The falsing will drive you nuts and eventually have you throwing in the towel. Lowjiber is right you neeed a PI machine. I use a Sand Shark ($577.18) which I think is the least expensive and it also allows me to go into the water to a depth of 200 feet. Next up the price range would likely be the Whites Dual Field. Keep in mind you will need a study stainless steel scoop as well if you do not already have one and they are not cheap either, $100-$150. I'm sure I'm missing something from the Fisher detector family as I have not used them before so perhaps someone will chime in. Happy Hunting and keep us posted.

[Fire Fighter 43]

Great post John very informative.

[del]

Sal , you can get the xlt to false less by ground balancing on the wet sand but stay in the wet or when you go to the dry stuff you have to re-ground balance it again as it will give you more falsing. the reason i went to a dfx from an xlt was because the dfx is a better beach machine and is pretty quiet on the wet and dry sands. let me know when you want to hit a beach , i'll go as its been a while for me .

Dan

[Merc]

Some great tips for beach hunting John! Thanks for posting this.

[Popsgoatee]

John, you've always been and will continue to be a great teacher with invaluable input. I'll never forget the first time we met and how much time you saved me by pointing me in the right direction. You even stood by me with my first park dig when the ranger came unglued at me for digging a plug in front of his office... 8/

Now the owner of three machines and the latest is a PI. Still enjoying the hobby!

Ken :cool:

[Sal66]

:perfect10: I want to Thank everyone for your help. That's why in all the years I've been Vacationing there I haven't noticed many Detectorists . They probably use the wrong machines and give up. We are only going to be there from July 14th - 19th , so I'm better off seeing if I can get a person with the right machine and a Big Heart to lend me one. I'm willing to rent one if I have to . If you live in CT. in the Hartford County area and are interested let me know.
If that fails, maybe I can call our local White's Dealer. Both del an I know him well. He might have a display model I could borrow, del knows him better but I'll call him myself and explain the situation . I have a steel beach scoop that's 24 long, that should be good. Did you all see the Shipwreck they found on the beach about a mile away. It's posted here somewhere. Oh, it's posted in the Lake, Pond, Beach section. It was discovered in 2007 right practically on the beach, check it out .

[JH]

Hey Sal,

Just checking to see how the beach hunt went... Did you find anything? :->

[swamp yankee]

Not all beaches are as bad as discussed in forums. I started hunting beaches with another AD member, SeaBeeRon, several years ago on one of the worst beaches in the country...Santa Cruz, Ca. That beach has so much black sand that you can literally see it in the run-off groves.

Even that beach is huntable with an inexpensive machine...albeit much easier with the more sophisticated machines. Here are just a few comments that might make life on the beach more comfortable and rewarding... Thanx for the input on beach looting, a DD coil (recently purchased) will help me to find goodies now HH ....

1. On every beach, there is a towel line where most beach bums put their towels down. The line will slightly move as the tides vary, but it is a very good place to begin your hunt before the next high tide.

2. When the tide makes a high-to-low cycle, many dropped goodies around the towel line are swept out. Some are deep enough in the sand beforehand to remain, but the tide gets many, if not the majority, of them.

3. Needless to say, a water-proof detector is invaluable at a beach. Wading in water while detecting is an art in itself, but one that is easily learned with the right equipment. Target recovery in the water is difficult, but with a few techniques and the right scoop (long-handled and big are two major requirements) can handle even the most difficult situation.

4. Nails and hair-pins!!! OMG, they are the bane of everyone who is seriously detecting on the beach. Nails are more prevalent on beaches that allow bonfires. Hair-pins are used for everything...obviously hair control, but as bookmarks, etc. If your detector has the ability to mask iron...do it. There aren't many (if any) good iron targets on a beach. (We won't even mention bottle caps. :rolleyes: )

5. Speaking of discrimination...If your detector has a discrimination gain control, turn it down (less gain). You simply don't need a large amount of disc gain to identify targets on a beach. Tip: If your detector beeps when you accidently touch the sand with your coil...your disc sensitivity is too high.

6. While we're on the subject of discrimination, let's talk about detectors. Discriminating machines such as the Minelab Soverign are very good on a beach because they have very sensitive controls that can filter out false signals from the sand and provide excellent target identification. The best discriminating machine I've ever used on a beach is a Minelab Excalibur. It's water-proof and almost idiot proof when it comes to ease of use (I need that. :rolleyes: )

My preference on a beach is a Pulse-Induction machine. They don't discriminate anything (exception being the White's TDI, but they're difficult to learn). PI's take a little bit of getting used to, but they are DEEP...mine will send you digging to China after the back of a tiny silver ear ring. With a little practice, the user can discern a hair pin from a good target almost every time...it's all about the sound.

7. Technique is everything on a minerialized beach. Obviously, a good ground balance can help. However, most good machines track and adjust ground balance on-the-fly. Some machines adjust more quickly than others, but none are fast enough to eliminate changing ground conditions totally.

If your machine has a track lock (MXT for example), turn it on after balancing.

Regardless, always make an effort to hunt perpendicular to the water line. In other words, hunt in-and-out with respect to the ocean. Swing slowly. These two actions will help negate the effects of crossing over pockets of the dreaded black sand which tend to run parallel to the water line.

8. General beach thoughts (Gosh! Does this guy ever shut up?):
Sand has a tendency on most beaches to accumulate between major storms. Keep an eye on the weatherman. When a major storm has hit a beach, you should be there at daybreak to beat guys like me. A major storm hitting a beach can remove several feet of sand...revealing many targets that were previously missed.

You mentioned tides. If you don't have a good tide program, here's one for a PC: http://www.wxtide32.com/

Here's one for a Mac OSx: http://homepage.mac.com/lrucker/XTide/

Use your newly gained information regarding the EXACT times of low tides and be there at least an hour before low tide.

Hope this helps.

(Below is a pic of &quot:beerbuddy:lack Sand on the Santa Cruz beach.)

[Lowjiber]

John, you've always been and will continue to be a great teacher with invaluable input. I'll never forget the first time we met and how much time you saved me by pointing me in the right direction. You even stood by me with my first park dig when the ranger came unglued at me for digging a plug in front of his office... 8/

Now the owner of three machines and the latest is a PI. Still enjoying the hobby!

Ken :cool:

Ken...

It's really good to see you on the forum. Thanks for the kind words.

I remember that you had a natural knack for finding the right locations. Those were great times, both on the beach and in the parks. I remember your first silver dig... under a tree, if I remember correctly.

[ODA 226]

Not all beaches are as bad as discussed in forums. I started hunting beaches with another AD member, SeaBeeRon, several years ago on one of the worst beaches in the country...Santa Cruz, Ca. That beach has so much black sand that you can literally see it in the run-off groves.

Even that beach is huntable with an inexpensive machine...albeit much easier with the more sophisticated machines. Here are just a few comments that might make life on the beach more comfortable and rewarding...

1. On every beach, there is a towel line where most beach bums put their towels down. The line will slightly move as the tides vary, but it is a very good place to begin your hunt before the next high tide.

2. When the tide makes a high-to-low cycle, many dropped goodies around the towel line are swept out. Some are deep enough in the sand beforehand to remain, but the tide gets many, if not the majority, of them.

3. Needless to say, a water-proof detector is invaluable at a beach. Wading in water while detecting is an art in itself, but one that is easily learned with the right equipment. Target recovery in the water is difficult, but with a few techniques and the right scoop (long-handled and big are two major requirements) can handle even the most difficult situation.

4. Nails and hair-pins!!! OMG, they are the bane of everyone who is seriously detecting on the beach. Nails are more prevalent on beaches that allow bonfires. Hair-pins are used for everything...obviously hair control, but as bookmarks, etc. If your detector has the ability to mask iron...do it. There aren't many (if any) good iron targets on a beach. (We won't even mention bottle caps. :rolleyes: )

5. Speaking of discrimination...If your detector has a discrimination gain control, turn it down (less gain). You simply don't need a large amount of disc gain to identify targets on a beach. Tip: If your detector beeps when you accidently touch the sand with your coil...your disc sensitivity is too high.

6. While we're on the subject of discrimination, let's talk about detectors. Discriminating machines such as the Minelab Soverign are very good on a beach because they have very sensitive controls that can filter out false signals from the sand and provide excellent target identification. The best discriminating machine I've ever used on a beach is a Minelab Excalibur. It's water-proof and almost idiot proof when it comes to ease of use (I need that. :rolleyes: )

My preference on a beach is a Pulse-Induction machine. They don't discriminate anything (exception being the White's TDI, but they're difficult to learn). PI's take a little bit of getting used to, but they are DEEP...mine will send you digging to China after the back of a tiny silver ear ring. With a little practice, the user can discern a hair pin from a good target almost every time...it's all about the sound.

7. Technique is everything on a minerialized beach. Obviously, a good ground balance can help. However, most good machines track and adjust ground balance on-the-fly. Some machines adjust more quickly than others, but none are fast enough to eliminate changing ground conditions totally.

If your machine has a track lock (MXT for example), turn it on after balancing.

Regardless, always make an effort to hunt perpendicular to the water line. In other words, hunt in-and-out with respect to the ocean. Swing slowly. These two actions will help negate the effects of crossing over pockets of the dreaded black sand which tend to run parallel to the water line.

8. General beach thoughts (Gosh! Does this guy ever shut up?):
Sand has a tendency on most beaches to accumulate between major storms. Keep an eye on the weatherman. When a major storm has hit a beach, you should be there at daybreak to beat guys like me. A major storm hitting a beach can remove several feet of sand...revealing many targets that were previously missed.

You mentioned tides. If you don't have a good tide program, here's one for a PC: http://www.wxtide32.com/

Here's one for a Mac OSx: http://homepage.mac.com/lrucker/XTide/

Use your newly gained information regarding the EXACT times of low tides and be there at least an hour before low tide.

Hope this helps.

(Below is a pic of &quot:beerbuddy:lack Sand on the Santa Cruz beach.)

Great post and thanks for sharing your experience! I'll take your recommendations to heart when I go beach hunting in Croatia this summer!