Destin Trip

[Missboy]

We just got back from Destin, FL and I spent all week pounding the beach & wading waist deep searching for what all you regular water folks show us here, GOLD/SILVER. Well, I wasn't lucky this time but the weather was beautiful & water was perfect. Found my share of beer tops, pull tabs, hair pins., etc, even found a few pieces of costume jewelry & clad coins.

I will however give anyone going to Florida a heads up, I waded out and down about a 1/4 of mile down from our condo and was in the Florida State Henderson State Park area ( I found this out after), when I heard a loud whistle and standing on the beach was a Florida State Park Ranger motioning for me to come to him. I came out of the water and he was polite and informed me that it was illegal for anyone to metal detect in the water due to the Florida law on salvage, he told me I could detect on the beach just above the water to the sandunes only. I thanked him, and stayed on the beach back to my condo area. So, just be aware that if you are like me, not from Florida and go there for vacation, don't detect in the water around State parks. This Ranger was polite and I imagine that some could be rather "peckerwoods" about detecting and give someone a real hard time. One of the locals told me after I discussed it with him that the Ranger was "full" of it, but I didn't take a chance so I stayed away from the park area.

Anyway, water hunting was fun but will wear you out, alot different than corn & cotten fields!

Joe

 

[jackkell1963]

The local that told you the Ranger is "full of it" is "full of it" himself. That is in fact Florida law. In the State Parks from the water line to the base of the dunes is fair game but the water its self is off limits. And Im glad you had a good time in my neck of the woods. I live about 20 minutes from Destin.

 

[Smoogle]

What a killjoy!
In Oz we can legally detect to the high tide line in National Parks.

 

[mcogan / L.I. Mongo Mike]

Thanks for the heads up. I'll be in Fla for the month of January. Good to know.

 

[KyTrout]

I'll be in Destin in April and do plan on detecting a lot. I was a park ranger for some time and fully aware of the rules in Florida where I used to live. Now I'm in Kentucky. Lots of bullets to find here. Ha Ha. Does anybody have any good places/ideas to start hunting on Destin? I figured I would just detect along the beach in front of the condo were renting. This will be my first beach hunt. I've ordered a sand scoop and my AT PRO is ready to go. Thanks for any info ahead of time.

 

[Beach Papa]

I'll be in Destin in April and do plan on detecting a lot. I was a park ranger for some time and fully aware of the rules in Florida where I used to live. Now I'm in Kentucky. Lots of bullets to find here. Ha Ha. Does anybody have any good places/ideas to start hunting on Destin? I figured I would just detect along the beach in front of the condo were renting. This will be my first beach hunt. I've ordered a sand scoop and my AT PRO is ready to go. Thanks for any info ahead of time.

I don't live anywhere near Destin, but I do hunt the beaches whenever I get the chance. I can tell you that if someone around the Destin area knows where the GOLD is, they are already hunting there. People at the beach loose jewelry all the time. Mathematically speaking, the more people in an area, the more jewelry is lost . However, that is also where you will find the most hunters looking for the gold. So sometimes the place to hunt is where other people don't go hunting. I think the link to "The Golden Oldie" website is at the top of the "Beach and Shallow Water" forum posts. Look at that information in detail and learn how to read a beach. It could make the difference between success and frustration. Good luck. Beach papa

 

[fongu]

If there is a low tide can you detect that area? I was hoping to go to St. Andrews state park in PCB, Fl this year, but if you can't go in the water, I'll stay home and hit the river. How about the public beaches around the hotels?

 

[Fletch88]

If there is a low tide can you detect that area? I was hoping to go to St. Andrews state park in PCB, Fl this year, but if you can't go in the water, I'll stay home and hit the river. How about the public beaches around the hotels?

I've hunted east and west of there as deep as I could stand it and never had a problem. I don't think I would venture into the state park and try it though. Good luck and HH!