midnightmoon
Sr. Member
- Mar 8, 2008
- 362
- 192
- Detector(s) used
- Gold Bug Pro
- Primary Interest:
- Prospecting
Usually I take someone with me when I MD at night. But I go to this beach a lot, it is a Marine town [they are nice], there is an obvious police presence, often stretches are completely empty...so, I went alone at 10pm last night.
No lights on this beach; just natural night vision. So about 11:30pm I notice I am alone, although you can hear partiers further down the beach. Police try to control them by parking their SUV units about 50 yards away, turning on the light bar, and shinning their search light on the party, hoping they'll gather their belongings and leave.
Anyhow, back at my piece of the beach, I see a large mass on the damp and am concerned that a seal has washed up. As I approach the form, I realize that it is way too long to be a seal. It is large and rounded at one end, about 24" diameter. Then the mass tapers and curves, in all, about 15 feet in length.
I got closer and took out my flashlight. Dude. Just seaweed. I had to laugh at myself. Then I wished there was a little more light so I could snap a pic with my cell...cause it totally looked like a figure with a tail.
Yea. A mermaid.
Then I did what every single one of you would do....I scanned it with my metal detector.
At the head end the indicator jumped between pulltab & nickel, which may be 10-14kt. gold.
Mermaid's got gold for brains...alright!
I took a few careful chops at her with my beach scoop.
Not much give.
I got my hands in there and tried to rip an opening.
Yuck. Full of bugs that look like tiny crickets.
I wished I had brought a machete. Or hacksaw. At least a bread knife.
Scanned again. Good, strong signal.
Nobody's looking. So, I just started to swing the pointed edge of my sand scoop like I really mean business. In 15 minutes I shredded its head to pieces. Shined my light. Never did find my target. Mean, stingy mermaid!
Move on. Head towards the fire rings and dry sand. Swinging with my earphones on; but aware of my surroundings. Sort of.
Took note of two police SUVs about 50 yards away doing their intimidation thing with all the lights. Must be directed towards that car in the parking lot. It is in direct line with me...cause I am getting lit up, too. Whoa. One of them is talking on his PA. Something about 'on the ground' and 'move'.
Ummm. I think he is directing this to that one vehicle. Maybe. Ummm.
My detector and scoop are in my hands in plain view with the search light on me. Slowly I reach down and unplug my earphones, lift them away from my head and throw them onto the sand. Hoping he'll understand, if he was talking to me, I really couldn't hear. I'm still lit up as a third police unit arrives. I drop my scoop and detector in the sand and hold my hands away from my body...just in case they are talking to me because really, I am not sure. The third unit drives in front of the other two. After a few seconds, they all leave. Does not appear that anyone is in the car on the edge of the parking lot that was between me and the officers.
So, I guess they were talking to me.
As they disappear down the road I joked out loud...
*that wasn't even a real mermaid*
Fifteen more minutes of detecting and I was ready to head home.
I wasn't really much bothered by the police encounter.
But, I was a little sad as I loaded my machine into the back of my new Jeep.
We kinda get treated like derelicts sometimes.
No lights on this beach; just natural night vision. So about 11:30pm I notice I am alone, although you can hear partiers further down the beach. Police try to control them by parking their SUV units about 50 yards away, turning on the light bar, and shinning their search light on the party, hoping they'll gather their belongings and leave.
Anyhow, back at my piece of the beach, I see a large mass on the damp and am concerned that a seal has washed up. As I approach the form, I realize that it is way too long to be a seal. It is large and rounded at one end, about 24" diameter. Then the mass tapers and curves, in all, about 15 feet in length.
I got closer and took out my flashlight. Dude. Just seaweed. I had to laugh at myself. Then I wished there was a little more light so I could snap a pic with my cell...cause it totally looked like a figure with a tail.
Yea. A mermaid.
Then I did what every single one of you would do....I scanned it with my metal detector.
At the head end the indicator jumped between pulltab & nickel, which may be 10-14kt. gold.
Mermaid's got gold for brains...alright!
I took a few careful chops at her with my beach scoop.
Not much give.
I got my hands in there and tried to rip an opening.
Yuck. Full of bugs that look like tiny crickets.
I wished I had brought a machete. Or hacksaw. At least a bread knife.
Scanned again. Good, strong signal.
Nobody's looking. So, I just started to swing the pointed edge of my sand scoop like I really mean business. In 15 minutes I shredded its head to pieces. Shined my light. Never did find my target. Mean, stingy mermaid!
Move on. Head towards the fire rings and dry sand. Swinging with my earphones on; but aware of my surroundings. Sort of.
Took note of two police SUVs about 50 yards away doing their intimidation thing with all the lights. Must be directed towards that car in the parking lot. It is in direct line with me...cause I am getting lit up, too. Whoa. One of them is talking on his PA. Something about 'on the ground' and 'move'.
Ummm. I think he is directing this to that one vehicle. Maybe. Ummm.
My detector and scoop are in my hands in plain view with the search light on me. Slowly I reach down and unplug my earphones, lift them away from my head and throw them onto the sand. Hoping he'll understand, if he was talking to me, I really couldn't hear. I'm still lit up as a third police unit arrives. I drop my scoop and detector in the sand and hold my hands away from my body...just in case they are talking to me because really, I am not sure. The third unit drives in front of the other two. After a few seconds, they all leave. Does not appear that anyone is in the car on the edge of the parking lot that was between me and the officers.
So, I guess they were talking to me.
As they disappear down the road I joked out loud...
*that wasn't even a real mermaid*
Fifteen more minutes of detecting and I was ready to head home.
I wasn't really much bothered by the police encounter.
But, I was a little sad as I loaded my machine into the back of my new Jeep.
We kinda get treated like derelicts sometimes.
