Visiting San Francisco, need a little help.

[robaz]

Ok, so I have been reading a few websites and posts here about rules/regs on hunting the SF area. If I understand what I am reading, it is a no-go to hunt any SF beaches that are part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. What about other beaches that may be in the area? I am planning a 4 day or so trip out there and wanted to try my luck at some beaches since I have no beaches anywhere near where I live.

Does anyone have any recommendations on where I might go in the area? I did read there might be some beaches north or south of the GGNRA that may be OK. Are they over hunted and how far away are they? I also read something about a place called the Golden Gate Park, where is that and is it ok to hunt? Also I will be relying on public transportation if that makes a difference, it is not worth me renting a car for those few days.

I have never been to SF but we are staying somewhere near the wharf if that helps.

Thanks for any input.

Robaz

 

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[diverrick]

Met of those places you mentioned are state parks, so no detecting allowed. Golden Gate park I would be willing to bet is also off limits.

 

[SeabeeRon]

Golden Gate Park is open to detecting and has been pounded hard, but older coins still show up.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Robaz, I answered your post on the general section of T'net, where you first had the question.

Met of those places you mentioned are state parks, so no detecting allowed. Golden Gate park I would be willing to bet is also off limits.

diverrick, let me correct you: State parks in CA are not off-limits. Especially the state park's beaches. They are routinely hunted. As for their state land parks, technically the only thing that would apply is the 50 yr. thing. So ... well .... don't tromp on obvious historic sensitive landmarks. But for run-of-mill campgrounds, etc.... , technically nothing to stop md'ing (for modern stuff, that's the ticket, I never find old coins )

And just curious why you think Golden Gate park (SF city owned) is off-limits ? There may be something in the boiler plate minutia (that all cities have) about "deface" or "alter", but ..... no, there is nothing specifically addressing md'ing in city-of-SF park code. But like any place, you/we need to use discretion to not waltz around persons who might gripe, (bored gardeners, or if there's an archie convention going on, etc....). Same common sense logic as anywhere, to not be a sore thumb begging for scrutiny.

 

[robaz]

I thought I saw somewhere on some website that there are some beach areas north or south of SF that are not state parks, anyone know for sure... and thanks for the help.

Robaz

 

[Tom_in_CA]

robaz, if you mean: What is federal (no-no for md'ing) versus what is state, county, or city: The internet is your friend. There are maps that show the distinct boundaries of the GGNRA borders. For example not all the beach at Stinson is federal. Once you get beyond a certain bend or street or whatever, it's no longer fed.

But you want in on a big secret ?? NO ONE CARES . I mean: if you wandered over some "imaginary line in the sand", do you really think someone is there with a measuring tape ? Just go by the approx. boundaries you'd see on any google maps (where there's color code of city park, county park, state park, and federal park), and presto, there's the fed . versus other beaches.

 

[SeabeeRon]

As Tom mentioned, detecting on State Beaches In the sand and water) is OK in California. You might want to stay away from dune areas as they may be in protection for various wildlife or plants. There are also many county and city beaches around. Heck, if you come about 60 miles south of SF I may see you on the beach here in Santa Cruz!

 

[robaz]

Thanks to everyone for their input. I most likely will be staying somewhere near "Fishermans Wharf" according to my wife (her work is sending her there TDY so I plan to take a few days to just hang loose).

I'm just looking for a place to spend a little time practicing mostly dry sand detecting. I will do some more searching to see which beaches might work and also which beaches have a higher concentration of people, hopefully increasing my odds of making a few finds.

Any other comments or suggestions are very welcome and thank you all again for your help.

Robaz

 

[Tom_in_CA]

I may be mistaken, but I think Ocean beach is still within GGNRA ? I'm not looking at their maps, so I'm not certain. Just seems that I've heard that . But I just thought of another beach (this one definitely city), that has turned up a lot of coins (even silver) for me. You might want to give it a try. It's a little mud-flat beach on the inside of the bay, next to the Marina Green Yacht Harbor. You'll see it there near the yacht harbor offices, directly adjacent to some grassy lawns near the old Chrissy field area. Not far from the palace of Fine arts.

There's a little un-inviting looking non-descript mud-flat beach. But for some reason, it's riddled with coins if you show up when the sand happens to be down. Like perhaps at one time it was clean enough for wading? Or sunbathing, etc.... from next to the adjacent lawns up above it. There's stairs that lead down from the lawns next to Chrissy field you'll see.

It's an odd little beach though: Because the sand imperceptibly goes down and up (erosion and re-filling) at various times of year. And since it's an inner-bay beach, it has no correlation to storms, swells, etc... So I've never been able to figure out when it's likely to be eroded down. But occasionally I've shown up, when the sand is down a foot or so. And rocks begin showing. When that happens, there can be serious coin action there. Even silver, buffalos, Wheaties, etc.... Try all up and back, since one end may be "down", while the other end may be "up". If you catch it on a period when the sand is down, it can be fun to hunt. Never got any gold jewelry from there (that I recall), but do recall some silver trinkets, charms, rings, etc .....

If you try there, let me know how you do !

 

[SeabeeRon]

Ha! Great minds think alike Tom! I was thinking Marina Green as I believe he said he is staying near Fisherman's Wharf and will not have access to a car.

 

[robaz]

Thanks, if I am close I will certainly go there and check it out. I am meeting my wife who will already be out there so I got a cheap flight and will be there a few days so no use renting a car since she will be at work. She finds out in the next couple days what hotel she will be at. Thanks again.

 

[robaz]

I am looking at Pacifica State Beach, Montara State Beach and maybe Rockaway as possible destinations. Looks like BART transportation will get me there. Opinions?

 

[Tom_in_CA]

All those beaches are fair game. As to which is *better*, I can't tell you, since those are out of my search range. But one of those you mentioned, I heard that there are some skinny/narrow sections of beach, where the surf comes all the way up to the beach cliffs routinely. And as such, it is a rocky beach (ie.: not much sand). And a local fellow there makes sport of turning over large boulders, which act as gravity traps for metal objects. And in the tide-pool pock marks of boulders he's gotten lots of old coins that get fused in the shallow bedrock. Not sure if he has to wait for after storms to do this, or if it is a year-round phenomenom.

So study the maps/satellite of the 3 beaches you mentioned, for the type geography I describe, and try your luck at this technique.

 

[Lucky Baldwin]

ahhh... San Francisco. my hometown

i think you'd be safe detecting the south end of ocean beach, across from the zoo. you say you'll be staying at the wharf so i bet your hotel is one of them near the beach st. end of columbus. from there, seeing as it's your 1st visit to "the city", best way for you to get there is take the mason street cable car from bay and taylor. not sure if you can take your detector case on or not tho... if you take a recon walk over there, the cable car drivers (called brakemen and gripmen) have their break area there so you can ask them. they're all good guys, and if you can't take your case, tell them your detecting plans and maybe promise to tell them what you find, they might let you sneak your case on - take the cable car to the end of the line at powell and market.

if you can't take the cable car, take the #30 bus line from columbus and bay (columbus is a block and a half west of the taylor turntable) the #30 should go down stockton street, but muni is digging a new subway tunnel under stockton and it's a mess down there now. so i can't tell you what street it takes to get across market. whatever street it is, get off as soon as you cross market. not sure how much the cable car costs, but the muni (bus and streetcar) tickets just went up to $2.25 july 1st.

now look for the BART signs on market street and take the escalator down into the powell st. station. (the bus stop should be at stockton and market, a block east of powell, but it might go down powell now) the stairways are between powell and stockton as i recall. make sure to go thru a 'MUNI' turnstile and not a 'BART' one. when you get to the tracks, look for an 'outbound' L train. take that to the end of the line. you know you're there when the streetcar driver comes around and kicks you off, lol. walk past Robert's motel (the rundown looking green one) to sloat blvd (big street) and listen for the crashing waves. you can follow your ears from there.

Good Luck!

P.S. Robert's really isn't that bad. i lived in #26 for a year and survived, lol

 

[imagearhead]

I know its an old post... but any goods finds? Im curious to hear.