Experiences with people while detecting at the Beach

[Soflhunter]

I am starting this thread to heard about other experiences while metal detecting at the beach.

So I usually hit the beach early in the morning before the beach gets crowded.
Today was different, there was a negative low tide at 3:30 pm.
I arrived at the beach about 12 pm and headed for the water and wanted to follow the tide out.
I walked over to a snorkel spot that's usually in about Three or Four feet of water, But today as the tide was going out
it was only about a foot or so.

Usually at the beach while detecting I get asked some questions and have good experiences with people.
Ex :"What is the best thing you ever found" or "What are you looking for".
"What is all the stuff you have on' .

Today was different, Lets get back to the snorkel spot.
I walked over to the snorkel spot and I moved my metal detector around the rocks and I banged into a rock.
A woman popped here head up and said to me" Your not supposed to touch the coral reef"
My response was "it was a accident that I banged into the rock and its not a coral reef its just rocks"
She then said " Do you know what a coral reef is?" and I responded "Yes a coral reef is made up of hard and soft corals and these are just rocks"
She then said to me " I just wanted to know if you knew what a coral reef is" My response " Yes but theses are just rocks'
She then walked away and headed back to shore.
Then a man , maybe he husband said "Your selfish" and I said " They are just rocks"
and he headed for the shore also.
She then preceded to watch my from shore with her hands on here hips as if I was destroying the ocean with my metal detector.

They both collected there things and headed for the Life Guard tower.
As I watching them move toward the Life Guard tower, i decided to meet them there.
So I headed toward the tower also.
But before I met them at the tower, they were already leaving the beach.
So I asked if they complained about me and he said "Yes they did"
He also said 'I explained to her they are just barnacles on the rocks'
He also said to me " No Worries" and I headed back to the rocks.

What bothers me is she made me out to be the bad guy ,when she had no knowledge of what a coral reef is.
Me like many others detecting at the beach pick up all the plastic and trash off the beach.
I believe all of us should receive my credit for what we do in taking care of the beach.

Has anyone else had a similar experience?

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

How to Research for Treasure Hunting and Metal Detecting From Lead Generation to Vetting - Grab it through Amazon!

[kcm]

It's commonly called "prejudice" - to pre-judge. They make a conclusion without knowing (or caring) about the facts. The facts are as THEY see things, therefore that is the end of it.

Similar things have been happening since very likely the beginning of mankind.

 

[G.I.B.]

Sure, we have all run into good people, and sour grapes.

I don't engage the sour grapes... I ignore them, turn up my headphones and go about my business.

One lady was persistent about me not digging holes in the surf. (Knee deep)

This takes a bit of practice, but there is a way to solve this. As you face away from the subject, bend over at the waist (knees slightly bent which tugs on the legs of your shorts) and dig a hole.

This procedure produces a plumbers crack of epic proportions.

Works every time.

 

[BARKER]

Hi; Some people have NOTHING better to do than harass us when we are in the fields. There are Threads on TNet that talk about just this subject. It happens EVERYWHERE. I guess the idiots are also everywhere. Ask any of us. Myself included. Best bet is to just ignore them when possible ok. PEACE:RONB

 

[Terry Soloman]

Righteous cluelessness happens. Take a deep breath and let it go.

 

[Sandman]

People are curious as what we've found, is that detector waterproof, and such. They sometimes fantasize on the good items from watching Diggers on TV. The kids are the funniest. When they've ask me what i'm looking for while wading, I usually tell them a kid drowned here and I'm looking for his body. They scram.

 

[DJWEHAGE]

My latest, while waist deep in the Chesapeake Bay: She- "What are you doing?" Me- "Metal Detecting." She- "In the water?" Me- "Yes." She- "Won't that get wet?" Me- "Yes." She- "Oh..." Most people are just curious. I do enjoy speaking with them briefly. Key word- BRIEFLY...

 

[lookindown]

Sure, we have all run into good people, and sour grapes.

I don't engage the sour grapes... I ignore them, turn up my headphones and go about my business.

One lady was persistent about me not digging holes in the surf. (Knee deep)

This takes a bit of practice, but there is a way to solve this. As you face away from the subject, bend over at the waist (knees slightly bent which tugs on the legs of your shorts) and dig a hole.

This procedure produces a plumbers crack of epic proportions.

Works every time.

I think I met that same lady a couple of years ago at one of the beaches you hunt...She told me I shouldn't be digging because Im disturbing the "creatures" in the sand...I asked her if she lived nearby and she pointed at a house and said "right there"....I said real loud "I knew it, have a good day lady" and went on digging....I would of liked to have said more but locals could cause detectorist a lot of trouble so I take it and go about my business.

 

[kcm]

Terry, maybe you should have a sign that reads:

WARNING: Unstable veteran looking for IED's - Stay back 500 feet!

 

[penzfan]

SoFl, Maybe that "rock" your machine banged into was her head...

 

[kcm]

Naw, he didn't mention anything about breaking his coil, so I doubt that's the case.

 

[grey95chevyboy]

I have only had one issue with a intoxicated man.i was detecting a volley ball area when this man and his buddie decided to walk past 2 unused courts to get to me, and play where i was located. He proceeded to say there trying to play a game here and to take my toy somewhere else with the magical drunk slur. I looked up and gave both gentlmen a stare, lifted my shirt up to wipe sweat off my face,showing my concealed weapon and continued my sweeps. Nearly a minute later then went off to there family's and left me alone.

 

[can]

Righteous cluelessness happens. Take a deep breath and let it go.

you need to make that into a back patch

 

[cudamark]

I have only had one issue with a intoxicated man.i was detecting a volley ball area when this man and his buddie decided to walk past 2 unused courts to get to me, and play where i was located. He proceeded to say there trying to play a game here and to take my toy somewhere else with the magical drunk slur. I looked up and gave both gentlmen a stare, lifted my shirt up to wipe sweat off my face,showing my concealed weapon and continued my sweeps. Nearly a minute later then went off to there family's and left me alone.

Around here, you could be arrested and have your permit revoked for doing that. In Ca, concealed weapons must remain concealed and not be visible unless in legal use.

 

[cudamark]

I had a similar experience with a guy at the beach. I was scooping a deep target in the wet sand, when this guy comes up to me. I had just finished recovering the target and was kicking in most of the sand, when, he starts ragging on me about digging holes. I told the guy that I wasn't leaving any holes. He then says that I'm making an ugly mess and the he didn't appreciate me detracting from the natural beauty of area. It that very moment a rogue wave swept through the spot and ALL traces of what I had done were gone. I just smiled and he walked away looking pretty foolish. Some people just don't think before they open their mouth, or, they don't have anything better to do and just want to run other peoples lives as THEY think they should be run. Didn't this guy ever play with a pail and shovel in the sand as a kid? What a knucklehead!

 

[kcm]

I gave up a long time ago trying to figure people out. If I spend time with someone, how they act and how they treat me and others will dictate whether I stick around. But there sure seems to be more of those jerks now than there used to be!

 

[Sir Gala Clad]

To be honest, people should not even be swimming near live coral!

When people ask what I am doing, I tell them the truth , I am removing hazardous items from the beach such as, fish hooks, lead, pull tabs, nails, rusty bottle caps, foil, pastic so that wildlife or children are not injured.

If they look at me strangely, I show them the trash in my finds pocket and ask them to help by puttig theese items in the trash can for me or take them to the life gaurd if there are hazrdous sharps
for proper disposal.

If non of the above works, thank them for their concern, then walk away - don't
don' t look back, don't argue, you have done your best, Just walk walk away.

If I ever run into theese people again, I just shrug, tap my head phones, and keep going.
No sense waisting precious beach time!

On my way out, I let the life gaurds know what hazardous items I have removed from the beach, if they are not busy.

 

[grey95chevyboy]

Around here, you could be arrested and have your permit revoked for doing that. In Ca, concealed weapons must remain concealed and not be visible unless in legal use.

I live in Florida,next to Texas it's the Wild Wild West.My truck still has a rifle rack..lol.

 

[Honest Samuel]

I hope that it is not a empty rack, or you may have problems.

 

[OBN]

I've had many, Most very good and just curious to how I was doing. I guess the strangest was in Virginia Beach, Middle of the night, a young oriental girl came up to me and asked if I had found anything good and what was my best find, I was speechless for a few seconds but was able to get out a few words. After that I bought a headlamp just incase it ever happened again, I'll let you guess on what she was, or was not wearing.