New respect for beach hunters

[fathead]

I have dabbled in the dry sand at small beaches a couple of times. This week I went to LBI with the family and managed to get out twice for a total of 4 hours. I found about $5 in clad (mostly quarters) I'm guessing ice cream money that was fumbled in the mad dash to catch the truck. I found one pink aluminum ring.

All in all I was pleased, but how do you do it all day every day? I found the following things to be true about the beach.

Digging is easier, but EVERYTHING else is harder.

-swinging the coil (I skimmed the sand)
-walking (my calves are killing me)
-finding targets (it was a very clean beach)
-covering the hunting area (a lot of space)

All of you have my utmost respect. I can only imagine what hunting neck deep is like.

Thanks for all of your posts and advice. I am hoping to get back to the beach very soon.

-Fathead

 

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[Silver Surfer]

You think that is a lot, try swinging that big coil (my PI has a 12" coil) with the current ripping and 4-5' waves trying to carry you off just when you pinpointed that good tone...
I have cursed Neptune and Poseidon on many occasions....

 

[davest]

if it was easy..................................................the girls in the office would be out doing it.

 

[bigscoop]

On those really long stretches beaches, sometimes I'll settle in on a comfortable depth of water and I'll just start walking, especially when it's really hot. I'll actually go so long without a signal sometimes that when I finally do get one its like the alarm clock going off in the morning. Only in this case I jump out of a dead sleep to rush to work.

 

[Diver_Down]

You think that is a lot, try swinging that big coil (my PI has a 12" coil) with the current ripping and 4-5' waves trying to carry you off just when you pinpointed that good tone...
I have cursed Neptune and Poseidon on many occasions....

One of the main reasons why here on the east coast of Florida, at least in St. Johns county, why hunters will rarely go past their knees. They just aren't strong enough to withstand the battering it takes to hunt in surf. I've hunted most of the 41 miles of St. Johns county and have never seen another hunter wade in deeper than their knees.

 

[lowtones]

When you are neck deep and wearing sunglasses

The views in the water and on the beach help take away all the discomforts of metal detecting
lowtones

 

[Kut2TheChase]

Wet sand hunter here, cruise along taking in the sites, My GOD, my calves are HUGE!!!

 

[bigscoop]

You think that is a lot, try swinging that big coil (my PI has a 12" coil) with the current ripping and 4-5' waves trying to carry you off just when you pinpointed that good tone...
I have cursed Neptune and Poseidon on many occasions....

One of the main reasons why here on the east coast of Florida, at least in St. Johns county, why hunters will rarely go past their knees. They just aren't strong enough to withstand the battering it takes to hunt in surf. I've hunted most of the 41 miles of St. Johns county and have never seen another hunter wade in deeper than their knees.

I've hunted a lot from Daytona to the Cape and it seems the rips and currents on the east coast have gotten a lot stronger over the years. Would you agree, or am I just getting older?

 

[stavr]

Today, hunting with a wave of 1m, 3 hours a little seasick.
went to his chest.
you well, you can wait for low tide ...
and we have no tides, may happen 1-2 times a year to 2 feet...

 

[pyledriver]

It's a BEACH, ain't it..LOL!

 

[Silver Surfer]

One of the main reasons why here on the east coast of Florida, at least in St. Johns county, why hunters will rarely go past their knees. They just aren't strong enough to withstand the battering it takes to hunt in surf. I've hunted most of the 41 miles of St. Johns county and have never seen another hunter wade in deeper than their knees.

Good, then I dont feel like such a weenie... I have always worked from hip to chest deep and simply thought I wasnt strong enough to "hack it"....
Yesterday was the first time I have hunted soley in ankle to knee deep.... Found a nice one too!!

 

[Diver_Down]

One of the main reasons why here on the east coast of Florida, at least in St. Johns county, why hunters will rarely go past their knees. They just aren't strong enough to withstand the battering it takes to hunt in surf. I've hunted most of the 41 miles of St. Johns county and have never seen another hunter wade in deeper than their knees.

Good, then I dont feel like such a weenie... I have always worked from hip to chest deep and simply thought I wasnt strong enough to "hack it"....
Yesterday was the first time I have hunted soley in ankle to knee deep.... Found a nice one too!!

I'd rather be a weenie and not "hack it" and be alive than dead. There are some nasty rips here and with the arrival of August, the ocean gets a bit more stirred up due to weather that is no where near us. Today, the ocean has been ripping due to a disturbance down by Miami 300+ miles to the south. Chest deep on the west coast is not a problem. Chest deep on east coast can kill you.

 

[Silver Surfer]

One of the main reasons why here on the east coast of Florida, at least in St. Johns county, why hunters will rarely go past their knees. They just aren't strong enough to withstand the battering it takes to hunt in surf. I've hunted most of the 41 miles of St. Johns county and have never seen another hunter wade in deeper than their knees.

Good, then I dont feel like such a weenie... I have always worked from hip to chest deep and simply thought I wasnt strong enough to "hack it"....
Yesterday was the first time I have hunted soley in ankle to knee deep.... Found a nice one too!!

I'd rather be a weenie and not "hack it" and be alive than dead. There are some nasty rips here and with the arrival of August, the ocean gets a bit more stirred up due to weather that is no where near us. Today, the ocean has been ripping due to a disturbance down by Miami 300+ miles to the south. Chest deep on the west coast is not a problem. Chest deep on east coast can kill you.

Thats where I hunted and found that chunky european ring yesterday, and man oh man, you arent kidding about currents... In knee deep water, I got spun around a couple times, and I was amazed since it has never been that way any other time I have hunted there... I guess now I know why, after your post...
Yeah, I only hunt in the deeper water when there is little to no surf... I want to have fun, and getting pushed around with waves while trying to dig a bottle cap at two feet is not my idea of fun...

 

[Diver_Down]

One of the main reasons why here on the east coast of Florida, at least in St. Johns county, why hunters will rarely go past their knees. They just aren't strong enough to withstand the battering it takes to hunt in surf. I've hunted most of the 41 miles of St. Johns county and have never seen another hunter wade in deeper than their knees.

Good, then I dont feel like such a weenie... I have always worked from hip to chest deep and simply thought I wasnt strong enough to "hack it"....
Yesterday was the first time I have hunted soley in ankle to knee deep.... Found a nice one too!!

I'd rather be a weenie and not "hack it" and be alive than dead. There are some nasty rips here and with the arrival of August, the ocean gets a bit more stirred up due to weather that is no where near us. Today, the ocean has been ripping due to a disturbance down by Miami 300+ miles to the south. Chest deep on the west coast is not a problem. Chest deep on east coast can kill you.

Thats where I hunted and found that chunky european ring yesterday, and man oh man, you arent kidding about currents... In knee deep water, I got spun around a couple times, and I was amazed since it has never been that way any other time I have hunted there... I guess now I know why, after your post...
Yeah, I only hunt in the deeper water when there is little to no surf... I want to have fun, and getting pushed around with waves while trying to dig a bottle cap at two feet is not my idea of fun...

It's killing me at the moment. I have two rings that have been pinpointed within a few yards, both with substantial rewards at stake, but I can't get to them as the water has been a torment the past few days. I know they aren't moving as I know this beach, but they are probably getting buried deeper and deeper with overburden. It doesn't look like tomorrow is going to cooperate, either.

 

[bigscoop]

For those of you who are following this thread who have never hunted the east coast, be forewarned, these guys are serious about the strength of the undertows and rips. You can find yourself in real trouble in a hurry. Also, the bottom is undergoing change all the time, that little bar you waded a few days ago may not be there today. Just a safe headsup in case you're planning a trip to Florida's east coast.

 

[Silver Surfer]

And I also found several spots of "quicksand" yesterday that ate my legs pretty fast up to above the knee... Had I been in waist of chest deep water and hit them, with the current and crashing surf as it was, I would have been in trouble..
I must be getting a bit wiser, 10 yrs ago I would have spit into the wind and gone out into that surf... Be careful out there for sure...

 

[S.S.Tupperware]

It can be rough but ya gotta know your limits...

 

[Aurora64blue]

Just out of curiosity,

How many of you chest deep waders wear an inflatable floatation device?

If not it might be a good idea to think about purchasing one, 'cause you never know when it's your turn!


Happy Hunting,

Ralph

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

The smallest coil I hunt with at the beach is 15", I hunt using a 15 inch WOT or the 15"x18" SEF Butterfly on my Sovereign. I am going to splice my new 12"x15" SEF Butterfly on my backup Excal and take the Sunray S-12 off........

 

[Montauk3]

Just out of curiosity,

How many of you chest deep waders wear an inflatable floatation device?

If not it might be a good idea to think about purchasing one, 'cause you never know when it's your turn!


Happy Hunting,

Ralph

I wear mine every time I'm in the water. Plus stingray guards.

Ralph