Florida Trip / What are the rules for finds in shallow water?

[rgecy]

I am taking a trip to Florida in August and wanted to know what the the rules are for finds in shallow water.? I was thinking of going to Sebastian Inlet and doing some beach hunting at low tide and maybe do some shallow water snorkeling / detecting.? If I find a coin or relic in say 6 feet of water, can I keep it?? What are the laws governing such an area?

 

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[wreckdiver1715]

First let me welcome you to the sunshine state, and let me help you stay out of trouble on our beaches and in our waters. You have chosen a location that is rich with history and treasure. Sebastian Inlet, and points south are the resting places of the Spanish fleet of 1715 (and a few others as well). There are many good web sites with details of each wreck site, just do a search using key words ?Florida Shipwreck? half of the fun is doing the research.
This link will take you to the Florida State site dealing with such matters as metal detecting on the beaches and in the water. http://www.flheritage.com/bar/finds/
The bottom line is basically, hunt the beach from the dune to the low tide line, and keep the detector out of the water unless you have a search permit.
There are plenty of parks along the coast and opposite the sites of many of the wrecks. However, most of the best results will come during the winter months after a good Nor-Easter blows in. The other best time is just after a hurricane passes close by and really pulls the sand off of the beach. That is when all the locals hit the beach with the detectors, my-self included.
This is diving season along the treasure coast, as the ocean water is clear and calm, and it?s been that way for the last few weeks. Most of the wreck sites are very close in to shore, and you will be able to see the Treasure Hunters on there boats working the wrecks.

Q

 

[coinshooter]

If you are in the water, such as up to your knees inside of the surf zone you need a permit?
How lame is that? Sounds like Florida beauracracy has caught up with California! 8)

 

[JohninCT]

The area is leased by the Mel Fisher family from Sebastian Inlet to just south of Fort Pierce. If you even step into the water with a detector, you are likely to be arrested. The lifeguards and others are supposedly told to notify the authoritys if they see anyone water detecting. Any where outside the area is ok, with the exception of a few places like the Jupiter Inlet wreck site and some state parks. The permit stated is $1000 and is for the boat group that works the wrecks when the weather permits. You have to keep records where you were with a GPS and also a log of whatever is found and you won't get to keep it all anyway, as it has to be split with other partys. Not worthwhile for anyone just going to Florida for a short time. These beaches are not crowded with people and not too good for normal beach hunting. Better areas are the more populated areas near the large cities. Good luck.

 

[coinshooter]

Wow!!! Sounds like the state has sold out to the highest bidder. What a bunch of c**p! That's almost as bad as our BLM not letting anyone on public land here in sunny ca.
Who gets the $1000 for the permit. How do they handle this around there are there signs up and down the coast to warn the uneducated? Isn't the coastline considered public property of the U.S. citizens? If you can swim in it, you should be able to treasure hunt in it? Glad I don't live down there. How much of the total coast does this encompass in a percentage?

 

[rgecy]

These are State Reg's.? I have emailed Taffi Fisher to get the latest info on Leases and getting on with a salvage crew.? You have to split what you find.? I think the lease is through the Mel Fisher Foundation.? I think they have the salvage rights and in return lease it to salvors.? I'm not sure but I should know more in a day or two.

I think it's terrible you can't even walk in the water with a metal detector.? I will post my finding here when I know more.

I am getting excited about all the info on the 1715 fleet I have come across!?

I trhink "wreckdiver1715" is from that area!? Can you fill us in a little more on how things work.

Thanks,
Robert

 

[wreckdiver1715]

Robert, this is how the Fisher lease program works in a nut shell. You pay them 1 thousand dollars to work the 1715 wrecks that they have salvage writes too along the East coast of Florida, Basically this includes all the wrecks (I think six of the eleven lost in 1715, is the number that has been found to date), and in an aria about 300 feet out in each direction from the center of the ballast pile. Some of the recovery arias overlap one another, and stretch from Fort Pierce northward to Sebastian.
You become a sub-contractor for the Fisher operation. You are responsible for supplying your own salvage vessel, fuel and crew and get to work the wrecks for the season. In these parts, for the purpose of diving, the season is about 100 days on the average, and starts as early as April and runs until as late as September. During this time the ocean surface is flat and the visibility improves enough to let you see what you are doing.
Your boat finds, recovers, tags, documents and turns in everything that you recover, and the Fishers do the preservation work at the Museum in Sebastian. At the end of the dive season the State of Florida comes down and claims there 20% of everything that has been recovered during that season. After the Federal Judge rules that the State and the Fisher Organization are squared away. Each sub-contractor splits the remaining booty that you recovered, 50/50 with the Fishers. Then you, as the sub-contractor pay your crew a percentage to be determined by agreement between you and your crew.
All in all this operation appears to me to be a good deal for all involved. I have been looking into this for some time. The only reason that I?m not anchored over one of the wreck sites now is having to spend all that time in desert. Last December, upon returning from my reserve units last rotation to the desert I purchased a 33 foot vessel to outfit for salvage. There is much work to do in preparation, both in research and salvage vessel rigging. So, this season I?m sitting on the side lines splitting my time between family, work and getting my boat ready for the next season.

 

[Darod]

Wreckdiver1715,

Hey,

I lost your phone number

Call me again when you get a chance. I was curious where the exact lines are in the surf where water detecting is not allowed. Everyone says you can't do it around the wreck site but, where is the line that you can go into the water? How far up the shoreline is it?

Rod

4-3734

 

[wreckdiver1715]

Rod, my number is X-8551, hunt any place on the beach from the dune to the mean low tide line, and you will need a GPS in the water to stay clear of the lease?s.
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.