Sand Shark arrives

[Billinoregon]

Just got mine from Rusty Henry, and I think I'm going to like this machine. RTG scoop should be here today or tomorrow as well, so I'll have what I need for the beach, when I can get over to it. Will report when I get it into the field.

 

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[Hot zone]

What beach you headed for? We are planning a trip to Oregon beaches June 18 thru 22. Will probably stay up cannon beach area as there would be way to much black sand and fewer tourists loosing crud futher south toward gold beach area. Need to try tigershark in the wet. May hit mouth of Columbia near Ilwaco first before crossing Astoria bridge and going South and thus avoid Portand Oregon altogether.

 

[Billinoregon]

HZ: I'm just over the hill from California, so any beach I hit is likely to be black sandy, and not nearly as rewarding as Seaside/Cannon Beach. Good luck!

 

[dbsmokey]

What beach you headed for? We are planning a trip to Oregon beaches June 18 thru 22. Will probably stay up cannon beach area as there would be way to much black sand and fewer tourists loosing crud futher south toward gold beach area. Need to try tigershark in the wet. May hit mouth of Columbia near Ilwaco first before crossing Astoria bridge and going South and thus avoid Portand Oregon altogether.

The sands of the Columbia are riddled with black sand. I have attempted to hunt the shores of the Columbia at Longview and the Longbeach/Ilwaco area with a VLF without too much success (detectors used: Minelab explorer 2, Minelab excal 800, Minelab quattro pro, Tesoro Lobo Super Traq, Tesoro Eldorado and Minelab Sovereign GT.) The explorer 2 was the most stable among these. I have read a report from an engineer that the Fisher CZ series fared well. The black sands on the northern Oregon and SW Washington beaches are ever present and punishing for a VLF. In my estimation, a PI unit would be best. I am wanting soon to try the Whites machines I am currently using to see how they fare. Please let me know your experiences and what machines you used.

 

[Hot zone]

I tried some sand at Kalama today. The wet was pretty quiet and no faultsing. It seemed too quiet until I ran into an area of nails. I dug all signals and the only hits that sounded good were a copper penny at 6 inches and two lead weights about 2 oz each at about 8 inches. I dug 4 zinc penny's that we're corroded and didn't sound good. I was soon out of the area of nails and all was quiet again. The wet portion of beach other than about 50 feet that contained all the nails appeared to be well hunted. I tried the dry area and that's when the faultsing began. I soon found myself in very black sand and the detector was real noisy. I stopped over a loud and repeatable noise and put the pro probe into the sand and it sounded and vibrated no matter where I placed it in the black sand. I pulled out a nail that had been the loud hit, but I think the dry black sand is too tuff. I did not bring the Quattro but I have used it in dry sand at the coast with some success so I will need to take that detector too. Now I do know the Deleon is useless at the salt beach and will leave it home.

 

[Terry Soloman]

Good Luck and Big Gold Bill!

 

[Billinoregon]

Thanks Terry, Hope you continue to mend.
HZ: at least you found a small target zone. Perhaps this is the Kalama equivalent of one of those East Coast beach cuts we hear about, but just without any gold ...

 

[dbsmokey]

I tried some sand at Kalama today. The wet was pretty quiet and no faultsing. It seemed too quiet until I ran into an area of nails. I dug all signals and the only hits that sounded good were a copper penny at 6 inches and two lead weights about 2 oz each at about 8 inches. I dug 4 zinc penny's that we're corroded and didn't sound good. I was soon out of the area of nails and all was quiet again. The wet portion of beach other than about 50 feet that contained all the nails appeared to be well hunted. I tried the dry area and that's when the faultsing began. I soon found myself in very black sand and the detector was real noisy. I stopped over a loud and repeatable noise and put the pro probe into the sand and it sounded and vibrated no matter where I placed it in the black sand. I pulled out a nail that had been the loud hit, but I think the dry black sand is too tuff. I did not bring the Quattro but I have used it in dry sand at the coast with some success so I will need to take that detector too. Now I do know the Deleon is useless at the salt beach and will leave it home.

Sounds familiar. I collected some of the black sands from the Columbia river at Longview, to pan for gold. I didn't find any.....Hopefully you are able to get some good hunting in at the beach. I am curious to see how you did, so please keep us posted!

 

[Hot zone]

We have decided on cannon beach! Ruth, likes the fact that the town is compact, unlike seaside, newport and the like, all spread out. She says it's not for the shopping, but I know better. I have never been there when the beach wasn't absolutely crowded, at least by my country standards. If I am ever to find that gold ring, this could be the place. I am sure I will wish to have had your machine, but we only make it to the beach 2 or 3 times a year it seems. I sure like the shark already though. Perhaps when you post all the gold you find this summer, I will have to get one too.