Detecting in the water off the Treasure Coast

[Crunchyhippo]

Is it true that one can't metal detect in the water off the Treasure Coast, but only in the surf and on the sand? Seems like I had read that somewhere. I was thinking of visiting Daytona Beach, but I didn't want to get some kind of ticket by going in the water, which I do often here in the Clearwater area.

 

[no2pencil]

Daytona Beach isn't that part of the Treasure Coast. I used to detect there all the time, no one has ever said word one to me about being in the water. The waves there are not going to allow you to get too far out, pretty rough. There is a guy on YouTube, "I Dig Daytona", he videos his hunts there all the time. If you're looking to understand that beach, check his videos.

Un-related, but up until last year the city of Daytona had free beach parking. I believe it's all removed & metered now. Sun Splash Park was pretty much the go-to parking lot for beach access.

Best of luck to you there.

 

[Sandog]

Certain areas (most of it) of the Treasure Coast are under lease or sublease to treasure salvors. I never detect below the tide so I don't keep the maps showing prohibited underwater metal detecting. but I'm sure someone on here has a map handy. You might also look into detecting sandbar party locations. Best of luck.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

You can not even put the coil in the water on the treasure coast. Its pretty much off limits from just south of Ft Pierce to 1/2 mile north of Sebastian Inlet.

You can hunt from toe of dunes to the waterline, any deeper you are violating state law and trespassing on lease.

 

[Sandog]

Sometimes the water just seems to come to and wash over my coil.

 

[Crunchyhippo]

Daytona Beach isn't that part of the Treasure Coast.

I never knew that. Nice to know if I get a job there (a possibility). I'll be in the water all the time.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Daytona Beach isn't that part of the Treasure Coast. I used to detect there all the time, no one has ever said word one to me about being in the water. The waves there are not going to allow you to get too far out, pretty rough. There is a guy on YouTube, "I Dig Daytona", he videos his hunts there all the time. If you're looking to understand that beach, check his videos.

Un-related, but up until last year the city of Daytona had free beach parking. I believe it's all removed & metered now. Sun Splash Park was pretty much the go-to parking lot for beach access.

Best of luck to you there.

No Daytona is not part of Treasure Coast. Treasure coast leases end about a quarter mile north of Sebastian Inlet, a d about a half mile south of Ft Pierce.

 

[Crunchyhippo]

No Daytona is not part of Treasure Coast. Treasure coast leases end about a quarter mile north of Sebastian Inlet, a d about a half mile south of Ft Pierce.


View attachment 2216987


View attachment 2216988

Is Melbourne excluded from the Treasure Coast, also?

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Is Melbourne excluded from the Treasure Coast, also?

I posted a map above, no, Melbourne is not in the Treasure Coast lease area.

 

[TORRERO]

You can not even put the coil in the water on the treasure coast. Its pretty much off limits from just south of Ft Pierce to 1/2 mile north of Sebastian Inlet.

You can hunt from toe of dunes to the waterline, any deeper you are violating state law and trespassing on lease.

If they catch you or someone says something. Although I would be careful, I’m not sure how they can enforce something like that without signs specifically saying where it starts and where it ends 🤷🏼‍♂️ of course we all know that the Fort Pierce area and Sabastion inlet are off limits but I don’t know that they monitor 24/7 to arrest people on the beach from sticking their toes in the water… something else.. if the tide is anywhere up at all and your wading in the water, that would actually be out of the water at low tide, right? Seems hard to imagine they could do much unless you were at absolute low tide out 20 feet from that line…

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

If they catch you or someone says something. Although I would be careful, I’m not sure how they can enforce something like that without signs specifically saying where it starts and where it ends 🤷🏼‍♂️ of course we all know that the Fort Pierce area and Sabastion inlet are off limits but I don’t know that they monitor 24/7 to arrest people on the beach from sticking their toes in the water… something else.. if the tide is anywhere up at all and your wading in the water, that would actually be out of the water at low tide, right? Seems hard to imagine they could do much unless you were at absolute low tide out 20 feet from that line…

The know exactly where the lease areas start and stop.

If your detecting in the water in lease area, you are breaking the law.


BENT ANCHOR S32G 27.55.7N X 80.29.12W; East to 27.55.7N X 80.28.57W; South-southeast to 27.53.28N X 80.27.24W; West to 27.53.28N X 80.27.68W; then follow the mean low tide line to point of beginning.

CABIN WRECK S27 27.49.8N X 80.25.55W is the center point of a 3,000 yard radius excluding all land west of mean low tide line.

DOUGLAS BEACH S26 27.25.3N X 80.16.50W is the center point of a 3,000 yard radius excluding all land west of the mean low tide line.

POWER PLANT S25 27.21.2N X 80.13.65W is the center point of a 3,000 yard radius excluding all land west of the mean low tide line.

ANCHOR WRECK S23 27.48.2N X 80.24.70W is the center point of a 3,000 yard radius excluding all land west of the mean low tide line.

SPRING OF WHITBY S23 27.46.0N X 80.23.83W is the center point of a 3,000 yard radius excluding all land west of the mean low tide line.

RIO MAR S23 27.38.3N X 80.20.90W is the center point of a 3,000 yard radius excluding all land west of the mean low tide line.

SANDY POINT S23 27.35.8N X 80.19.65W is the center point of a 3,000 yard radius excluding all land west of the mean low tide line.

UNKNOWN S23 27.19.0N X 80.12.30W is the center point of a 3,000 yard radius excluding all land west of the mean low tide line.

CORRIGANS WRECK S25 27.46.2N X 80.22.67W is the center point of a 3,000 yard radius excluding all land west of the mean low tide line

 

[TORRERO]

The know exactly where the lease areas start and stop.


BENT ANCHOR S32G 27.55.7N X 80.29.12W; East to 27.55.7N X 80.28.57W; South-southeast to 27.53.28N X 80.27.24W; West to 27.53.28N X 80.27.68W; then follow the mean low tide line to point of beginning.

CABIN WRECK S27 27.49.8N X 80.25.55W is the center point of a 3,000 yard radius excluding all land west of mean low tide line.

DOUGLAS BEACH S26 27.25.3N X 80.16.50W is the center point of a 3,000 yard radius excluding all land west of the mean low tide line.

POWER PLANT S25 27.21.2N X 80.13.65W is the center point of a 3,000 yard radius excluding all land west of the mean low tide line.

ANCHOR WRECK S23 27.48.2N X 80.24.70W is the center point of a 3,000 yard radius excluding all land west of the mean low tide line.

SPRING OF WHITBY S23 27.46.0N X 80.23.83W is the center point of a 3,000 yard radius excluding all land west of the mean low tide line.

RIO MAR S23 27.38.3N X 80.20.90W is the center point of a 3,000 yard radius excluding all land west of the mean low tide line.

SANDY POINT S23 27.35.8N X 80.19.65W is the center point of a 3,000 yard radius excluding all land west of the mean low tide line.

UNKNOWN S23 27.19.0N X 80.12.30W is the center point of a 3,000 yard radius excluding all land west of the mean low tide line.

CORRIGANS WRECK S25 27.46.2N X 80.22.67W is the center point of a 3,000 yard radius excluding all land west of the mean low tide line

This is wonderful … I ALWAYS carry a GPS tracker with me every time I go hunting .. just so I don’t cross the line 🫣🤷🏼‍♂️

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

This is wonderful … I ALWAYS carry a GPS tracker with me every time I go hunting .. just so I don’t cross the line 🫣🤷🏼‍♂️

Its you responsibility just like it's mine to know and follow the law. When you get pulled over by police for doing 55 in 40 mph zone, you still get the ticket even though you thought the speed limit was 40 mph.

Its real simple really, no detector in water from 1/2 mile south of Ft Pierce to 1/2 mile North of Sebastian Inlet.

 

[ARC]

 

[TORRERO]

Its you responsibility just like it's mine to know and follow the law. When you get pulled over by police for doing 55 in 40 mph zone, you still get the ticket even though you thought the speed limit was 40 mph.

Its real simple really, no detector in water from 1/2 mile south of Ft Pierce to 1/2 mile North of Sebastian Inlet.

I’m not saying that I wouldn’t follow the law all I’m saying is that it seems ridiculous to think that average everyday Americans are going to know where these lines are on the beach… but posting this stuff makes everyone scared that they will be arrested for hunting Florida beaches if they are not careful.. and it’s just not true. If you have a boat 🛥️ and you are clearly trying to find stuff from those boats that went down, then you’re asking for trouble. But if you are the random guy with a Metal Detector on the beach who happens to step into the surf for a few minutes… you probably don’t have to worry about people monitoring you with benoculers and calling out the police to arrest you… it seems ludicrous to think that every Tom, Dick, and Harry would know where those lines are, without having any way of knowing where those lines are 🤷🏼‍♂️

 

[Sand Swinger]

Its real simple really, no detector in water from 1/2 mile south of Ft Pierce to 1/2 mile North of Sebastian Inlet.

TH, I might be splitting hairs here but serious question. What is the States definition of "water" and where it actually starts? If a guy is detecting the wet during low tide, he's detecting an area that isn't covered by water (at that time). But when the tide comes in, he'd be detecting over and through water that's rushing in or is covering the same spot on the wet. So, if a guy is detecting on the wet, it may or may not be covered by water depending on time of day & tides. Does no detecting in water include water rushing in or covering the wet during high tide? Or does it mean you can detect on the wet down to the low mean tide mark? With water constantly rushing in and on the wet, seems to be a gray area in my mind.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

TH, I might be splitting hairs here but serious question. What is the States definition of "water" and where it actually starts? If a guy is detecting the wet during low tide, he's detecting an area that isn't covered by water (at that time). But when the tide comes in, he'd be detecting over and through water that's rushing in or is covering the same spot on the wet. So, if a guy is detecting on the wet, it may or may not be covered by water depending on time of day & tides. Does no detecting in water include water rushing in or covering the wet during high tide? Or does it mean you can detect on the wet down to the low mean tide mark? With water constantly rushing in and on the wet, seems to be a gray area in my mind.

Splitting hairs for sure.....Water line is the waterline, where the wet sand meets the water is the "waterline", high or low tide makes no difference. The lowest tide where the wet sand meets the water is as far out in the Atlantic you can legally go with detector and not be a contractor for Queens Jewels.

 

[Sand Swinger]

Splitting hairs for sure.....Water line is the waterline, where the wet sand meets the water is the "waterline", high or low tide makes no difference. The lowest tide where the wet sand meets the water is as far out in the Atlantic you can legally go with detector and not be a contractor for Queens Jewels.

Thanks TH, good to know the boundaries.

 

[TORRERO]

Its real simple really, no detector in water from 1/2 mile south of Ft Pierce to 1/2 mile North of Sebastian Inlet.

This makes it a little simpler than posting GPS coordinates, like I said these "zones" do not belong to the police and they are not the ones watching, its not exactly like a speeding ticket maybe more like Jay walking... Maybe someone would say something maybe not..

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

This makes it a little simpler than posting GPS coordinates, like I said these "zones" do not belong to the police and they are not the ones watching, its not exactly like a speeding ticket maybe more like Jay walking... Maybe someone would say something maybe not..

It is state law, its not like a parking ticket. State doesnt confiscate your detector, or car, or boat for speeding tickets or Jay walking, but can do so for illegally hunting lease areas.

Penalties for illegal salvage

Third-degree felony: Intentionally excavating or disturbing publicly owned submerged historical sites without written permission from the Florida Division of Historical Resources is a third-degree felony.

Administrative fines: Florida law allows for administrative fines of up to $500 per day for anyone who salvages historical objects from state lands without a permit.

Injunctions: The state can seek court injunctions to stop unauthorized salvage operations.

Confiscation and forfeiture: Those convicted can have all of their gear and equipment used in the violation forfeited.

Prison sentences: In addition to fines, convictions can carry prison sentences. For example, a man who illegally sold coins from a 1715 fleet shipwreck faced up to 15 years in prison.

Prohibition from salvage work: As part of plea deals, individuals have been banned from participating in any future salvage operations.

Theft charges: Violators who illegally take and sell artifacts can be charged with dealing in stolen property, leading to additional penalties.

You can also face federal charges..

FYI, Queens Jewels pays multiple homeowners who live on the beach where leases are to report any suspicious activity in the water that involves metal detectors, the state also flies helicopters over the lease areas looking for violators.

Remember, illegally detecting/hunting the leases means you are stealing from the state and Queens Jewels, and the state both take it very serious.