New Member, Washington State

[Paniolo Del Mar]

Hello,

I finally decided to start pursuing my interest in metal detecting. I have been reading a lot of books and watching Youtube to learn the basics. I am in Washington State and from the internet I have gathered that there are a lot of legal restrictions on where metal detecting is allowed. I have found a list of state parks with maps of where metal detecting is allowed, but I was wondering if anyone here knows if underwater metal detecting is allowed anywhere in the Puget Sound. I am interested in beach and shallow water detecting, but I am also interested in detecting on scuba. I have been diving for many years and have a Divemaster certification, I also worked as diver professionally for a while so I feel comfortable and safe doing this. I would mostly detect in shallow water close to shore, probably 30' or less. I know that divers around here go bottle hunting and keep interesting things that they find underwater, but I don't know of anyone who uses a metal detector here. Is anyone familiar with any laws that would stop me from doing this or know where to look to find out?

 

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[Professor of Engineering]

Welcome to the forum from Massachusetts!

 

[CJayC]

Also new and from WA state. What restrictions are you speaking of? Because from my research, there didn't seem to be that many.

 

[Paniolo Del Mar]

Also new and from WA state. What restrictions are you speaking of? Because from my research, there didn't seem to be that many.

Thanks for the response. From what I have found some state parks do not allow metal detecting and the ones that do provide maps of the areas where detecting is allowed.

Metal Detecting | Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission

http://parks.state.wa.us/DocumentCenter/View/39

I haven't really researched city parks yet, but many state parks exclude beach areas from metal detecting. I'm new to this so I'm just going by what I have read on the internet. I don't know what it is like in other states. I just want to make sure I don't break any laws.

 

[Paniolo Del Mar]

Thanks!

 

[CJayC]

Interesting. I was aware of the brochure, but not the other information you posted, so thank you for that. I see what you mean by only some sections of the parks being detectable.

The only park that I'm personally familiar with, though, is Saltwater. If I'm reading the maps correctly, I'm assuming that the area(s) within the dotted border(s) is/are where you're allowed to detect (as opposed to only being allowed to detect along the borders). So with that in mind, the actual beach area of Saltwater is off-limits, which is fine. Because that particular park doesn't have much in the way of public beach property anyway, unless the tied happens to be out.

I'm more interested in city parks and public schools, though. I'll keep researching the subject as well.

Cheers!

 

[vpnavy]

Welcome Aboard Paniolo Del Mar and CJayC! Take a look at Sub-Forums: Washington for information (i.e., clubs, etc.) directly related to your state.

 

[Enginefitter]

Welcome from NE Ohio.

Engine

 

[against the wind]

Welcome to Tnet

 

[SD51]

Welcome from Michigan and best of luck to you!

 

[digging440yrs]

Welcome aboard

 

[Truth]

Welcome from Southern Louisiana!!


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[bootybandit]

Welcome to TNET!

 

[katzgar]

I used to live in Shoreline and did some newbie detecting around Shoreline and Edmonds and kept coming across a little round rock that was iron in nature so I ended up quitting

 

[Wildcat1750]

Welcome to TNet, from Nick in Connecticut!