Newbie first find; Nags Head, NC

[MMIII]

New to the hobby. First finds with the Garrett AT Pro on the beach in Nags Head, NC with my 8 year old daughter and 6 year old son. Nothing big but kids had a blast.

 

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[dirtdigginfool]

Hey...you gotta start somewhere!! cool stuff..glad the kids had fun..thats all that counts..ddf

 

[treblehunter]

Be careful your not metal detecting a National Seashore. I'm not a hundred % where it starts, might be after Oregon Inlet. But I believe all of the Outer Banks Barrier Islands are a National Park and carry very steep fines (up to 10,000) and confiscation of your machine.
Nice finds with the kids, I might be wrong on the boundary's, just a friendly heads up. You might want to check it out.

 

[Doug H]

As long as your above whalebone junction your fine which is where you make the turn to go down to rodanthe, waves, salvo, etc. Big sign there that says "now entering cape Hatteras national seashore". You can't miss it.

 

[vpnavy]

Nice! Thanks for sharing...

 

[eathabs]

While the National Seashore does start at Whalebone junction, the beach is not included until you get down to where the beach road turns west into NC 12 just north of Coquina Beach. Nags Head and South Nags head are open to detecting as are Kitty Hawk, KDH, Southern Shores, Duck and Corolla.
Check out the map, the National Seashore is in green.
Cape Hatteras National Seashore (U.S. National Park Service)

habs

 

[I-DIG-IT]

Nice digs.

 

[dirtlooter]

wow, sounds expensive if you detect in the wrong places there. be careful where you detect but have fun and it is good clean fun for the kids

 

[Doug H]

While the National Seashore does start at Whalebone junction, the beach is not included until you get down to where the beach road turns west into NC 12 just north of Coquina Beach. Nags Head and South Nags head are open to detecting as are Kitty Hawk, KDH, Southern Shores, Duck and Corolla.
Check out the map, the National Seashore is in green.
Cape Hatteras National Seashore (U.S. National Park Service)

habs

If you go on the link you posted it says specifically "use of metal detectors in all national parks prohibited". There is a public beach access right there at whalebone junction and if you walk out there on the beach you will see a line of steel stakes that is the whole width of the beach from the dune to the water designating the line for the national seashore. North Carolina park services has gotten really crazy about the national seashore and three weeks ago when I was down there, if you were on the national seashore and walking on the beach, you had to stay a certain distance within the shoreline. You could not just walk all over the beach and no, I'm not talking about walking on the dunes...I know you can't do that. The locals told us it has to do with some migratory bird and if even one bird is spotted in the area they will even go as far as to close down that area of the beach totally. So if you go below those stakes at whalebone junction with a detector your taking your chances.

 

[AU Seeker]

If you go on the link you posted it says specifically "use of metal detectors in all national parks prohibited". There is a public beach access right there at whalebone junction and if you walk out there on the beach you will see a line of steel stakes that is the whole width of the beach from the dune to the water designating the line for the national seashore. North Carolina park services has gotten really crazy about the national seashore and three weeks ago when I was down there, if you were on the national seashore and walking on the beach, you had to stay a certain distance within the shoreline. You could not just walk all over the beach and no, I'm not talking about walking on the dunes...I know you can't do that. The locals told us it has to do with some migratory bird and if even one bird is spotted in the area they will even go as far as to close down that area of the beach totally. So if you go below those stakes at whalebone junction with a detector your taking your chances.

One note of importance, metal detectors are prohibited in ALL National Parks....."Metal Detectors: 36 CFR 2.1(a)(7) prohibits use of metal detectors in all national parks.", I'm not sure if the entire Cape Hatteras area is considered a National Park or just the highlighted green areas on the map showing the National Seashore areas, but it would be best to find out before you detect any of the beaches.

Frequently Asked Questions - Cape Hatteras National Seashore (U.S. National Park Service)

 

[Doug H]

all I can tell you is after almost being arrested about ten years ago with my father in laws detector in rodanthe I made it my mission to find out where you could go down there legally. Park service I've talked with and locals I've talked with through the years have always said the same thing...whalebone junction is the line. You have to be above whalebone junction. And actually "south nagshead" that eathabs mentioned is below whalebone junction. He may be right, I'm not going to argue the point, but that's what I've been told for years and never had a problem above that point.

 

[Msbeepbeep]

Welcome to T Net!

Nice finds! Congrats!

 

[eathabs]

I do know for certain that the beaches in Nags Head and South Nags Head are not part of the National Seashore and it is legal to detect them. If you look on the map that is in the link, you will see that those beaches are not in the green area. I have been going down there for years and have asked the local authorities each time I am there if the rules have changed, they have not. Hatteras island is a whole different ball game. The Park Service typically does not cut any slack if caught detecting in the National Seashore.
habs

 

[treblehunter]

I hope no one took my reply the wrong way, I'm just looking out for a fellow metal detectorous, I'd hate to see anyone get a fine from the nazi anti's.