Any advice for a total newbie going to the beach for the first time??

[clovis97]

I live about a 13 hour drive to the nearest beach, and am heading there for the first time with my metal detector.

Please don't misunderstand, I am not hoping to strike it rich and retire after a few days of MDing...I am just looking for a little down time with my young daughter. If we find some coins and/or some interesting junk, I think my little one will be thrilled. The last time that we were out, she found 22 cents, and you would have thought she found an ounce of pure gold. The smile on her face was worth a million dollars to me.

We have an Ace 250. Yes, I already know it is a low end machine, so no need to bash. Will it work on wet sand at all?

I have a Maxwell House plastic coffee can with a handle. Will it work as a scoop, providing we don't mind bending over to dig? Should I try to drill some holes in it before I leave home? If so, what size holes?

If the 250 won't work in wet sand, should I focus on the dry sand where people have been sitting for the day?

I've long been envious of you MD'ers that have high end machines that work in water, and have the time and expertise to find great stuff. Some of the pictures you share are simply fascinating. If we don't find a thing, I am thankful to be able to do this vacation and spend some time with my wife and daughter, and I am thankful to own a metal detector, even if it is a cheap one.

Thanks so much!!!!!

I appreciate any tips!!!!

 

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[louie41]

the coffee can can work, I use a $5 grain feed scoop that I drilled holes all over and it sifts pretty well. on youtube you can see people just use plastic shovel moving sand to side and check if target moved with it pinpointing that way to. I like to use gloves here at Annapolis cause I find lots of rusty fish hooks. may want to bring along trash sack. Have fun and good luck!

 

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[clovis97]

Thank you for your advice and words of encouragement!!! They are appreciated!!!


We are set to leave soon.

I grabbed one of my trusty Maxwell House containers, and drilled 1/2" holes in it, using my antique brace and bit. I hated to do this to one of my last 'big' coffee cans. They quit making the 33 ounce container over a year ago. The big reason that I hate to see the 'big' one go is that it holds exactly $500 in half dollars, and someday, I hope to get back into coin roll hunting.

Nonetheless, I am starting to get excited. Everything is packed: MD, my homemade scoop. All I need to get is a fresh pack of batteries.

I showed my daughter some of the rings and interesting junk that you all have found. Her little eyes got as big as saucers when I showed her the diamond encrusted ring that someone posted this week. "Are those real diamonds? And real gold?" she asked in astonishment.

Later, I heard her telling grandma "We are going metal detecting at the beach!!!"

Again, thank you so much!!!

 

[cactusrat]

Good luck and post a update when you get back.

 

[bigscoop]

Many years ago I was hunting an old volley ball court with my youngest son, he was about 10 then. Mostly we were just spending some time together talking about this and that, I was swinging the machine and he was scooping up the pennies and a few other coins. Then as we got close to the old net line I got a nice signal and he quickly scooped up this big fat, very old, 14k ring with a big fat emerald in it. I never will forget the look on his face when he looked into that scoop, he nearly turned snow white and his eyes were as big as baseballs. I hadn't seen what he was looking at yet but I knew right then that we had just experienced an unforgettable moment together. "He" still has that ring.

 

[clovis97]

Great story, Big Scoop! I love it!!

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Thank you for your advice and words of encouragement!!! They are appreciated!!!


We are set to leave soon.

I grabbed one of my trusty Maxwell House containers, and drilled 1/2" holes in it, using my antique brace and bit. I hated to do this to one of my last 'big' coffee cans. They quit making the 33 ounce container over a year ago. The big reason that I hate to see the 'big' one go is that it holds exactly $500 in half dollars, and someday, I hope to get back into coin roll hunting.

Nonetheless, I am starting to get excited. Everything is packed: MD, my homemade scoop. All I need to get is a fresh pack of batteries.

I showed my daughter some of the rings and interesting junk that you all have found. Her little eyes got as big as saucers when I showed her the diamond encrusted ring that someone posted this week. "Are those real diamonds? And real gold?" she asked in astonishment.

Later, I heard her telling grandma "We are going metal detecting at the beach!!!"

Again, thank you so much!!!

What beach are you going too?

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Treasure Hunter, you need to start notching out those pull tabs. Just thing of all the free time you would have save by not digging them.

Besides, those rings are bad for your heart, they get your blood pressure up, and hurt your eyes when they sparkle in them.

Me, I will be hunting in your foot steps, in All Metal and nothing notched out.

Treasure Hunter where are we…..I mean you hunting tomorrow?

LOL, I have 2 custom excals with 15 inch coils hard wired into my controls with the remote pinpoint switch on the grip. I hunt in all metal mode and use reverse discrimination, I also now use the new Grey Ghost Amphibian headphones.... use the BeachBrute II scoop that has a basket size of 12.0 deep x 8.5 wide x 6.0 inches high........
I also hunt with the Sov GT with a 15"x18" SEF Butterfly coil on that I use when I know for sure I am not going into the water..... It goes really deep and has a big footprint....

Family intown this weekend, but I will be hunting next week, I am off....

 

[kladdhunden]

Thank you for your advice and words of encouragement!!! They are appreciated!!!


We are set to leave soon.

I grabbed one of my trusty Maxwell House containers, and drilled 1/2" holes in it, using my antique brace and bit. I hated to do this to one of my last 'big' coffee cans. They quit making the 33 ounce container over a year ago. The big reason that I hate to see the 'big' one go is that it holds exactly $500 in half dollars, and someday, I hope to get back into coin roll hunting.

Nonetheless, I am starting to get excited. Everything is packed: MD, my homemade scoop. All I need to get is a fresh pack of batteries.

I showed my daughter some of the rings and interesting junk that you all have found. Her little eyes got as big as saucers when I showed her the diamond encrusted ring that someone posted this week. "Are those real diamonds? And real gold?" she asked in astonishment.

Later, I heard her telling grandma "We are going metal detecting at the beach!!!"

Again, thank you so much!!!

only thing i can think about is to bring a normal shovel too, if the homemade scoop for some reason doesn't work well and ur far from home.

 

[mcogan / L.I. Mongo Mike]

The beach is a very big and vast expanse of sand. My suggestion - just spend the quality time with your daughter because they grow up way too fast. Take those long beach walks and talk about whatever interest her, swinging the machine along the way and taking whatever else the beach gives up.

BEST ADVICE EVER!

 

[fongu]

Good luck on the beach outing with your family. They are the treasure.

 

[clovis97]

Thank you again for all the help.

We had a great time at Myrtle Beach. We used the MD every day we were there, except for the last day.

You all were right...the Ace 250 falses quite a bit in wet sand, but not all wet sand, if that makes any sense. It did false a lot at the water's edge, but not too bad in wet sand where the tide had been an hour earlier.

We spent most of our time working dry sand, and we pounded the 'chair line' and the exits pretty hard. Following your advise, we dug all signals, and therefore, a bunch of trash. Some one must have eaten four bags of Hershey kisses on the beach. I got very sick of digging that foil!!!

One of the great things about using the MD is that I got to talk to three other MDers. One guy really new his stuff, and was seriously working the beaches with a Minelab. I really enjoyed talking to him. He told me that finding anything was slim pickings, especially since it is off season there.

Our finds? Nothing interesting except for a super junk earring, three pennies, and a cheap pair of sunglasses. I actually found more money on the pool deck than I did MDing!!!

In all, I think it was a target poor area, and has been worked pretty well with decent detectors. The beaches are raked every night there too. When we go back, I'd love to rent or borrow a good detector that will work in wet sand and water.

My daughter was pretty excited about finding the sunglasses...it would have thrilled her to no end to have found even a cheap ring...but we still had a GREAT time!!!!

Again, thanks so much!!!! I appreciate your help!!!!

 

[baytraderbutch]

I live on the gulf coast of MS and am lucky enough to get lots of time in. I have searched, parks, old home sites and beaches. When I don't want to work too hard digging I go to the beach. I have had great luck finding everything from fish hooks to silver rings to a gold zodiac medallion. I go so often I wore out a sand scoop already.
Glad you had fun.