From Wi, looking to come down for a bit, need help.

[alpha105]

Hi all, im from Wisconsin and i was wondering if anyone knows good beach areas to metal detect for coins from the 1715 fleet/atocha. I'm not 100% sure of the laws and situations regarding the finds and items so any help in that department would be great. Also if someone wanted to show me the ropes in the area that'd be great. I would probably be comming sometime around the 19th. I will be comming down with a Fisher F2. I'll only be able to come down for a day as my wife doesnt want me gone too long....im still trying to talk her into flying down.

Please Email me with any info you might be able to share.

Also i would be willing to throw in gas money if anyone was really bored and wanted to pick me up from the airport. I'd be flying to Ft. Myers/Orlando/Tampa, whichever would be best to get to those beaches. Any suggestions of which is closest to the beaches I would need to go to would be helpful also even if not able to assist with a ride.

Not trying to sound needy or anything, I've just never been to Florida, and am somewhat new to metal detecting. I'm 24/Male and if you look at the posts on the wisconsin forum you will see that i have been in and set-up a hunt at a very promising place (Just so you know im not a psycho or something =P). Any pointers would be much appreciated and that you in advance.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

A Handbook of Civil War Bullets and Cartridges - Grab it through Amazon!

[godisnum1]

Well don't fly into the Tampa airport, because we're on the West Coast... and the Treasure Coast is on the East Coast.
Better stick with the Orlando or Fort Myers terminals....

Bran <><

 

[alpha105]

I knew about tampa.....just wasnt sure if it were better to drive East or S/N from either of the other airports. Also if someone lived near the TPA airport it might be easier to find a hunting buddy at 3 locations instead of 2. TY though

 

[godisnum1]

Yeah, if you drive east from over here... you're looking at about a 2 to 3 hour drive to the other coast, where the 1715 wrecks went down. We have lots of beaches here in the St. Pete/Clearwater/Tampa Bay area, but none that have the the Spanish wrecks you seem to be looking for. I'm right across the Bay from Tampa in St Pete. My mom works for TSA there at her office in the Marriott, next door to Tampa International Airport.

Bran <><

 

[Jon Phillips]

Don't fly into Ft. Myers either....That's further away than Tampa is from where you want to be....unless you want to drive down to Naples, east to Ft Lauderdale area, then north to the "treasure beaches". I would stick to Orlando, and then east to the Sebastian Inlet area....Ft Pierce, Jupiter, etc.

The Atocha/Santa Margaritta wrecks are waaaay off from the Keys, and not close to any beaches.

Good luck! I hope you have a good time!

 

[alpha105]

I'm sure ill have a good time even if i dont find anything. Still i have my fingers crossed =P

Anyone have any suggestions for any beaches imparticular? Also are there any rules/laws i should know of?

Also anyone know the best way of getting around (thats not incredibly costly) aside from renting a car that will bring me where i need to go?

 

[Jon Phillips]

Florida isn't too big on public transportation, except for busses in the cities. You'll probably have to rent a car to get around...We're too spread out.

The laws of beach hunting in State parks is from the high-tide line to the base of the dunes. You can water hunt outside of State parks, unless local, couty, rules prohibit it.

I think your best bet for zeroing in on a beach to hunt, is to review the threads on that topic in this section, and the beach and water hunting forum. There are also a few books available from Kellyco and other dealers that deal with the specific 1715 fleet beaches.

 

[billinstuart]

Melbourne has a public airport..that's about as close as you'll get to the 1715 beaches. Palm Beach would be next. The beaches are in terrible condition for hunting because of "renourishment" that has ruined them. It's worth a try, but don't expect too much. All the beaches are fair game, but stay out of the dunes and state/federal parks. Access to the beaches is a problem in the Vero area.

 

[alpha105]

Melbourne has a public airport..that's about as close as you'll get to the 1715 beaches. Palm Beach would be next. The beaches are in terrible condition for hunting because of "renourishment" that has ruined them. It's worth a try, but don't expect too much. All the beaches are fair game, but stay out of the dunes and state/federal parks. Access to the beaches is a problem in the Vero area.

Unfortunatly i can only access the 3 airports listed earlier, as im pretty poor, but recieve flight benefits at the airport i work for. Any particular beaches you think may have the best chances. Odds are im gonna end up taking a cab as im not 25 so renting a car just for the trip to and from the airport (I understand its much more expensive if you are under 25, for the places that will rend to people under 25 that is).

 

[godisnum1]

Hey, I just re-read your original post. I'm not sure if you changed it or I just missed what you said... but are you supposed to be coming this Friday, on the 19th of June?
If so, I'll tell you what...
Since you're just coming down for a day... if you decide to fly in to my mom's work at Tampa International, I'll drive over and pick you up and we can go hang out and detect the beaches here in the Saint Petersburg area for the day. I'm 26 (27 in November), so we're close to the same age.
I know this town really well, as I've grown up here. You likely won't find any shipwreck stuff on this coast, but you'll probably find lots of modern stuff on the beach. There's trash, but sometimes you can find some good stuff too.

If you want to do that, I've needed a good reason to get out. I might be able to talk Kelly into coming down and detecting with us too.

Just let me know man....

Bran <><

 

[alpha105]

As of right now im unsure of the exact date, it should be sometime between the 19th and the 25th. Currently im working on getting my wife to come down as well. She hates flying though and the drive would be too long with our 9mo old daughter so its gonna take alot of work =P. As for locations, i would be happy to pretty much go out anywhere, but if i will probably end up going to the west as i'd rather find a silver coin than a $2000 dollar gold watch. Thank you for the offer though, i would be glad to take you up on your offer if i cannot make it to the east coast.

 

[alpha105]

Looks like i may not be comming down this month after all.......unfortunatly my check was much lower than anticipated. Still looking for people to hunt the 1715 fleet though (Beach only as i have no scuba permit and am desperate to get a piece i can keep). If anyone is available let me know. I will try and get some time off to do so, especially if i know roughly a month in advance.

 

[alpha105]

Still looking for someone in the area of the beaches of the 1715 fleet. I will pay completely for gas. Let me know.....just need 3 weeks in advance as i will have to take some vacation time.

 

[alpha105]

bump

 

[alpha105]

Still looking. Let me know how the weather is down there btw.

 

[G.I.B.]

It's pretty easy...

Go to the east coast. Anywhere south of Cocoa Beach and north of Miami. (near Sebastian inlet is a good place) Fly into an airport and take a cab to a beach hotel. Lots of airports are within a couple of miles of the beach. It would be a nice vacation with the wife as well. Now is a good time to find some cheap rates on hotels.

Go onto the beach and start detecting. The beaches are public, just hunt between the dunes and water to stay in the public areas.

It looks like it is going to be difficult to find someone who has an open schedule to drive you to the beach to detect.

 

[alpha105]

Closest i can get airport wise is Orlando.......only looking for someone that is going themselves as well that wouldnt mind a quick stop at the airport......dont want to take time out of anyones schedule that isnt planning on going as well of course.....

Fear of Taxi is the expense.......i fly for free, but im sure the taxi to the sebastian inlet would be expensive