NEWBIE QUESTION: WHICH IS BETTER BEACH HUNTING, DRY SAND OR WET SAND?

[Bad Wolf]

Hello All,

Planning my first beach hunt tomorrow now that I've got my new MPX figured out, but I could use a few pointers. I live near a very large and popular beach out here on the Left Coast that gets a ton of people in the summer and a fair amount year 'round. This time of year when there are fewer folks around, is it better to hunt wet sand at low tide, or work the dry sand around the fire-pits and the volleyball nets? Also, there are large sections of the beach that are rather steep and other sections that are very flat. Given that both sections seem to be equally popular with beach-goers, is there an advantage to one over the other

Thanks for all your input!

 

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[OBN]

Really gold can be just about anywhere. Each beach is different and One thing I do when in a new area is take my lawn chair around Lowtide and watch the other hunters. A couple days of this should give you some idea of how and where..watch there every move. And remember there are rookies out there also.....Good Luck

 

[Terry Soloman]

Pick an area 50' long by 50' wide, that you think a lot of people have been hanging out in, and grid the crap out of it low and slow. While you are doing that, scope out the rest of the beach for your next 50'/50'.

 

[Bad Wolf]

Thank you Terry, I'll do just that.

 

[Treasure finder]

Hey Bad Wolf,
It partly depends on your metal detector. Most all will work in dry sand as long as there is not a lot of black sand which your detector
may not be able to ground balance.
In wet sand many will not work at all as salt gives a positive signal. Also it is nice to have a waterproof detector in case you drop it
or want to go in to the water. Mostly PI type detectors and multi frequency detectors will work best in the wet sand, such as the
Whites Surf PI, the Tesoro sand Shark, the Minelab Sovereign, and the Garrett Infinium. Some of the PI machines pick up interference
from too much radio interference in the city.
Also most PI's do not discriminate well and in the dry sand a discriminating detector would be a better choice.
I think starting in dry sand with the MPX would be the place to start.
Incidentally I am in the Los Angeles area.
Rich

 

[Bad Wolf]

Hi Dennis,
Thanks so much for your feedback. I found what you describe to be spot-on with my new MPX today. Found a handful of clad in the dry sand (I was surprised by how hard it is to even see a dime when the sun shines on the semi-wet sand), nothing in the wet sand except confusing signals. I did dig a deep dime signal in the dry sand that turned out to be an old bottle and a few aluminum beer cans, and they were a good two feet down. I'm getting false 50 cent signals all the time, just as many mpx owners complain of, but I am happy to get such great depth.
Thanks again for the advice, I appreciate it. And I'm in Carmel-by-the-Sea, by the way. We'll have to keep in touch.

Duncan

 

[Jason in Enid]

Stay in the dry sand with an MPX. It can't handle cunductive ocean salts. The good news is that there can be plenty of money and jewelry to find in the dry sand.

 

[Native Floridian]

Knowing the beaches in your area will be your biggest asset. Knowing how your machine works in dry and wet is key to doing well. Experience will teach you both.

Researching, observing, gridding, W pattern, circle pattern, all good. All work.

 

[Bad Wolf]

Thanks for the insights, everyone.

 

[hamiddetecting]

I'm always hunting in wet sand Many jewelry lost in the water, in other hand when there is high tide and the water go out so can you hunt in the wet sand, it was dry sand.
I wish you luck and happy hunting for all Member here

 

[suprdave]

I stay in the dry sand most of the tome where i hunt the beach because im in the gulf of mexico [texas] and here there is a lot of beach traffic but not much traffic in the water and i seem to do ok,and most of my finds are okd finds because im there in the winter only. hope this helps and i use an xlt.

 

[Bad Wolf]

Hi Hamid,

First of all, I understand it's your birthday, so I hope you have a happy one! Secondly, thanks for the input on beach hunting. I can't help wondering, though, and it certainly is none of my business, but do you make a living at TH?

Keep up the good work!

Duncan

 

[Bad Wolf]

Hi Suprdave,

Thanks for your input--I'm in Northern Cal and the seaside conditions here sound like what you have in Texas in the winter. We get some nice weather with sunny days but not a lot of heat, and the water temp is only about 48 degrees in the winter and 52 degrees in the summer, so few people other than kids and surfers actually brave the water. The nice thing, though, is that our beaches here are very big, too, so lots of dry sand most of the time.

HH!