shallow or hot water?

[islandwheels]

I don't suppose you can hunt in shallow water from Bonsteel to Ft Pierce without getting in hot water So how close to this area does anyone feel comfortable to hunt in shallow water? or rather where is it possible to get in the surf to hunt along the central and souh east coastline? Or do you just need to stay a certain distance away from the lat and long of the known wrecks?
Larry C.

 

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[chipveres]

Remember, we have about a 3 foot tide range. Not much but it helps. Go at low tide when the former shallow water is wet sand. Or check the tide table for extra low (negative) tides, and plan to go on the lowest of the low.

Chip V.

 

[recoiljunky]

I've often wondered this myself. Where does the protected water stop?

 

[pat35]

I would like to know the boundaries too. I live in Stuart and it sucks not being able to go in the water with my excal.

 

[islandwheels]

Hey, I've read in, "Hurricane Treasure" the warning that says, "you may not use a metal detector in the water, i]in the area of the wreck sites". Also I remember an older website (that I can't locate anymore) that listed the 1715 wrecks lat and long along with the comment that according to Florida law that there was a protection zone of a 3000' radius or diameter around each site, can't quite remember. So that begs the question is this true and if so what constitutes 'the area'? which is either defined in law somewhere or else left to legal exploration and interpretion. Perhaps the defined center of the wreck possibly. Does that make sense to anyone? Does anyone remember or know of the web page I'm referring to?

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

If it was me, I would not go "into" the water, work the wet sand to the water line. Remember they can confiscate your detector and vehicle if they wanted to get nasty........

The few inches of additional water hunting would not be worth the cost of the legal fees to try to fight for their return.

good luck and good hunting.

 

[wreckdiver1715]

Hey, I've read in, "Hurricane Treasure" the warning that says, "you may not use a metal detector in the water, i]in the area of the wreck sites". Also I remember an older website (that I can't locate anymore) that listed the 1715 wrecks lat and long along with the comment that according to Florida law that there was a protection zone of a 3000' radius or diameter around each site, can't quite remember. So that begs the question is this true and if so what constitutes 'the area'? which is either defined in law somewhere or else left to legal exploration and interpretion. Perhaps the defined center of the wreck possibly. Does that make sense to anyone? Does anyone remember or know of the web page I'm referring to?

This is the link...

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,16144.0.html

Tom

 

[ivan salis]

psst word to the wize in the 1715 fleet vessel wreck areas * stop at the water line on nearby beaches--stay outta the water areas near the vessel areas with a detector *-- and if you must go in the water to eyeball stuff -- do not take a detector with you (cuz then your not asking for it your begging for it)-- the folks down there PAY a good deal of money ($1000 per season and up to sublease) for those lease rights --so I would expect them to protect their rights that they PAID money for -- I know I would --- wouldn't you ? and the local cops / marine patrol have no sense of humor on these matters .

 

[FLauthor]

Has anyone ever paid a $1000 dollars to hunt the water, say from the shallow water to the first reef? It'd cost four guys $250 a piece, plus the cost of a Brownie 3rd Lung with double 50 foot hoses, two guys underwater and two guys tending the hookha. But there is probably more politics involved otherwise someone would have done it by now.

 

[islandwheels]

I concur that we need to be law abiding, and naturally those that have invested in joining the band wagon for lease rights obviously have a vested interest in excluding others on their 'leased sites' . If though the leased sites end with a 3000' radius of a gps position on a wreck site (if it does, and it should), then the one doing the leasing cannot be leasing anything he or she doesn't have. If someone thinks or want's to give the impression that they own the whole coast's waters when they don't, then they're the ones doing the trespassing or being the pirates, right, and such shouldn't hold up in a court of law? That's all I'm saying. Why throw away what you're entitled to?

 

[wreckdiver1715]

Unfortunately, if you recover anything older than 50 years old in state waters, and outside of a lease that you hold you will still be in violation of the law. The only legal way to do this is to get a lease from the state (good luck), or become a subcontractor for someone who holds a valid salvage lease from the state of Florida.

Tom

 

[islandwheels]

At least one could look for stuff less than 50 years old, lost scuba gear (most of which is mine), lost surfer jewelry, etc.

 

[wreckdiver1715]

At least one could look for stuff less than 50 years old, lost scuba gear (most of which is mine), lost surfer jewelry, etc.

Yep, I do it all the time.