Hey Sandman and other water hunters

JoeinMemphis · Jun 4, 2007

I just wanted to run some things by you while it is still early enough to get more "stuff" if necessary.
I am heading to Destin in July ( should be there the 22 or 23rd ) for a week. I have my super dooper casio tide watch ( that I can't make heads or tails of, but it tells time and I have a Destin tide chart internet page loaded into the browser of my cell phone

)
I have the Tiger Shark, 8" coil, 10.5" coil, and hip mount pouch for the water, and the 1350 with 10X14DD, 7X10, and 4.5" coils with a YF1 Invader probe for the dry sand. I picked up a long handled scoop that *had* a straight shaft. I found it hard to get the thing to bite into the sand without tilting the pole way forward. I am an electrician, and the shaft met the 3/4" EMT bender this evening - problem solved. I also have more batteries than I will ever need, a plastic TV alignment tool for adjusting the pot's in the TS if necessary, spare battery holders for both machines, a spare O-ring and silicone grease.
My initial settings on the TS will probably be 10.5" coil, *salt* volume all the way up, thresh where I can just hear it above the background noise, and sens at about 75% unless I need to turn it down to keep it from chattering. Planing to hunt motion disc with disc no more than 4.
The 1350 will probably be run with the large coil to cover more ground, and in jewelry mode.
Have I forgotten anything? Would you set either machine different? Thank you for your help!! HH Joe

Ocaliman · Jun 4, 2007

Sunscreen...

JoeinMemphis · Jun 4, 2007

Sunscreen... Check!!!

::)

Treasure_Hunter · Jun 4, 2007

-------And lots of it, to say it is slightly hot

here in July is an understatement.

Sandman · Jun 5, 2007

Joe, Sounds like the adjustments are fine for both machines though I test the disc. on a bobby pin laying on the sand at the location I'm going to hunt after ground balancing. I want to hear a double bip on the bobby pin or hair pin. There is a difference.

You might want to take a shorty wet suit or Lycra body suit to protect ya from the sun and cool water. After being in the water awhile, you start feeling chilled. Usually a trip back ashore where the babes are warms you back up, but you can't count on the babes being there all the time. Polarized sunglasses for seeing the bottom better and making eyeball finds. A wide brimmed hat for shade and you can stick it in the water to help keep the brain pan cool. Don't forget a spare vehicle key on a cord around your neck.

Any rings you find, slip them away like they were trash and you can look at the later. You don't know what low life is watching you. Everyone that visits the beach faces the water and they all watch the nerd with the "Geiger counter" playing in the sand. Try not to attract attention.

Have fun and enjoy the time away from work, people and cares.

JoeinMemphis · Jun 5, 2007

Wow, I wouldn't have thought the water would have been cool, thanks for that tip. Hey I even have Prescription POLARIZED sun glasses, you are preaching to the choir on that one, and even have "chums" to keep from loosing them

. Boonie hat is going into the bag of goodies... I don't have to worry about the key, I am going to be right on the beach from what it looks like in an RV park, I can roll out of bed and into the water !!! The only problem I am going to have is * no happy dance on the beach!!* Thank you for your help, and I will set up the machine the way you said. I am going for rings, not coins, so it would be a shame to miss one!!! HH Joe

Farmercal · Jun 8, 2007

Joe, I was in that same water last Saturday and the water temps are fine. It is only slightly cool and once you get in and start detecting you don't even notice it. I am going down there again tomorrow and Sunday. Since you are going in July the water will be even warmer. I hunt the water all summer in just a swim suit and t-shirt. Oh, and I second that sun block.

Cal

JoeinMemphis · Jun 8, 2007

Thank you Farmercal! I did some research and the Destin water temp average in July is 85! I think I can handle that!! Good luck this weekend, let me know what you find! HH Joe

Old Tom · Jun 10, 2007

Joe
Sounds like your set, I hope you make some good finds on your trip.

Couple things I like to do, I wear dive boots or beach shoes. There can be some sharp objects out in the water sometimes.

Also I like to put a magnet attached to the bottom of my long handled scoop. This helps on objects like nails and bobby pins, they will stick to the magnet and not slip thru the holes in the scoop. Of course if your discriminating them out then you wont have that problem.

I also have a plastic water proof holder on a cord I wear around my neck, put a car key and dollars for lunch in it. On that cord I clip a small bottle of sun block. The smaller bottle/with clip I have came with the larger bottle I bought at Walmart. I just refill smaller bottle each time I go out. Also I put the better finds (like rings) in the water proof holder. I bought the plastic water proof holder I have at a dive shop.

Treasure_Hunter · Jun 10, 2007

Water tempertures are always a lot warmer in the Gulf then the Atlantic. Last summer in the middle of July the water was flowing up from the bottom off shore and the average water temperature at Daytona for several weeks was about 55 degrees.

I do the same thing OldTom does, I bought a very small pelican case, inside it I keep my keys, a 10$ bill. and any valuable finds (rings ect).

GL & GH

ropesfish · Jun 10, 2007

You just have to love that Atlantic coast mid-summer cold water upwelling...makes all those boys here for lobster mini-season go looking to rent wet-suits and hoods.

JoeinMemphis · Jun 11, 2007

Thank you all!!

I went to Bass Pro and picked up what they call deck shoes. They are neoprene zip up the side ankle boots with a decent sole. I also have one of those rare earth magnets glued to the bottom of my scoop, I am not discriminating out the *Bud Light* twist tops. A problem I noticed with my scoop is a rectangle pull tab will just fit through the holes, a dime wont, but the tab will, and spent longer than I wanted to looking for the same tab last week. I might have to 1/4" mesh it like I did my hand digger. THANK YOU ALL!! HH Joe

Dixie Digger · Jun 11, 2007

i was down there Dec 25 th and hunted 4 days, and found very little.then i found out they just got done putting 6' of new sand on most of the beaches.bummer! we hunted from Panama City to Destin ..good luck,at least you got the last spring break drops.