Metal Detecting Queen Anne County: Terrapin Beach?

[Birg]

Greetings! Being a metal detecting novice, and having read much on where we are allowed to detect in Maryland, I wrote an email to the Queen Anne County Parks & Recreation Department about getting a permit to metal detect on Matapeake Beach, just south of the Bay Bridge on the Eastern Shore.

To back fill a little, as seems to be the case in most or all Maryland Counties, metal detectors are not allowed in County Parks without a Permit. Here is an example, citing the Queen Anne County Ordinance:

Article 22-19 General conduct and personal behavior, the following:

H. Metal detectors; digging. Patrons are prohibited from using metal detectors and/or digging into the surface of park property except by permit. (Class e offense).

I give them credit for replying. I was informed that the Director of Parks would not approve a permit for that park, but that he would approve a weekday only 1 day permit for Terrapin Beach.

As near as I can tell Terrapin Beach is the Terrapin Nature Park, just north of the Bay Bridge. The place doesn't look like the type where families would go to spend the day at the beach, due to the somewhat long walk to get there.

My question then: Has anyone gone metal detecting there?

My goal was to hunt only for modern coins and jewelry, not artifacts, and I promised nicely in my email to fill in all the holes I dig, collect all the trash I dig up to dispose of properly, and leave no sign that I was ever there.

With that said, if Terrapin Beach is usually deserted, I strongly suspect that all I will find is trash, if anything. Is it worth requesting a permit for this beach?

Thanks and Happy Hunting!

Birg

 

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[OBN]

High traffic will increase the odds of finding treasure. I would say a waste of time, you can hunt Sandy Point 6am to 9am, drysand Beach only. After labor day the time limit is gone. So you can hunt anytime, but only the beach..Sept 7 to May 30th. Also you can get a permit to the Baltimore county parks. I might advice going to the next MARS club meeting and asking, Lance or Tim. You being in Mt. Airy those spots would be closer then going across the bridge and having to pay.
Maryland is a pain in the axx to hunt, one reason I hunt in the waters of the bay only. Good Luck, and check out the Mars club, very useful information if your a land hunter.

 

[Birg]

High traffic will increase the odds of finding treasure. I would say a waste of time, you can hunt Sandy Point 6am to 9am, drysand Beach only. After labor day the time limit is gone. So you can hunt anytime, but only the beach..Sept 7 to May 30th. Also you can get a permit to the Baltimore county parks. I might advice going to the next MARS club meeting and asking, Lance or Tim. You being in Mt. Airy those spots would be closer then going across the bridge and having to pay.
Maryland is a pain in the axx to hunt, one reason I hunt in the waters of the bay only. Good Luck, and check out the Mars club, very useful information if your a land hunter.

Thanks for the advice.

I did try Terrapin Beach in early July. On the good side, I found a Quarter, Dime and Penny, all clad. I also found maybe 20 bottle caps (all beer) and some foil. As a lasting memory, I brought home a case of Poison Ivy, which took about 2 weeks to get rid of.

The day after Labor Day, I went to Sandy Point, getting there at 6:30 AM and was surprised by all the people there with metal detectors. There were more of them in the water than on land. I found 2 Quarters, a Nickel and a Penny, all modern, in fact the Penny was dated 2018! There was a guy there on the beach crowding my space and every hole he dug, he left uncovered and left the trash lying next to the hole, so I picked up and cleaned up after him, because I didn't want the park employees accusing me of leaving trash on the beach.

There is a big MARS meet at Sandy Point on Saturday (Sept 29th) and I plan to drop by.

 

[OBN]

Thanks for the advice.

I did try Terrapin Beach in early July. On the good side, I found a Quarter, Dime and Penny, all clad. I also found maybe 20 bottle caps (all beer) and some foil. As a lasting memory, I brought home a case of Poison Ivy, which took about 2 weeks to get rid of.

The day after Labor Day, I went to Sandy Point, getting there at 6:30 AM and was surprised by all the people there with metal detectors. There were more of them in the water than on land. I found 2 Quarters, a Nickel and a Penny, all modern, in fact the Penny was dated 2018! There was a guy there on the beach crowding my space and every hole he dug, he left uncovered and left the trash lying next to the hole, so I picked up and cleaned up after him, because I didn't want the park employees accusing me of leaving trash on the beach.

There is a big MARS meet at Sandy Point on Saturday (Sept 29th) and I plan to drop by.

We must have just missed each other. I was in the water but more toward the southern end of the beach. I got into a low spot and did well..I got chased out of that area when the tides started to come in...then found nothing, they cleaned the spot very well. Think there were 12 hunters in the water...