Any advice for a total newbie going to the beach for the first time??

[clovis97]

I live about a 13 hour drive to the nearest beach, and am heading there for the first time with my metal detector.

Please don't misunderstand, I am not hoping to strike it rich and retire after a few days of MDing...I am just looking for a little down time with my young daughter. If we find some coins and/or some interesting junk, I think my little one will be thrilled. The last time that we were out, she found 22 cents, and you would have thought she found an ounce of pure gold. The smile on her face was worth a million dollars to me.

We have an Ace 250. Yes, I already know it is a low end machine, so no need to bash. Will it work on wet sand at all?

I have a Maxwell House plastic coffee can with a handle. Will it work as a scoop, providing we don't mind bending over to dig? Should I try to drill some holes in it before I leave home? If so, what size holes?

If the 250 won't work in wet sand, should I focus on the dry sand where people have been sitting for the day?

I've long been envious of you MD'ers that have high end machines that work in water, and have the time and expertise to find great stuff. Some of the pictures you share are simply fascinating. If we don't find a thing, I am thankful to be able to do this vacation and spend some time with my wife and daughter, and I am thankful to own a metal detector, even if it is a cheap one.

Thanks so much!!!!!

I appreciate any tips!!!!

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Minelab PRO-FIND 35 Waterproof Pinpointer Metal Detector for Experts with Tone ID & Adjustable Sensitivity - Grab it through Amazon!

[Sir Gala Clad]

Clovis:
To hunt shallow water/wet sand, You will either need a Pulse Induction (PI) metal detector and dig all, or an expensive multifrequency VLF detector for discrimination.

The Ace 250 is an excellent detector and does well as long as you hunt the dry sand (which is the best place to develop your skills and be with family). Focus on Beach entrances and exits, places where beach bathers lay their towels, volley ball courts. As you will be looking for fresh drops, found jewelry will be in good condition.

The Maxwell house plastic coffee can with handle with work fine. I prefer to drill ½ inch holes in the bottom as it still sifts well and dime size objects and larger will not fall through. Get yourself a composite garden spade and pull the sand to you to reduce the strain on the sifter.

No need to be envious, I have an Excal 1000, but prefer to hunt with a bounty hunter pioneer 505 (entry level detector) on dry sand as it is lighter. Be sure to wear a hat, use sun block, take plenty of water and stay out of the sun when possible.

As beach sand is soft, I usually dig all non ferrous targets. When I hunt with my grandchildren, we try to guess what the target is before digging. This way even bottle caps and pull tabs are fun to find.
B e sure to fill dug holes. It is best to hunt early in the morning, and toward evening, or after a rain.
Above all – have fun!

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Don't get over whelmed...... As stated your detector will not like the wet sand or water, it will constantly false... You will have the best time hunting in the dry sand since it is your first time.

look for the places where people group together, that is where you will have the best luck. You will have very little luck hunting places where only a few people go and much better luck hunting places where hundereds sit or play......

 

[flatbutton]

Clovis, I think you already have a rare find. You've found time to spend with your family. Don't worry about your machine, the one I use is over 20 years old!

 

[cactusrat]

The Ace 250 should be fine in dry sand. You will just have to see what happens when you get into wet sand. Each beach is different as to what the sand is made out of. Don’t forget to try turning the sensitivity down on the wet sand.

I have a Maxwell House coffee scoop also, the price was right. Yes drill half inch (½”) holes in it. The more, the better.

The towel line (where people sit/lay) could hole some nice treasures, besides pull tabs and bottle tops.

No matter what you find or don’t find, time spent with your daughter is the real treasure.

Good luck.

 

[clovis97]

Wow!!! You all are fantastic!!!!

Thank you so much!!!

Since I have never used the 250 at the beach, (and truthfully, I don't have much swing time with it), should I use the standard settings, and dig all the signals?

Again, thank you!!!!

 

[cactusrat]

I would start out in All Metal and dig everything. I’m happy with finding anything, it doesn’t have to be worth something.

If it is a real trashy area, then I might try Coin or Jewelry.

 

[Fletch88]

I would notch out those pesky pulltabs.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I would notch out those pesky pulltabs.

Notching out pull tabs notches out many gold rings, especially white gold. I have found 9 gold rings with diamonds so far and 4 of them sounded just like a pull tab

I was with a hunter when he found a custom sapphire and diamond ring appraised at about $7500 and it also was in the pull tab range.

Don't know about any one else, but I am not notching out a $10,000 ring because I am too lazy to dig pull tabs, I would rather dig 5000 pull tabs than notch out a single $1000-$20,000 diamond ring...that is just me.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[Fletch88]

Just wanted to see how quickly I would be called out on it TH! I dig em all too!

 

[Sandman]

Clovis, you have gotten expert advice. But for your own entertainment and fun reading, check out this site. The Golden Olde

Good luck and have fun with your daughter.
Sandman

 

[cactusrat]

Treasure Hunter, you need to start notching out those pull tabs. Just thing of all the free time you would have save by not digging them.

Besides, those rings are bad for your heart, they get your blood pressure up, and hurt your eyes when they sparkle in them.

Me, I will be hunting in your foot steps, in All Metal and nothing notched out.

Treasure Hunter where are we…..I mean you hunting tomorrow?

 

[bigscoop]

The beach is a very big and vast expanse of sand. My suggestion - just spend the quality time with your daughter because they grow up way too fast. Take those long beach walks and talk about whatever interest her, swinging the machine along the way and taking whatever else the beach gives up.

 

[Fletch88]

The beach is a very big and vast expanse of sand. My suggestion - just spend the quality time with your daughter because they grow up way too fast. Take those long beach walks and talk about whatever interest her, swinging the machine along the way and taking whatever else the beach gives up.

You're so right BigScoop. I have 3 girls 11,12, 14 and 2 stepdaughters 17 and 20. I can remember bringing them home from the hospital like it was yesterday. Did not mean to hijack the thread jut had to brag minute.

 

[clovis97]

Fletch,

Posting pics like that...hijack all you want! You have a beautiful family!

 

[clovis97]

You guys are right...time flies with those little ones.

We never had the pleasure of bringing our little one home from the hospital. We adopted her when she was 4, but I would give all my material possessions for the opportunity to have been at the hospital the day she was born.

I love her more than anyone could ever imagine, and I really mean that. I thank God every day for bringing her into my life.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

You guys are right...time flies with those little ones.

We never had the pleasure of bringing our little one home from the hospital. We adopted her when she was 4, but I would give all my material possessions for the opportunity to have been at the hospital the day she was born.

I love her more than anyone could ever imagine, and I really mean that. I thank God every day for bringing her into my life.

You and your wife gave a special child the greatest gift a child can ever receive, 2 loving parents.....:thumbup:


Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[kladdhunden]

I would notch out those pesky pulltabs.

This one was a pulltab signal in the dry sand for example. 18k red gold, 075 carat diamonds.
Mother nature wants u all to dig in the pulltab range.
always dig pulltabs.

 

[kladdhunden]

i have used a 250 myself and iam a dry sand hunter only. u can find just as much cool stuff as anyone else, its alot about luck.
Diffrent beaches yields diffrent results so its hard saying where to go.
as someone else said i would focus on entrence/exit points/where ppl sit but if ur not getting alot of signals and its a big beach i would try going abit here and there to see if u get more signals.
some beaches or parts of em is kind of dead atleast here where iam but then again u never know.
I found a gold ring in a part of the beach its not many ppl at all and that i usally skip over as its never any signals.
its alot about luck but The goal should always just be to have fun and not focus to much on finding that gold ring or that dead swedish viking in a gold plated armor,despite finding finding 10 coins or 50 coins i hope you have a blast out there with ur daughter. . .

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

i have used a 250 myself and iam a dry sand hunter only. u can find just as much cool stuff as anyone else, its alot about luck.
Diffrent beaches yields diffrent results so its hard saying where to go.
as someone else said i would focus on entrence/exit points/where ppl sit but if ur not getting alot of signals and its a big beach i would try going abit here and there to see if u get more signals.
some beaches or parts of em is kind of dead atleast here where iam but then again u never know.
I found a gold ring in a part of the beach its not many ppl at all and that i usally skip over as its never any signals.
its alot about luck but The goal should always just be to have fun and not focus to much on finding that gold ring or that dead swedish viking in a gold plated armor,despite finding finding 10 coins or 50 coins i hope you have a blast out there with ur daughter. . .

Only one of the diamond rings I found came out of dry sand, other 8 came out of wet sand or water. You will find far more golf in water than dry sand and I have hunted a lot of dry sand.

I do find gold there but no where near what I find in wet sand and water. Wet sand after all is just sand that was under water from last high tide.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2