How do you keep the sand from caving in?

[steve from ohio]

I was out on the beach hunting at low tide.

I was using the E-Trac and hit a few nice targets. The shallower targets were a one scoop deal and with those I had no trouble. My sand scoop is big enough and strong enough to dig out a ton of sand with each scoop. So that was not the issue.

The problem was when I was digging deeper targets, the water would fill the hole and the sides of the hole would cave in.

I was digging a target that was almost 2 feet down and I could not, after about 35 minutes of digging, get that target out.
The sand would fill in and no matter how fast I dug, it would fill in.

How do you keep the sand from covering up the target in low tide situations so I can retrieve them ?

 

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[ivan salis]

back hoe --seriously gotta make bigger holes the first scoop -- since it fills in -- try a shovel

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

What is the size of your scoop basket?

I snagged an earring stud today (cubic ) that I would never have found if not for the screen mesh I added to the bottom 4th of my scoop, It catches tiny targets really well.

 

[davest]

you gotta dig faster. and then dig faster than that.

I use a Seahunter and there's nothing like taking 5 scoops of sand out of a hole while the tide is washing the sand back in only to find a bobby pin or piece of rust stuck to the magnet on the bottom of my scoop, nothing like it in the world.

 

[stitchlips]

I have had the same problem and lost some targets, I literally watched them get swallowed up. You have to be fast or forget it.

 

[deepsix47]

Ivan has viable options there. SWR could be right too. There is another option also. Slowly work your hand down into the sand but be careful as you don't have any idea what you are going into. I only do it on a very large hit, one that sends the bars off the graph.

Once when we were working the beach in front of the "Nieves" site in Ft. Pierce, I got a hit like that in the surf line almost directly in front of the "Christmas Tree". I worked my hand down into the sand almost to my elbow and found it. As soon as I closed my fingers around it I knew what it was. My heart started pounding, I know my blood pressure went through the roof, it was a gun, a revolver. I worked it out of the sand and I was right. Only thing was, it was a kids cap pistol. After referring to the child that had lost it in not so pleasant terms for a minute or so, I got on with the hunt.

Another instance happened in Sebastion. We were working the beach a couple of hundred yards South of Green Turtle. Same as the above, a large hit just at the surfline and the ocean was winning the battle. On these beaches, you dig every hit if you're smart. I get on my knees, the surf making sure I pay my dues for every inch my hand goes into the sand and I find the hit. It's a chain and it's a heavy one!!!! Again the heart pounds, blood pressure goes up, even being knocked over twice by the waves could not make me let go of the chain. This solid gold chain, once worn by a Spanish Nobleman, who likely died in the storm with it around his neck, was mine. I had found it, the ocean was making me pay my dues and I was NOT going to give it back!

Well, I slowly worked the chain out. It was a dogs chain, a large and heavy one. It even had a tag on it that gave the dogs name, it's owners name and a phone number. I was not a happy camper. I had been rolled around by the rather large surf. I had sand in places that were never meant to have sand in them, I was cold and tired and did not at the time see any humor at all in the situation.

When we got home, I dropped the chain on the table and headed to a nice hot shower. When I got out, my buddy, my best friend, had told everyone what had happened. My wife, my kids, the other friends that had showed up for a weekend of TH'ing the beaches, all took their shots at me (the kids, even after threats of eternal grounding). The whole time I'm staring at this chain.

Finally, just before dinner was ready, I picked up the phone and dialed the number. A guy answers the phone in a very pleasant voice. I'll never forget that dogs name, "Brute". I asked him if he had a dog by that name and he answered that yes he did. I told him very quietly, calmly and politely, that Brute was a piece of s**t and hung up. I have often wondered through the years what that guy thought about that phone call. It was probably a childish thing for me to do but somehow it really seemed to help....

Both of the story's are true. My long time friend and TH'ing partner, Aquanut , was there for both of them. He will gladly affirm them, but keep in mind that he is likely to add little tidbits that somehow have grown into them over the years.

Deepsix

 

[JoeSWFla]

I have heard of people using a plastic bucket with the bottom cut out,like a small
cofferdam,and digging the sand out as they push the bucket down.Haven't tried
that yet.Good luck on the deep ones.HH Joe

 

[Goodyguy]

I have heard of people using a plastic bucket with the bottom cut out,like a small
cofferdam,and digging the sand out as they push the bucket down.Haven't tried
that yet.Good luck on the deep ones.HH Joe

Amazing, I had just come up with that same idea today, using a 5 gallon bucket with the bottom cut out would allow you to go 15-16 inches deep and if you need more depth and diameter cut the bottom out of a large plastic garbage can. I have never tried it, but I think it should work. I'm thinking cut teeth on the bottom of the bucket and then rotate it side to side drilling it down into the sand as deep as you can then scoop the sand and treasure out of the inside of it. Of course close to the water in the packed wet sand It will be very hard to do.

GG~

 

[FLauthor]

I've had the same problem and I use a Beach Brute scoop and you have to dig fast but dump it near the hole until the find is finally alongside the hole then rescoop it. A friend of mine dug down two feet to retrieve what later was a old gold pocket watch and he had to dig like mad as the surf was pounding him and the sand was caving in. To get those deep targets invest in a quality long handled scoop.

 

[txkickergirl]

we all have that challege, I dig faster.

 

[fieldboy se va]

Always dig in the middle target will get there,and always get new sand with each scoop.I use a pi so I know the feeling

michael

 

[Atticus Finch]

I've had the same problem and I use a Beach Brute scoop and you have to dig fast but dump it near the hole until the find is finally alongside the hole then rescoop it. A friend of mine dug down two feet to retrieve what later was a old gold pocket watch and he had to dig like mad as the surf was pounding him and the sand was caving in. To get those deep targets invest in a quality long handled scoop.

what later was a old gold pocket watch
what later was a old gold pocket watch
what later was a old gold pocket watch

lol!!!!!

You're going to have these guys digging all the way to China!!!