How far do you travel to detect?

[Crunchyhippo]

I'm curious how far others drive to get to the beach they detect at? The two nearby beaches near me are both dead as far as finding gold and silver (Clearwater and Indian Rocks - I have 36 trips to prove it), so I'm considering beaches further away to see if they're any better (they can't be any worse).

Is anyone familiar with the beaches just north of Sarasota? I.e., Anna Maria/Manatee County/Holmes beaches? Are they overrun with detectorists, too, or is there still something there still left to find? I'd just be happy to get regular signals in the water/surf to dig. I'm thinking of making a trip there one weekend to see.

 

[CASPER-2]

instead of farther away - how bout farther out
snorkel - snuba - scuba or hookah (nemo)
I hunted clearwater yrs ago - totally clean chest deep on in
mask and snorkel out to my limit at low tide = gold and silver

 

[Nathan W]

Not beaches but I once drove 5 1/2 hrs to a place but I stayed 3 days detecting the area

 

[mtdoramike]

Unfortunately no, since metal detecting has become bigger, no places especially the beaches are a safe bet.

 

[mtdoramike]

instead of farther away - how bout farther out
snorkel - snuba - scuba or hookah (nemo)
I hunted clearwater yrs ago - totally clean chest deep on in
mask and snorkel out to my limit at low tide = gold and silver

Good advice, but you must be careful in Florida, especially on the east coast because if you venture a certain distance from shore you have to have aa permit.

 

[TORRERO]

I'm curious how far others drive to get to the beach they detect at? The two nearby beaches near me are both dead as far as finding gold and silver (Clearwater and Indian Rocks - I have 36 trips to prove it), so I'm considering beaches further away to see if they're any better (they can't be any worse).

Is anyone familiar with the beaches just north of Sarasota? I.e., Anna Maria/Manatee County/Holmes beaches? Are they overrun with detectorists, too, or is there still something there still left to find? I'd just be happy to get regular signals in the water/surf to dig. I'm thinking of making a trip there one weekend to see.

I drive to Hilton Head, it’s 4+ hours away and look for places to hunt on the way. I’ve not done very well at any beach in the last 10 years but I like Hilton Head, it’s nice and classy and Veterans can park free with a VA license plate. I never expect much but it’s nice and clean and they have water to wash off my detector and shovel after.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I've driven 3 to 6 hours to detect, obviously those trips involved over night stays to make trip worth while.

 

[BigWaveDave]

Last week I drove 76 miles to find a 1971 penny.
At least I didn’t get shut out.

 

[Sandog]

Have you been down to Venice Beach? For me it is just a few minutes to the middle of the possible 1715 sites, between 4 and 25-30 miles. Same for just hitting a busy beach.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Have you been down to Venice Beach? For me it is just a few minutes to the middle of the possible 1715 sites, between 4 and 25-30 miles. Same for just hitting a busy beach.

Are you sure you mean Venice Beach? Its 180 miles from Venice Beach to Sebastion Inlet and 1715 site. Venice is on West coast of Fl.

 

[OBN]

Got many beaches where I live, I am right in the middle of this map, Annapolis. The furthest beaches North or South is 55 minutes away, the closest 15

 

[Heavygold4me]

To get to the beaches where I hunt is 40 miles away. I drove 2 1/2 hours yesterday to meet up with a friend. Ended up with a gold plated earring and a junk pendant and less than a dollar in clad. It was nice to see some new territory.

 

[TORRERO]

I've driven 3 to 6 hours to detect, obviously those trips involved over night stays to make trip worth while.

Yes I always plan for 1-2 days away if I’m going to travel to the beach

 

[no2pencil]

The ocean is within walking distance, so I don't travel for metal detecting often. But when I have, I went a few hours north to the Treasure Coast.

 

[Crunchyhippo]

I've driven 3 to 6 hours to detect, obviously those trips involved over night stays to make trip worth while.

So, you make a weekend trip of it sometimes? Just to detect? I had never thought of that before. My wife had talked about going with me out on a detecting jaunt sometime, where she could just sit and read a book while I do my searching. This may be a way we could do both. It would just involve the cost of gas and a motel room (not a Hyatt Regency).

Have you ever found a different beach with lots of signals compared to, say, the beach you're used to? I'm hoping that my near-zero-signal beach is the extreme end of the stick and that it's not the norm.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

When I hunt Miami beaches I make it a weekend trip, when I hunted Hilton Head island it was a 4 day trip stay, I have stay in hotels in Clearwater and St Pete beaches to make it 2 day hunts.

 

[cudamark]

Closest beach...8 miles. Farthest for just a beach hunt and nothing else....100 miles. Farthest beach hunt/vacation.... New Zealand.....not sure the mileage! 😄

 

[TORRERO]

So, you make a weekend trip of it sometimes? Just to detect? I had never thought of that before. My wife had talked about going with me out on a detecting jaunt sometime, where she could just sit and read a book while I do my searching. This may be a way we could do both. It would just involve the cost of gas and a motel room (not a Hyatt Regency).

Have you ever found a different beach with lots of signals compared to, say, the beach you're used to? I'm hoping that my near-zero-signal beach is the extreme end of the stick and that it's not the norm.

I will give you a little advice, take 2 chairs for the beach and an umbrella if you can, so when you get too hot 🥵 you have a place to sit under with your wife.
I go to a lot of different beaches, walk for an hour or two and if I don’t find much get in my car and try a different beach, your wife my not like moving around that much. Like I said before, I haven’t found a LOT on any beaches over the last 10 years so don’t get your hopes up. My guess is that if you find 10-20 signals an hour then that’s pretty good 😂
Good luck 🍀

 

[Crunchyhippo]

My guess is that if you find 10-20 signals an hour then that’s pretty good 😂
Good luck 🍀

Thanks for the advice. To give you an idea, I get about 3 signals an hour at Clearwater Beach and Indian Rocks Beach. That's in the sand/surf. In the water, it's about 1-2 signals an hour.

 

[saanich2018]

333 miles from my home to my condo in Florida. When there, the beaches are cross the street and others I go two within five minutes