Question for you all,

[pepperpump]

does anyone know if metal detecting is allowed on the beaches in Key West? If so, are there any rules for that area as well? I will be on vacation next month for almost 2 weeks and want to hunt some while there. Are there any other areas near there worth detecting as well that can be driven to near the mainland? Thanks for the feedback everyone and happy hunting!
Pepperpump

 

[dahut]

I had a good time hunting Smathers beach at Key West last November. Found a cool statue. Look by the exits, people drop change on the way to feed the parking meters. Park across the street, it's free.
Back to Topic.
Smathers Beach! Thats the one, and it sounds like it hasnt changed, either. As I recall, there was nothing but vacant rubble lots and mangroves across the road from the beach, all one end of the "International Airport".

Youll have to do some scoping ahead of time to learn where the people congregate. This is NOT the main tourist season, so you will be coming behind any other pirates. But there should be some goodies to find.

Also visit Turtle Kralls, on the other side of the island. Its a cool bar that used to be a turtle pen, where sea turtles were corraled ("kraal" is a dutch word for corral) prior to slaughter for the restaurant trade - yep you used to be able to get sea turtle to eat.

Now they sell beer from all over the world - and if you drink enough of them according to a plan, you get a free t-shirt. Earning one of these shirts is a challenge, as you had to drink 31 different beers back in my day to get one. These shirts are a badge of honor among the locals - I had two of them at one time.

 

[TreasureTales]

Tom, I understand what you're saying - "don't ask, don't tell" sort of thing. Once the question is asked, authorities might feel compelled to look into it or to actually read the code enforcement books, in your opinion. That's a bit like sticking one's head in the sand and hoping the problem is avoided. I don't think asking is going to make things worse for the vast majority of us - in your scenario, I suspect your new club member was only trying to go about things in an ethical way and I see nothing wrong with being ethical in all portions of one's life. Unfortunately for him, he probably got a newbie who was also trying to be "by the book." Doing something wrong repeatedly does not make it right. Doing something right repeatedly might make it more respectable. You have your values, I have mine.

So you live in Central California, frankly anyplace south of Sacramento is SoCal to me.

Since we will never convince the other of the soundness of our procedures, I now bow out of the discussion. HH to you.