Beach Hunting

[DOGONE1945]

Okay People I need some advice.
In a couple weeks I am going to South Carolina on vacation and I'm taking my detector.
Ive never hunted a beach. How do I know If its legal or okay to hunt a beach?

 

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[mlayers]

Go to the South Carolina site and ask there or read the post to see if other are detecting the beaches. I have travel to different [laces and I have never had a problem. Good luck.....Matt

 

[SCDigginWithAK]

I live in SC and have hunted some beaches. I will assume you are going to Myrtle Beach (maybe not) but there is a Myrtle Beach state park (that's a no-no) but you can hunt up to the high water mark on all other beaches as long as they are not prohibited or state park. Good luck

 

[DOGONE1945]

Well Thanks.
Actually we are taking my girlfriends daughter to college at Coastal Carolina (Conway) then from there we don't have plans so any beaches you could recommend would be great.

 

[DOGONE1945]

Thanks for the advice. What South Carolina site are you referring to? Sorry I am new to this site and just learning my way around.
Also I have an old Whites Quantum II that I bought back in the late 90's. How much better are detectors now?

 

[SCDigginWithAK]

Well Thanks. Actually we are taking my girlfriends daughter to college at Coastal Carolina (Conway) then from there we don't have plans so any beaches you could recommend would be great.

Can't recommend any due to the fact that I'm in the upstate (4 hours away). All I hunted was myrtle.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

reply

..... ask there or read the post to see if other are detecting the beaches. I have travel to different [laces and I have never had a problem. ....

Hey Matt, your tactic/advice of asking locals if they detect there w/o problems, is one that is often suggested. I mean .... doh ... who better to ask than those who already detect there, right? And if detecting is simply routine, and no one's ever had a problem, then .... doh.... that should be sufficient, right?

Such would be what you would THINK. But there's been actual cases of persons who .... instead of doing what you're saying, have instead gone and asked a host of pencil pushers in whatever entity it is they're about to go to. (ie. the state, or the county, or the city, or whomever). And lo & behold they find themselves a "no". So they pass the word to those locals (or put something on a forum thread or whatever). And meanwhile, the old-timers are left scratching their heads saying to themselves "since when? "

So as you can see, the mere fact that you can detect till you're blue in the face, without anyone ever caring, might not mean "it's ok". You must go ask bored bureaucrats, who will address your "pressing issue", by morphing something silly to apply. Like bothering earthworms, or cultural heritage, or removing and taking, blah blah blah.

Ok, now hurry, go do the right thing! haha

 

[auferret]

Thanks for the advice. What South Carolina site are you referring to? Sorry I am new to this site and just learning my way around.
Also I have an old Whites Quantum II that I bought back in the late 90's. How much better are detectors now?

Here is a direct link to the SC section South Carolina

 

[sonnar28]

Well Thanks.
Actually we are taking my girlfriends daughter to college at Coastal Carolina (Conway) then from there we don't have plans so any beaches you could recommend would be great.

The 2 most accessible Charleston area beaches are Folly Beach ( a surfer/college kids beach) and Isle of Palms (more of a family beach). There is scattered parking all over Folly Beach, the Tides Hotel did not check parking passes last time I was there.There is a large public parking lot near the beach near Coconut Joe's Beach Bar and Grill on the Isle of Palms, and a fair amount of dry sand to detect on the beach itself.
The only off limits area with regards to detecting is on Folly Beach southern most tip in the State Park. Otherwise you can detect from the base of the dunes into the water as far as you choose, as long as you cover your holes. But do not dig in the dunes themselves. The no-see-ums and mosquitos can be bad early in the morning and late in the day/evening.
Have fun, and carry a trash bag to cover your detector control box if a rainstorm sneaks up on you.
I hope this helps!

 

[DOGONE1945]

thanks for all the replies they have been helpful.

 

[racmad843]

I'm down in Beaufort and hunt at Hunting Island...but not on State Park grounds. The beach is fair game and I have gotten away with detecting in the grass parking lot. Stay away from State Park monument areas, manicured/landscaped areas of parks. I always seek out a park representative and ask before detecting. Some of the beaches in SC are run by Cities/Counties and have specific rules governing detecting. State Parks are generally off limits. Have fun and let us know how you did.