Who detects on Ft Laud. or Hollywood Beach...Need advice

[ExcalSam]

Ok...Went to the beach today to try detecting in the water. Tried to follow previous advice of knee-deep. Well, the conditions were as good as they can get. No heavy waves, just swells. Anyway knee deep is where the sand undulates as it washes in and out. Any further out and it's waist to chest deep. The swells would buffet me around. Took me forever to dig an aluminum pull ring out due to sifting sand and low visibility. (Yes, I knew it was a pull tab but working on technique). Most of the people were at this depth although another 20' out was neck deep and probably better. But to go out there I would need to SCUBA or Hooka, which presents it's own problems with dragging the gear to location.

Now, I could detect the towel line, but that would have to be in the evening. I know they drag the beaches early in the morning. And i'm sure that there would be more jewelry in the water. I got a lot of time off, but during the day. Also, detecting with a million people around is a PITA.

I hate to be relegated to just detecting up on the treasure coast when I can get up there.

So, any tips would be greatly appreciated.

P.S. I did find a quarter laying on the sand

 

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[cudamark]

Is there a question there somewhere?

 

[ExcalSam]

Do you detect Ft Laud./Hollywood beaches? Then no.

 

[slider66]

I have detected Hollywood and Fort Lauderdale. First from reading your questions it sounds like you need a different sand scoop. If you are using one of the round aluminum scoops throw the thing away and get you a stealth scoop or some other scoop made of stainless where you can get your target no matter what the visibility is. As far as knee deep goes, I don't know how old you are or how you are at swimming but there are a lot of targets at neck deep so you have to get out there. I would suggest that if you are in some rough surf using a mask and snorkel and let the waves go over your head.

There is just as many if not more targets in the wet and dry sand as there is in the water. I have found many rings and other jewelry in the dry sand and I am sure that lots of others would agree with me. Everything boils down to conditions. Lately at some beaches on the east coast you have the sand sifters coming on the beach and cleaning up a lot of trash to include really good targets that we would normally get. I read a recent post about the sifters and the operators not going through the trash. I believe they do. My friend and I did a test with the help of one of the sifter operators in Miami. We did pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters on several test runs. The machine picked up everything except the pennies. We thought that the coins could have been drug further up the beach but we gridded the section of the beach and did not find any of the coins.

I was in Hollywood one day when a man lost his iphone in the water. We were able to retrieve the phone but the current running and waves were incredible. I have never seen current running like it was that day in Hollywood. I see your using the Excal. The Excal rocks and you can't go wrong there. Just keep plugging away, take your time and go slow in the water. Only go out as far as you feel comfortable. With time you will build up your confidence and start finding more targets. It is all about conditions. That to will come with time and you will be able to tell if your wasting your time by the condition of the bottom. I hope this helps you. Good luck. Watch a lot of videos on Youtube about beach detecting and water. Pay attention to where the guys are in the water. Your missing a lot of good targets if you are staying knee deep only.

 

[ExcalSam]

I could use a better scoop but the problem I had was I was so close to shore the water was all stirred up with sand and i could hardly see my coil and where to place my scoop. You're right, I need to get out deeper. I had a backpack with water and such...Doesn't work. Can't just leave it on the beach though. Guess I'll leave it home. I think next time I go out it will be with a mask, snorkel, 5# of weight to hold me to the bottom better...Kept getting swept off target by swells.

To detect the towel line, I would have to wait until evening...That's hard due to family. I would have no problem going out on the beach at night but not living on the beach and just starting out, I have to figure out parking. During the day all I can find is pay parking and I don't know about parking at night.

I know those sifter operators and other city employees go through the trash...They'd be crazy not to. I seen it on Miami Beach.

Thanks for the tips! Ditch the backpack. Mask, snorkel, and weight, and get out deeper.

 

[CASPER-2]

both spots have calm days - usually Im the only one in when its rough when im down there (im just a visitor)
locals just wait for a good day - ive seen both spots like glass and been in when its rough
Fort L. when its rough - friend of mine was watching me with my GF - I did have a mask on when I got in

like Slider said in a nut shell - there is treasures in dry - wet and water - ankle deep knee deep chest deep
you just got find it
Ive gone down and guys have said theres none to be found and i just run around until i find a
spot where it looks good - where i have a chance - mask is a plus so you can try and find
hard bottom where you can increase your chances of getting older yellow
just some of my Fla. finds most made from Fort L. to Miami
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/members/29748-albums1617.html
here is a calmer Fort L.

not to far from Hollywood with other local friends

another calm morn in Fort L. area

just go out on days like this and no problems

 

[DeepseekerADS]

My normal water hunting is fresh water lakes in my area. Five years ago I went down to Ft. Lauderdale, and was totally unprepared for the wave action on the beach!

Gotta be tough to hit the water there unless on a very calm day.

 

[ExcalSam]

Swells are a PITA. Years ago up on the treasure coast, I was wading knee deep (I know) and hit this really high tone on my Excal. Unfortunately, the swells were close to 1' and close together. Knocked me off my spot and couldn't find it again. (should have kept searching) Never had a tone like that before. I assume silver. Gold I know is a mellow low tone, lower than aluminium. Kicking myself in the butt ever since.

 

[DeepseekerADS]

On my trip, from Lauderdale I crossed over to the Gulf Coast - completely different scenario. That water was warm, and I didn't get the crap beat out of me, chin deep I went

 

[biggmike]

I'm not sure how early or late you get to the beach but if surf condition is a problem then checking the web cam might help too. Ft. Lauderdale has a few as do most of the popular beaches and I have made some great recoveries from there. Here is a shot from the Hilton on Ft. Lauderdale and it looks a little choppy at the the surf line with swells out deeper so hunting is possible but probably not optimal at all this morning. The cams are live, this is just a screen shot. Also, You have one of the best detectors made so invest a few hundred into one of the best scoops made and you'll be set plus practice dropping that weight belt just in case.

 

[ExcalSam]

Yeah, I thought of that. Hollywood Beach webcam has been down for days. Haha. I know what you mean about the weight belt. Years ago I was detecting in the water about chest deep and all of a sudden I felt the sand being pulled out under my feet. Seems a small riptide formed where I was and it was trying to pull me out. I was able to hop a little bet towards shore and get my footing. Didn't want to lose my weight belt

 

[cudamark]

Do you detect Ft Laud./Hollywood beaches? Then no.

I have detected both, but, I don't live there. Beach advice usually applies to every beach unless there is something special about a particular one. I'm still trying to figure out what your question is, rather than just the fact that you didn't find much on your last hunt. If you're asking how to find more good targets, my advice would apply to all beaches as a general rule. To me, going into deeper water doesn't always mean more or better finds. Conditions are more important. Knowing your beach and what has changed since the last time you hunted it is even more important. Regardless of water depth, I like to be on firm sand. If it's mushy, unless you just get very lucky on a recent drop, all you're going to find is light junk. Firm sand with recent erosion is where I like to be when in the wet sand or water. At an unfamiliar beach, I start by running a zig zag pattern from seawall to surf to see if there is a trough or band of targets that I can follow down the beach.

 

[ExcalSam]

That is basically it...General advice. How to deal with swells that knock you around while you're trying to dig...Times people go...Parking(beach specific)...General tips, that's all.

 

[cudamark]

Everyone has their own preferences. I like hunting the beach at night unless I need/want to get into the surf. At night, traffic and parking isn't an issue, no need for sunscreen and worry about heat prostration, Nobody in your way or asking you the endless typical questions, etc. I only go about knee deep at night. If I want to deep surf hunt during the day, I wait for a good low tide and/or calm water, and start hunting about 2 hours before low. If I need lead to hold me down, I don't hunt in the water. Not worth the risk. Same thing with waders, I don't use them in the surf.....too dangerous.

 

[CASPER-2]

some articles ive writen - some may help - some may inspire - i hope
https://www.flickr.com/photos/casper-2/

 

[Irishgoldhound]

both spots have calm days - usually Im the only one in when its rough when im down there (im just a visitor)
locals just wait for a good day - ive seen both spots like glass and been in when its rough
Fort L. when its rough - friend of mine was watching me with my GF - I did have a mask on when I got in

like Slider said in a nut shell - there is treasures in dry - wet and water - ankle deep knee deep chest deep
you just got find it
Ive gone down and guys have said theres none to be found and i just run around until i find a
spot where it looks good - where i have a chance - mask is a plus so you can try and find
hard bottom where you can increase your chances of getting older yellow
just some of my Fla. finds most made from Fort L. to Miami
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/members/29748-albums1617.html
here is a calmer Fort L.
View attachment 1754128
not to far from Hollywood with other local friends
View attachment 1754129
another calm morn in Fort L. area
View attachment 1754130
just go out on days like this and no problems

Now that’s hard core! Love it!

 

[Irishgoldhound]

...the top pic with Casper that is lol

 

[slider66]

Ok...Went to the beach today to try detecting in the water. Tried to follow previous advice of knee-deep. Well, the conditions were as good as they can get. No heavy waves, just swells. Anyway knee deep is where the sand undulates as it washes in and out. Any further out and it's waist to chest deep. The swells would buffet me around. Took me forever to dig an aluminum pull ring out due to sifting sand and low visibility. (Yes, I knew it was a pull tab but working on technique). Most of the people were at this depth although another 20' out was neck deep and probably better. But to go out there I would need to SCUBA or Hooka, which presents it's own problems with dragging the gear to location.

Now, I could detect the towel line, but that would have to be in the evening. I know they drag the beaches early in the morning. And i'm sure that there would be more jewelry in the water. I got a lot of time off, but during the day. Also, detecting with a million people around is a PITA.

I hate to be relegated to just detecting up on the treasure coast when I can get up there.

So, any tips would be greatly appreciated.

P.S. I did find a quarter laying on the sand

I read some of your later post! It appears you have experience detecting so why would you post and ask for tips? You mention rip tides and weight belts so you been detecting for sometime. Just curious.

 

[ExcalSam]

some articles ive writen - some may help - some may inspire - i hope
https://www.flickr.com/photos/casper-2/

Lot of good information there. Thanks!

 

[ExcalSam]

I read some of your later post! It appears you have experience detecting so why would you post and ask for tips? You mention rip tides and weight belts so you been detecting for sometime. Just curious.

Never too old to learn! May pick up tips that I hadn't thought about. And, yes, I've detected before, but I'm not a 20 year veteran.