W&ET Featured Monthly Article Vol. 34 July 2000

Feature

Vol. 34 - July 2000

One Summer's Take... Or Gator Bait?
By Judy D. Thompson

These finds from their first summer of searching leave no doubt that Dave and Judy are off to a great start in treasure hunting!

In all honesty, we have my sister Sandy, her husband Jim, and W&ET to blame for our initial interest in metal detecting.

While visiting their house, I found a copy of this magazine on the coffee table. Once I picked it up and started reading, I couldn't put it down! I noticed that my husband Dave did the same thing. Jim told us that he used to have a metal detector, and Sandy brought out a photo album and their collection of coins. Jim admitted that he had sold the detector and the gold he'd found, but we didn't need to see it... we were already hooked!

It was meant to be, because less than two weeks later we saw a classified ad for a Garrett Grand Master III. We made the call and bought the detector. Not only did we get a machine that had rarely been used, but also scoops, a floating screen sifter, and a variety of metal detecting books. What a terrific deal!

It didn't take long to realize we would never be a one detector family. The kind of detector to get next was easily decided, for among the books passed on to us were several about water hunting. Living in Florida, with water all around us, Dave decided on Minelab's Excalibur.

We thought the beach would be a good place to start, and it was there that I found my first gold. I had the Garrett and was walking a zigzag pattern, moving in and out with the waves, when among the false signals I got a good, solid one. It registered just like a pulltab or a nickel. I was hoping for a nickel. At this point, I wasn't even thinking about gold.

I cannot describe the thrill I felt as I watched the sand sift through my scoop to reveal a man's 14K gold wedding band! I was the first to strike gold! The greatest thing was, I now knew that this machine was capable of finding gold, and I also knew how it would tell me.

Eager to go for the gold? Well, right now's a great time to get your feet wet! All of these rings were recovered in water, along with four more which the Thompsons were able to return to their owners.

Of course, it wasn't skill, and I didn't have years of experience. When I looked back down that long, wide beach, I knew what it was- pure luck! Oh, we had read our manuals and studied the beach hunting books, so we knew where to hunt: water's edge, shallow pools left by the tides, any areas where the people go, etc. However, the real lesson here is, you have to make the effort. We spent many hours on those beaches.

There are also plenty of small lakes nearby, and we decided to try them next. Dave would head for the water while I stayed onshore, hunting around the beach and picnic areas. This worked well- that is, until I noticed that every time out, he was finding ten coins to every one of mine! Hmm... was there more in the water than on land?

Dave was free to move around anywhere in the lake, as long as he could wade there. I, on the other hand, was limited to the sometimes-small land area. So, I decided it was time to brave the shallow water. Sure enough, I immediately began finding coins.

At one small lake, I could see another beach just past the next tree line. Dave was over there, deep in the water, and I watched as he pulled up another scoop. As I heard the "clunk" of his find (and imagined the smile on his face!), that beach began calling me!

Soon the temptation proved too great. I grabbed my scoop, picked up my detector, and headed through the reeds. As I set the searchcoil down in about 3" of water and started hunting, almost immediately I got a "pulltab/nickel" signal. Should I dig? It might be only another pulltab... but then again, it might be gold!

Because there is not as much trash in the water as there is on land, I couldn't chance it- I dug. I had found my second gold ring! It was a 10K 1955 class ring. I had to admit that wading was definitely worthwhile!

If you search in the South, keep an eye out for this critter! Florida alligators often haunt the same freshwater shorelines as TH'ers.

Out from that same beach, Dave was working in about 4-5' of water when he found some of our oldest coins yet, including a 1917-S Walking Liberty half dollar and a 1907 "V" nickel. Meanwhile, I turned up a 1952 Franklin half dollar in the shallows, from about 12".

I had yet to hunt that sandy beach, so I decided now was the time to scout it out. As I turned toward it, I noticed a long depression in the sand near the trees. "Rather like an alligator would make while sunning himself," I thought, chuckling a little. Then I saw the tracks in the wet sand- big tracks... gator tracks- and I froze.

My mind must have still been working, because I realized that they were going away from the water, in towards the trees. ("This is good," I thought.) My heart was beating so loudly that I was sure if a gator was there, he would be attracted to the sound. I scanned the tree line and shore and wondered to myself, which was worse? A gator that you could see, or one you couldn't see? No, I couldn't see him... but the hair standing up on my neck told me he was there.

I reached up, took my headphones off, and listened for any kind of movement around me. (A gator sliding back into the water would make some sound, wouldn't he?) I backed away from the beach, then realized- oh, man!- I had to cross back through those reeds. Believe me, I gave them a wide berth!

It was the end of our day, so when Dave saw me moving back towards the other shore, he trailed along, too. I told him what I had seen. "In Florida," he said, "if there is a body of fresh water, an alligator is also possible." But he added, "Don't worry, I always keep one eye on you." I felt relieved, at least until he mumbled something as he turned away- something about "gator bait!"

I asked myself later if I would have sacrificed my beloved detector if it came to that. I hope I never have to find out. I wonder how strong those metal shafts are anyway, and just how much pressure is in a gator's bite?

"Hey! Give that back! I've got a good signal here!" - Cartoon by Judy Thompson

I was disinclined to go back for some time, so while Dave hunted the waters, I stayed on shore. I wasn't happy, though. I had been content digging in the soil, until I had hunted in shallow water. I had been happy finding the occasional coin, until I found gold in the water. I realized how much harder land hunting was when I'd look over to see Dave scoop out another coin- without bending over, without sweating, without any effort at all.

Dave was bringing in a gold ring about every third time out. (I can always tell... he has this smirk.) I was bringing a book to read.

But you can't keep a determined detectorist down. We soon added a Fisher CZ-20 to our arsenal. I knew it was the right decision, when on the first time out, we matched coin for coin.

I also faced my fear and returned to that old beach, and have never seen any more tracks in the sand. Maybe because it was spring, that gator was just passing through. I hunt the shallow waters still, but deep or shallow, I keep a watchful eye out. I don't want to be "gator bait!"

In spite of the learning process we went through, our summer's take proved water hunting could be productive. It's a simple fact: wherever there is water, there are people, and people lose things! Knowing that, we'll always go to the water first; but when winter comes, we'll return to the land.

Oh, yeah... Sandy and Jim are back at it. They each have a metal detector now, and by the glint I saw in Jim's eye after he had borrowed my new machine, I think they may soon be adding one more.

That's okay. Turn about is fair play.

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