kc10bull
Hero Member
First this isn't a complaint or a gripe about the park, but information from my visit today.
Well, several weeks ago I got my life time pass to all Florida state parks, as part of my veterans disability! Yeaaaa!!
The last several weeks I have been water hunting Honeymoon Island state park (10 minutes from the house), like I have been doing the past 13 years. Well today that came to a complete STOP, HALT 
. A park ranger ask me and another water detectorist to please come out of the ocean. He advised us that we could only detect the dry sand from the dune lines to the surf line. I identified myself and informed him that I had been detecting in the ocean at Honeymoon Island for the last 13 years and this was the first time that anyone had said we could not detect in the water I had ask about this several times in the past few years talking with the rangers, and always getting the thumbs up, 
have fun). He stated the state regulations, and I ask him additional questions, he said if I wanted I should talk to the main park ranger . At no time did we argue about detecting. We thanked him and headed out.
My next stop was to the main office at the entry point to the park. I went in and had a good discussion with the main ranger (should have written his name down). We discussed the hobby, the efforts that the majority of people with detectors make in cleaning up after ourselves, returning items to people that have lost rings, bracelets, and other objects, taking out the trash and dangerous objects we find, ( I informed him about a rusty crab trap and a 12 inch butcher knife I found in the water that was only knee deep that I had removed previously). Just imagine if someones child had stepped on that. Basically leaving the area better than we found it. He admitted that we as a group were very good at taking care of the areas we detect by filling in our holes and getting rid of the junk. But he was trying to follow the guidelines (rules) that were issued. There was an individual that he named that had been really verbal and bad mouthed him and the other rangers in the last few years, from what I have learned he isn't welcome at the park anymore. He advised me that he had been discussing with the rest of the park ranger staff that they needed to enforce the rules. I let him know that I had been at the park 4 times in the last two weeks detecting in the water in direct sight of the other rangers and this was the first time that I was ask to not detect in the ocean.
I thanked him for his time and effort, he said it would be nice if the rules were changed but to get that done it has to come from the people in our hobby asking that the park be open to water hunters. So now I'm passing on the information to you all. I'm disappointed.
Man I was looking forward to hitting this park several times a week and at least once every weekend. It's a shame that not only am I (we) are loosing out on a great park, but the park is loosing out too, because I will not be visiting as often and spending money in their concession shop and the restaurant.
Well, several weeks ago I got my life time pass to all Florida state parks, as part of my veterans disability! Yeaaaa!!
The last several weeks I have been water hunting Honeymoon Island state park (10 minutes from the house), like I have been doing the past 13 years. Well today that came to a complete STOP, HALT . A park ranger ask me and another water detectorist to please come out of the ocean. He advised us that we could only detect the dry sand from the dune lines to the surf line. I identified myself and informed him that I had been detecting in the ocean at Honeymoon Island for the last 13 years and this was the first time that anyone had said we could not detect in the water I had ask about this several times in the past few years talking with the rangers, and always getting the thumbs up, have fun). He stated the state regulations, and I ask him additional questions, he said if I wanted I should talk to the main park ranger . At no time did we argue about detecting. We thanked him and headed out.My next stop was to the main office at the entry point to the park. I went in and had a good discussion with the main ranger (should have written his name down). We discussed the hobby, the efforts that the majority of people with detectors make in cleaning up after ourselves, returning items to people that have lost rings, bracelets, and other objects, taking out the trash and dangerous objects we find, ( I informed him about a rusty crab trap and a 12 inch butcher knife I found in the water that was only knee deep that I had removed previously). Just imagine if someones child had stepped on that. Basically leaving the area better than we found it. He admitted that we as a group were very good at taking care of the areas we detect by filling in our holes and getting rid of the junk. But he was trying to follow the guidelines (rules) that were issued. There was an individual that he named that had been really verbal and bad mouthed him and the other rangers in the last few years, from what I have learned he isn't welcome at the park anymore. He advised me that he had been discussing with the rest of the park ranger staff that they needed to enforce the rules. I let him know that I had been at the park 4 times in the last two weeks detecting in the water in direct sight of the other rangers and this was the first time that I was ask to not detect in the ocean.
I thanked him for his time and effort, he said it would be nice if the rules were changed but to get that done it has to come from the people in our hobby asking that the park be open to water hunters. So now I'm passing on the information to you all. I'm disappointed.
Man I was looking forward to hitting this park several times a week and at least once every weekend. It's a shame that not only am I (we) are loosing out on a great park, but the park is loosing out too, because I will not be visiting as often and spending money in their concession shop and the restaurant.Amazon Forum Fav 👍
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