Tom_in_CA said:
wwace, I think we are confusing two issues here: whether or not you can detect there in Costa Rica (ie.: the laws regarding the issue of metal detecting as a hobby), and the issue you now cite: whether or not it's safe, from the perpective of getting mugged, etc..... Sure, I agree with you. Use caution. Don't drink the water, don't buy rolexes from the guy on the street with the trench coat, etc..... But that has nothing to do w/the legal issue.
Oh so I guess I inadvertently revived an old post..
Eh, hell the waters safer than here. I don't drink the water here as a matter of fact. The rolexes yeah stay away from them, haha.
But as far as the law is concerned in CR; That's the problem. I can find you about 20-30 articles in the countries constitution/bill of rights, and amendments and whatnot, that justify public metal detecting, even on beaches!
Only problem is, there's some shady laws over there, and with about ~75% of the country in some sort of protected land status (including the beaches) everything is considered a national patrimony for one thing or another whether its a law or not. No judge will ever let you get away for going to Isla del Cano, for example, and detecting on it even though its public land/park and not a national park of any sort (that I know of at least) just because it is considered a national patrimony/heritage/whatever site. And the worst comes when you're a foreigner. I've been in some situations over there where I felt lucky that I wasn't a foreigner (heck my spanish isn't 100% so I kinda got the nasty treatment a bit).
Lets put it this way, unrelated but you'll get a feel for the laws over there with this. Look up Costa Rica LAND for sale +lawyer or +fraud in yahoo or google. I've known MANY investors that go over there and
do all the paperwork and buy land and get a deed/title to the land and whatnot, but look at the yahoo results long enough and you'll see more horror stories than you could imagine. That's the law in CR for you, it takes a VERY good lawyer to get anything done right, and I assure you they're all "good".
In Costa Rica you can go to the most expensive law firm in the country or the cheapest, they will tell you what you want to hear. Why's that? Easy money off a person that doesn't know any better, you don't even have to be a "gringo" you just have to ask them "Can I do this legally and how?" They'll show you why you can do it and then when you get caught they'll even represent you in court (after waiting in a jail for a few months undoubtedly) and try to defend you for cheap... Easy money.
Let's just end with this..
If I need a lawyer in Costa Rica, me being a national and all, even I am hestitant and iffy about them.
Only thing I can do and anyone who doesn't wanna get in deep crap is hope they do something to ACTUALLY change the laws relating to treasure hunting over there. Unfortunately nothing ever gets done with the laws and any Costa Rican will tell you that.
Oh yeah, missed that point. Muggings, yeah if you want to do beach hunting get ready to get mugged. I sure as heck won't bother taking my $1000 detector over there only to have some punk who doesn't even know what it is take it. Screw that.
And that's another issue that really stinks over there, something we call "chapulines". Little kid muggers, they're between 5-16 yr olds who go around stabbing and stealing basically. They cut down on those some but you can still run into one; hit one of them and you land in jail for long time (CRAZY laws protecting kids that are strictly enforced, little bastards are guaranteed to get away 90% of the time) and they like the beaches now I hear. :-/
