Night detecting galveston island

[Gnron]

I'm coming to Galveston in a couple of weeks. Anybody ever do any night time metal detecting on the beach? Seems like a good way to best the heat! Lol! Any tips for doing this? I have a Garrett Ace 350 by the way! Thanks Ron.

 

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[Jason in Enid]

Keep it in the dry sand. IS there any dry sand, or ANY sand in Galveston? All I have seen is mud.

 

[Gnron]

Right! Lol!!! Just seems like you may have better luck finding something right after everybody left and before other people searched the next morning! Am I right in my thinking? Thanks Ron

 

[jas415]

Actually, you are doing it pretty smart IMHO. Low tides are usually around 6-8 pm, and that exposes another 50-100' of wet sand, the first cut and sometimes the first bar. If the 350 is waterproof then hit the shore side of the first bar, the gully or cut and dig everything. A long handled sand scoop is a must. On the dry sand work the umbrella lines. Usually after a heavy traffic weekend they have 2, sometimes 3 lines of umbrellas. I usually find coins in both places but the water seems to be better on getting rings, ear rings, bracelets, chains, cell phones, etc.. After dark, it is REALLY dark there!

Stewart Beach is straight in front of where I45 hits the gulf. Galveston has some sort of BS parking permit for the seawall now, some sort 800 # cell phone app. I have no idea how they enforce it.

Good luck and I hope the trip is a great one.

 

[Gnron]

Thanks a lot for the info! This is all new to me pretty much! You are saying things I'm not familiar with. Lol!!! Bar? Gulley? Cut? Can you explain please? The 350 is waterproof but I've heard it doesn't work well on wet sand or the ocean water!!! . Thanks again, Ron

 

[New Seeker]

Metal detectors use one of three technologies:
Very low frequency (VLF) - Your 350 uses that - it is good for discrimination and Target ID but less effective in highly mineralized soil, black sand, or salt water environments
Pulse induction (PI) - More effective in highly mineralized soil, black sand, or salt water environments
Beat-frequency oscillation (BFO) - Rarely used these days but still available

Bar is an off shore sand bar sometimes uncovered at low tides, Gully is a channel caused by the outflow of the water from the ebb tide, cut is usually on the shoreward side of the bar (I think) and is caused by water that flows around the bar at its base an washes out an area, there will most likely be some water still standing in the cut. I could be off a little on some of the above so if there are any out there who can provide a better more accurate description please jump in I am always open to better information.

 

[Gnron]

Thanks for the explanation! I wonder what the best setting would be to try and use the 350 in wet sand or water? Maybe a lower sensitivity level?

 

[New Seeker]

Look under the Metal detecting forums, Garrett Ace 350 - most do not think too highly of the ace for SW hunts but Garrett says that it has "Improved Salt Water capabilities" So I don't know who to believe. If you are comfortable with it and familiar with the machine you should still be able to experience some successes - there may be better out there but I am not that familiar with all the detectors.

 

[Gnron]

Thanks alot! I guess I'll just have to experiment a little! Maybe bury a coin in the wet sand or water and try to figure it out! Lol!!!

 

[Metal Detecting Stuff]

The Ace 350 should be run in Jewelry mode, if you get near the wet sand and get a lot of chatter, just turn the sensitivity down. Dig everything that beeps.

Wayne

www.metaldetectingstuff.com

 

[Gnron]

Thanks Wayne!

 

[largo45]

Stewart Beach is straight in front of where I45 hits the gulf. Galveston has some sort of BS parking permit for the seawall now, some sort 800 # cell phone app. I have no idea how they enforce it.

Good luck and I hope the trip is a great one.

Parking is Pay By Phone. $1 per hour. There are a couple of shops that sell parking but I am not sure which ones. Cops drive by with a license plate scanner that queries the paid parking database to make sure cars have paid. YOU WILL BE TICKETED . . . and yes it is total BS!