East Coast Florida Erosion Update

bigscoop · Oct 26, 2012

NEW SMYRNA BEACH: At last check.....about noon today, there are cuts and holes, some of them appearing rather large and deep. "But".....you can't get in them. Some cuts and holes were starting to form even before Sandy but the current in them was too strong because of the stiff NE winds we were getting then, just too much water being pushed onto the beach even at low tide, obviously much worse now. At this writing the wind is still blowing pretty steady, guessing about 20mph with gust up to around 30 - 35 or so. A lot of rain as well. No doubt there is going to be some great hunting opportunities once you can get at the cuts and beach safely. Wind is suppose to start subsiding a little bit after mid-night into early morning but the surf will still be high and dangerous for at least a few more days. Might be able to get at some of the higher beach this weekend? Just going to depend on the wind and surf. :icon_thumright:

Charge them up, grab the biggest coil you can get your hands on, and cover as much ground as you can because it won't last long and I look for the competition to be pretty stiff. Hope everyone recovers a boat load of great finds! :icon_thumright:

bigscoop · Oct 28, 2012

Holy Cow! They are out in force today! Upper beach is getting pounded and mid-beach is starting to get encroached upon quite a bit. Beautiful day if you remembered to keep your battery charged...otherwise not so beautiful...and that's all I have to say about that! :BangHead:

Tide and surge is still strong but slowly letting up.....should be a stellar week for those who have a charged battery pack..... :BangHead:

Saw some impressive finds that were being made today......found one small gold chain myself in the first ten minutes, probably could have found more goodies with a charged battery pack so I could hunt for more then 15 minutes! :BangHead:

OK, and there's the latest darn update! %#$$!!&***!! :laughing7:

Barrell · Oct 28, 2012

My battery didnt die but in 6 hours today I could only find clad. I spent all day at Jensen Beach.

Hag730 · Oct 28, 2012

I was out today......beach had no erosion.....but there was enough detectors out that you could have walked across them.

bigscoop · Oct 28, 2012

I can't attest to other Florida east coast beaches, but with the existing storm surge, moon phase, a dangerous currents, I doubt you could even see the lower beach erosion yet, but I'm betting it's there. On my local beaches there doesn't appear to be much erosion either from say high beach to mid-beach, but the lower beach has really been cut, battered, and rearranged. One way to tell is to watch the surf, in some areas you will see frequent violent wave collisions from opposing directions, mark these areas in your memory because that area of the lower beach and the adjacent bars are taking a beating. Another thing to look for are rips, and if you are very familiar with a particular beach you should be able to spot the new rips, log these areas in your memory as well because that area of the lower beach is also being cut and reshaped. Closer then usual long currents is another sure sign of an area of beach that is being cut and reshaped. Twisting or swirling currents are also another sure sign. The upper and mid-beach area of a large/long expanse of sand my look fairly flat and routine at low tide at first glance, but over a wide distance, say 50 to 75 feet or more, the loss of a foot of slope often isn't noticeable by the naked eye without some sort of known marker due to the higher then usual surge and comparatively narrower beach being viewed as the whole. If you can't access the lower beach then try that area of beach just above the locations I mentioned. At roughly the start of mid-beach you should start encountering colored and crusty coins, lead fishing weights, and hopefully some really nice goodies, yet you may find very little on the upper beach. As the surge continues to diminish just keep following the beach down and hopefully within a few days you'll be able to safely access those cuts and holes on the lower beach before they get filled back in. :icon_thumright:

PS: These harsh surf conditions have been sustained for several days so I guarantee you the sand has been moved and that some areas of the beach have been drastically reshaped. I've spoken with several hunters in the past few days from Vero to Jacksonville and they are all reporting signs of erosion in the lower beach areas and some of them are already finding goodies and expecting to find more. :icon_thumright:

lookindown · Oct 28, 2012

Thanks for the updates bigscoop.

bigscoop · Oct 29, 2012

lookindown said:
Thanks for the updates bigscoop.

Most of the obvious damage is at, or just above, what would typically be the low tide water line, say from low mid-beach and out. I fully expect that once the swells subside this damage will be much easier to see and to hunt. But right now you just can't get at them. I just hope this wind dies down and swells subside quickly so we can get at them before they start to fill back in. As of right now, still a pretty stiff wind blowing in off the ocean, and while they are slowly subsiding, the swells are still too great.

kiana7 · Oct 29, 2012

Please

Everyone along the path of Sandy's Storm listen to all the expertise and do not take a chance,it's not worth it.Lot's of damage already and flooding.Remember the History Channel posting a documentary about the huge storms all along the east coast and so many people lost their lives and homes and business and everything else. :sad10:

.I know it's a detector's dream :metaldetector:

but it is also a very nightmare for so many people, :sad11:

so if they tell you to evacuate,please do it because it's your safety and you also won't put others in Harms way. :headbang:

A Human Life is more priceless than a detector :metaldetector:

I'm praying for all and may God protect and watch over each and everyone of you,,God Bless :angel5:

worthy · Oct 29, 2012

big scoop ,remember to charge your battery pack!!!!! good luck steve

Jason in Enid · Oct 29, 2012

Carry multiple battery packs! I never leave home without at least 2 rechargable and one alkoline pack.

bigscoop · Oct 29, 2012

Jason in Enid said:
Carry multiple battery packs! I never leave home without at least 2 rechargable and one alkoline pack.

No more rechargeable packs for me...."ever!" And there other reasons for that as well.

bigscoop · Oct 29, 2012

Jason in Enid said:
Carry multiple battery packs! I never leave home without at least 2 rechargable and one alkoline pack.

That was the first time I ever left home without backup batteries, but I checked it before I left - 12.63 volts - and was originally only figuring to get to hunt maybe an hour. The problem with rechargeable packs is that they can check charged but they can still lack enough charge to maintain enough current. A couple of targets and they can quickly drop to nothing. From here on out I'll stick with AA's. :icon_thumright:

bigscoop · Oct 29, 2012

Didn't get to the beach today....someone felt as though today would be a good day to redo the sunporch and hang new drapes. :dontknow:

Treasure_Hunter · Oct 29, 2012

bigscoop said:
Didn't get to the beach today....someone felt as though today would be a good day to redo the sunporch and hang new drapes.

"Drapes, we don't need no stinking new drapes".....LOL

I talked to a hunter that hunted Daytona Beach today, no gold, just red clad coins and junk....... He wasn't able to get in the water at all, too rough....

bigscoop · Oct 29, 2012

Treasure_Hunter said:
"Drapes, we don't need no stinking new drapes".....LOL

I talked to a hunter that hunted Daytona Beach today, no gold, just red clad coins and junk....... He wasn't able to get in the water at all, too rough....

Mother is 85, still knows how to give me that look..... :laughing7:

When that fails she calls my sister.....at that point I get tag-teamed until I can't take it anymore, dad sitting in his favorite recliner eating popcorn and urging them on, "You girls just tell him what you want. He'll keep moving it around for you." :laughing7:

Oh, did I mention the new sofa? Had to have one of those today as well. And then Walmart for a few new sofa pillows. :BangHead:

But, I figured I'd better do it today and get it out of the way while the surge is still up. I'm just hoping they don't reconsider replacing the carpet! :laughing7:

Treasure_Hunter · Oct 29, 2012

bigscoop said:
I'm just hoping they don't reconsider replacing the carpet!

ROFLMBO

I will give you a shout and we can meet up for a hunt, I will loan you my excal with 12x15 SEF Butterfly coil and let you try it out see how you like the coil before you buy one...

bigscoop · Oct 29, 2012

Treasure_Hunter said:
ROFLMBO

I will give you a shout and we can meet up for a hunt, I will loan you my excal with 12x15 SEF Butterfly coil and let you try it out see how you like the coil before you buy one...

Now that's the best offer I've had all week! Sounds good. (Just in case, are you any good at laying carpet? :laughing7:

)

S.S.Tupperware · Oct 30, 2012

Thinkin of playin hookie tomorrow...

bigscoop · Oct 30, 2012

S.S.Tupperware said:
Thinkin of playin hookie tomorrow...

I'm going to "try" to get over there today at low tide to see how much surge is still rolling in. As of yesterday the greatest part of the lower beach was still inaccessible. The other thing, because of the added surge low tide has been very short lived.