Key West

freightdawg747

Jr. Member
Sep 29, 2008
40
2
Fort Mill, SC
Detector(s) used
F75, Minelab Excalibur 1000, Garrett Pro Pointer
I just got into Key West to catch up with the rest of my family on vacation here. Wanted to know if anyone knows if youre allowed to detect out in the ocean at Fort Zachary Taylor Beach. I drove down yesterday and decided to throw my Excal in the trunk. If anyone knows of any other beaches here I could spend a day in the water that would be awesome. My wife likes to just sit at the beach, so I can detect without boring her to death.
 

Upvote 0

Florida Sand Digger

Full Member
Jun 16, 2009
138
29
Boca Raton, Florida
Detector(s) used
DFX w/Bigfoot coil, BHID, SMPI
I hunted Key West last year and did not do very well at all. I hunted the dry beach at Ft Taylor Birch. The beach there is mostly rock, very few places to hunt sand, so I did not stay long. The only other place worth while is Smathers beach. I spent about 4 hours there and found a junk ring and about $3 clad. Smathers is really the only beach there is in Key West area, unless you want to spend a lot of time hopping from one beach to another, as there are a lot of tiny public beaches that you can work the entire beach in under 30 minutes. As far as hunting in the water,it is not advised to even get in the water at Key west. There is a growing population in the Key west area and the septic systems are very shallow due to the corral foundation of the key, so the septic fluid has no place to go but to sea and it accumulates on the Smathers beach side of the key because there is no current to take it away. Ft Taylor Birch is down on the tip and does get an ocean current so the water may be ok there. I didn't want to chance it myself.

If you want to try the beach hop thing, I recommend you go to google earth and look around. If you are not familiar with Google Earth go to google and type in google earth. You will have to install a small application to work. It is totally free. I use it all the time especially when I am going to a new area, it will give you an aerial view of the entire area you want to hunt.


Hope this helps
HH
Digger
 

KEYSHUNTER

Hero Member
Sep 29, 2007
521
891
florida keys
Detector(s) used
;whites dual PI
to bad about all the rain today,it usually means the dueval crawl :occasion14: if you have time,try bahia honda state park.good place for family picnic,lots of sand,history . its only 30 miles north of key west,before 7mile bridge. good hunting!! p.s. do not bend over often while digging targets
 

mad4wrecks

Bronze Member
Dec 20, 2004
2,263
107
Detector(s) used
Aquapulse, DetectorPro Headhunter, Fisher F75
Primary Interest:
Shipwrecks
I hunted Key West last year and did not do very well at all. I hunted the dry beach at Ft Taylor Birch

Hugh Taylor Birch state park is located near Ft. Lauderdale.

Fort Zachary Taylor state park is in Key West.

I believe it is illegal to metal detect in either of them.
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Top