Honeymoon Island State park Heads up guys!!!!

[kc10bull]

First this isn't a complaint or a gripe about the park, but information from my visit today.
Well, several weeks ago I got my life time pass to all Florida state parks, as part of my veterans disability! Yeaaaa!! The last several weeks I have been water hunting Honeymoon Island state park (10 minutes from the house), like I have been doing the past 13 years. Well today that came to a complete STOP, HALT . A park ranger ask me and another water detectorist to please come out of the ocean. He advised us that we could only detect the dry sand from the dune lines to the surf line. I identified myself and informed him that I had been detecting in the ocean at Honeymoon Island for the last 13 years and this was the first time that anyone had said we could not detect in the water I had ask about this several times in the past few years talking with the rangers, and always getting the thumbs up, have fun). He stated the state regulations, and I ask him additional questions, he said if I wanted I should talk to the main park ranger . At no time did we argue about detecting. We thanked him and headed out.

My next stop was to the main office at the entry point to the park. I went in and had a good discussion with the main ranger (should have written his name down). We discussed the hobby, the efforts that the majority of people with detectors make in cleaning up after ourselves, returning items to people that have lost rings, bracelets, and other objects, taking out the trash and dangerous objects we find, ( I informed him about a rusty crab trap and a 12 inch butcher knife I found in the water that was only knee deep that I had removed previously). Just imagine if someones child had stepped on that. Basically leaving the area better than we found it. He admitted that we as a group were very good at taking care of the areas we detect by filling in our holes and getting rid of the junk. But he was trying to follow the guidelines (rules) that were issued. There was an individual that he named that had been really verbal and bad mouthed him and the other rangers in the last few years, from what I have learned he isn't welcome at the park anymore. He advised me that he had been discussing with the rest of the park ranger staff that they needed to enforce the rules. I let him know that I had been at the park 4 times in the last two weeks detecting in the water in direct sight of the other rangers and this was the first time that I was ask to not detect in the ocean.

I thanked him for his time and effort, he said it would be nice if the rules were changed but to get that done it has to come from the people in our hobby asking that the park be open to water hunters. So now I'm passing on the information to you all. I'm disappointed. Man I was looking forward to hitting this park several times a week and at least once every weekend. It's a shame that not only am I (we) are loosing out on a great park, but the park is loosing out too, because I will not be visiting as often and spending money in their concession shop and the restaurant.

 

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[matrix master DBA]

Its sad kc. You hear more stories like this every year. Here in Louisville ky all 135 metro parks have been banned from metal detecting. Same thing is taking place across the river in Indiana. Future is not looking good for the hobby.

 

[CSMPEREZ]

Hey KC, always wanted to hunt there, never made it there. So are you shut down or not?

 

[cdv1]

Well, now I'm pissed...... I've been told the "only between the dunes and the water" line now every time I've gone in the past two years and have been following what they have said.... and to think I could have been hunting in the water till just now..... bummer too, I just found out about a lost wedding band there too!

Cliff

 

[PhilBarnett]

I don't understand how all these laws come about. Just like around my area. I am surrounded by thousands of acres of national forest. All they are doing is leaving things in the ground to rot. What harm can it possibly do to hunt in the forest with a MD? This is why people are so mean because our government takes away any thing people can do to get out with family and friends and have a good time. Nothing left in this country any more but for people to be mean. God created this earth not the government. It doesn't belong to them any more then it does the rest of us for our time here on earth.

Sent from my iPad using TreasureNet

 

[Les West Central Fl]

I found out last year about their rules. Some people ruin it for everyone.

 

[DewGuru]

Ya. It's been that way for years. It's selective enforcement there. Win some, Lose some. I've been run off a number of times as well, always said sorry, didnt know.

 

[matrix master DBA]

I don't understand how all these laws come about. Just like around my area. I am surrounded by thousands of acres of national forest. All they are doing is leaving things in the ground to rot. What harm can it possibly do to hunt in the forest with a MD? This is why people are so mean because our government takes away any thing people can do to get out with family and friends and have a good time. Nothing left in this country any more but for people to be mean. (((God created this earth not the government. It doesn't belong to them any more then it does the rest of us for our time here on earth.)))

Sent from my iPad using TreasureNet

I feel the same way Phil.

 

[kc10bull]

Well, I'm shut down as far as detecting in the ocean, on Honeymoon Island state park. Detecting on the beach area there is ok. The ranger said that's where they loose their stuff anyway. I didn't comment, as we all know people loose stuff where ever they are at be it on land, in the surf, on the beach, etc. I know the road to Honeymoon island has beach access all along the way to the island, on both sides. But I also know that these area are really mucky and you sink up to your knees. To detect in that would be more than just a challenge, you could easily get hurt from the rocks and muck. I was really wanting a beach area that would be enjoyable to hunt. I like to hunt between 4 to 8 hours, being 6'1" 300 pounds is tough to do for that long a time on the hot, steamy beach. Also easy parking, low traffic volume, close to where I live, that isn't overly crowded, and not swarmed by all the other detectorists, like Clearwater beach is. I do enjoy meeting everyone that detects, but i also enjoy getting out in the ocean and just being out there with nature, having fun doing the my favorite hobby of water detecting. So I'm hearing in my head hey you can still go there detect on the beach for some time then go out into the ocean and enjoy! All I know is that somewhere in my head I would be hearing, hey you are not out there on the beach swinging the detector you are missing out on that new shiney penny! lol. Any suggestions I'm all ears!

 

[pong12211]

Hey to you I say congratulations on a ting respectful and being decent to the park rangers.. That's the kind of attitude that will go a long way with them in the future.. They have a job to do and rules to enforce also.. At least they gave you a way totry to get the rule reversed.. Hopefully enough people will handle the situation the way you did and everybody will be happy with the results.. Here's hoping..

 

[Can Slaw]

I have been hunting the Ft. Myers area for many years and all of the State parks in this area have been closed to water hunting ever since I started hunting, dry sand only. You have had a nice ride for 13 years, wish i had had that. If it makes you feel better, it has always been on the books in the parks south of you.

 

[onthespot]

All you have to do, is put in on the causeway and paddle over in a kayak. If you come by water you should be good. I believe they only control to the water line.

 

[dustytrails123]

regulation nation every year they pass so many new laws i dont know how anyone can keep up with it

 

[reapp]

Since it's now off-limits, how productive was the water hunting at Honeymoon beach?

 

[dirtynails]

Scuba gear is in order. Stay under water they won't see you. Haha

 

[KEYSHUNTER]

not to be a downer but all water withen a state park in florida state parks is a big nono unless you have permission .the state owns the bay bottem 3 miles out ...the many wrecks that lie inside that are protected..you can ask to find a lost ring at say bahia honda or john pennecamp in the keys but there is paperwork ,supervison and anything else you find is property of the ranger looking over your shoulder.....

 

[Tom_in_CA]

reply

kc10bull, what I find fascinating about the story of your encounter, is the back-ground up till-this-present encounter.

It worked like this: You have been hunting in the water for "13 yrs." and never had a problem. You even getting a friendly wave and a thumbs up from passing rangers, and no one ever cared. Now you have an isolated "appraised" ranger who knows some minutia, and he boots you.

But get this: Cliff, Les, dewguru, can slaw, keyshunter all somehow knew this (apparently having asked or looked it up in the past), and thus were precluded from hunting in the water. As as example, upon reading of your encounter, Cliff laments: "...and to think I could have been hunting in the water till just now..... ".

This is a PRIME EXAMPLE of how often there's the "technical answer" (because you ask long enough and hard enough), and the "reality" (because no one really cares).

I guess what I'm trying to say is: "Gee it's a good thing you didn't ask or look it up 13 years ago, eh??"

There was an example of that on a federal beach here in CA (that rumor had it was "off-limits to detecting"). A newbie who simply didn't know any better, had gotten a metal detector. As he dreamed up places to take his new toy to, the figured "the beach" (afterall, where ELSE does anyone detect, haha). So he went to this federal beach, and found an un-harvested bonanza, day after day, week after week, of coins (and occasional jewelry) in the dry sand. To the tune of 100 to 200 coins per hunt, any time he cared to make the drive. He was dumbfounded as to why the "locals weren't all over this" (because he was aware that there were other hobbyists in the area). But he wasn't complaining. So over the course of a few months, he'd go a few times per week, and dig tons of coins from the seemingly virgin towel-line. Eventually, another hobbyist told him "hey, isn't it illegal to detect there?". To which he thought they were nuts (afterall, what could be the possible harm in metal detecting at the beach??). But ..... over time, as he got to know other hobbyists in his area, he heard this same claim. At first he figured they were mistaken. Why? Because he'd gone in broad daylight, for several months by then, and no one cared! Yup, right in front of rangers and anyone. Right in front of manned lifeguard towers, etc... NO ONE CARED. Thus those other hobbyists who were now telling him "it's illegal" must be the ones who are mistaken, right? Afterall, certainly someone would have booted him, if there were any truth to that, right? Eventually he did learn that .... technically ... there was something about this claim. Thus it became evident to him why the "pickens were so good", was that all the locals simply believed you couldn't hunt there.

Therefore he had a dilema: should he just continue, since it was so painfully evident that no one cared? Or preclude himself now like all the others? You could hardly blame him if he just went and continued, now would you?!

 

[kc10bull]

Well, the funny thing is I had talked to the rangers over the years, and I have seen other detectorists in the water and on the beach over the years. The rangers have even checked out my equipment and ask questions, and showed them what I had found, before this year. So I was comfortable detecting this area. As far as the recovery rate well, typical water recoveries as far as coins go. But the area was never more than I recovered anywhere else in the Tampa Bay area. Yes I recovered some rings over the years. But not every time I went out, or ever multiples. I do know several people that have recovered rings and jewelry there. Many of them from up North! I would love to be out detecting like Les and DewGuru, and others do almost on a daily basis, all the time. But commitments like work and family, lol and life have had priority. So I get lucky to get out when I do. Currently I'm out of work (almost 2 months now) as I had completed my previous project contract and no additional work was available (government seacrestration bad spelling) no government work. So I was able to get out and detect , and since Honeymoon park was right down the road about 10 minutes and I just received my VA disability thus I was now able to get a lifetime state park pass. Thus I could go there and not have to pay to detect. It also got me out from under my wifes feet (gave her a break from me) and out of the house, away from the computer and endless job searches. (Wife also knew exactly where I was at) before this year she knew I was somewhere between Clearwater beach and St. Petersburg! Not so easy to track me down ! Being in the ocean detecting took me away from all that stress of trying to find work, wondering when I will see another pay check. It also re energizes me when I go back to the house, even if I find only a little pocket change! Now I sit at my computer thinking about detecting and knowing until I land a new job, that detecting will just have to take a back seat once again. Going out and spending money on gas and a parking space isn't in the budget.
I always thought that since Ft. DeSoto had a detecting policy on the beach and in the ocean, even if you had to get a permission slip from their main office. Thus Honrymoon park should have had a like policy since I had never had any issues until now. I thought both parks were state parks, I found out this week that Ft. DeSoto is a county park, not a state park like Honeymoon Island.

So I have made some mistakes, not done enough research, and not ask the right people the right questions. Thus I'm at fault.

It's funny last time out detecting at Honeymoon Island one of the tourist ask me if I was unemployed, before I had always said no, this detector cost over $1000, and I drive a Ford F-150 Supercrew truck, this isn't a hobby for the unemployed. But last time I said why yes I am, but it's only a temporary thing until I scoop up that pot of gold that's buried out here somewhere!

Happy Hunting everyone, please keep posting your great discoveries, it motivates me to look forward to the next time I'm out in the ocean detecting!

 

[gordonquixote]

A good friend of mine is a FL park manager. He quotes me the same thing that you were told. I never push the issue due to our friendship but I would like to get in the water!

 

[Captain PopTop]

if things get worse for our hobby we should get a facebook campaign and videos showing the dangerous things we find so other people and children don't get injured or hurt get all the hunters from all the sites on line and whatever heavy hitters in the govt. to be on our side, the other thing like you said be respectful, one small beach I hunt is owned by a small resort but they are tolerant to the public they kinda have split the beach where their guest and beach rentals are and on the other side where the public goes, I never cross into their area and hunt I respect their space.one other thing 3 weeks ago I found a heavy duty anchor line that was looped down into the sand right at above waist deep water, the rope was probably a jet ski anchor from down the beach from one of the hotels, it was so deep I could not dig it out, I never left it until finally a woman came to me with a knife she held my gear as I dove to the bottom and cut the rope on both sides to the sand, if that tangled some childs leg in ruff surf I don't even wanna think what coulda happened.