Beach Detecting - Numbers to Hunt By

The other day while beach hunting, and viewing other people detecting at low tide, I started to wonder how much beach there was to search at low tide...I mean, how many chances to find something in the sand or tide flats are there? So I set about trying to put some scale to the problem. People, including me, always say that we have too many people metal detecting the beach. But the question that begs an answer is: do we? Do we really?

Google Map Image of Daytona Beach, Florida

Now the most popular beach in Central Florida is Daytona-Ormond Beach, and famous the world over according to the tourist literature, and certainly a favorite among the local metal detecting clubs; Daytona Dig & Find Club as well as the Central Florida Metal Detecting Club. One thing the beach certainly is, it is wide at low tide...almost 500-feet wide as a matter of fact. They used to race cars there in the old days, and cars still can drive the beach in certain places along the beach. Daytona Beach is approximately 25-miles long, (more like 23, but jeesh!) but I picked an arbitrary point from the tip of New Smyrna Beach (the most dangerous shark attack beach in the world.) to the south than up to just past Flagler Beach to the north. A distance of somewhere around 25-miles of detectable beach.

Most standard search coils usually come in at around 11" in diameter, but for this instance, I'm going to add an inch to the coil and make it 12," i.e. a "foot" in diameter. You can recalculate later for a 11" diameter coil if you want, or an 8" or a 6" but really the 12" coil size is just to make a point.

Take the distance up the coast, 25- miles, multiply it by the number of feet in a mile; 5,280' which comes to 132,000 feet. Then multiply the beach length in feet by it's width in feet, which is about 500' and you get the square footage for Daytona Beach's beach. Since you have a 12" coil in this example, it just about covers a square foot, and according to our calculations, you have exactly 66,000,000 square feet to hunt within Daytona-Ormond Beach. That's right, sixty-six million coil locations available that may have something hiding under the sand. And if you can successfully and properly sweep a square foot of beach sand in about 2-seconds time, it will take you around 2,410 years to fully hunt the beach! I guess we'd best get started!

Metal Detecting Tales of Questionable Rescue

Within the metal detecting community, as a friend of mine would say, "...we use our powers for good!"and offer our services free of charge as a public service. I know many, many hobbyists that will drop everything they are doing, drive untold miles, then spend hours in the hot sun, a snake-infested swamp, or under a porch overrun with spiders to recover a lost item for a perfect stranger. Dog-tags, car keys, wedding rings, and a veritable plethora of sometimes irreplaceable items from everyday life fall before our invisible electromagnetic waves, as they probe the dark water and through the earth. But sometimes the mission may be, to quote a southern term, snake-bit from the very start. A call came in from someone who said they could not turn on the water for their home because the valve was lost...we pictured a family with no water. When we arrived, it turned out that it was a contractor refurbishing an apartment complex! He told us they were looking for 36 valves that were buried about two feet deep, and had not been seen since they were buried in 1986...and the valves were the size of  a large marble, the rest was PVC plastic. After a futile hour with a 15" coil, digging 33-years worth of metal trash, we finally packed it in. Without so much as a "Thank you!" the contractor was back on the phone with another contractor as we packed up and left.

Another sketchy mission was to find some gold that belonged to a man who, the caller claimed, had gone senile and did not know where all his gold had been hidden.

As the call progressed, it came to light that, according to the caller, it was his father-in-law's gold but he, the caller, had actually buried it a few years ago. (Shades of the Chinese Affair, one of my earlier blog posts you might want to look up.) We were getting more and more suspicious, and the conversation went on something like this:

"Let me get this straight, you buried you father-in-laws gold?"
"Yes, out in the back-yard...we are moving and I need to dig it up."
"So why do you need a metal detector to find it if you buried it?"
"I don't remember where I buried it."
"What did you bury it in?"
"I don't remember...maybe a potato chip tube...maybe."
"How deep did you bury it?"
"I don't remember...maybe it is buried under a cinder-block."
"How long ago did you bury it?"
"I'm not sure."
"Why did you bury it specifically...did your father-in-law ask you?"
"I don't remember."

So you can see our hesitation in taking a long drive and spending hours in the hot sun...we talked it over then declined the mission...too many things the caller said made no sense.

Another mission we did take, was someone who called and said that while he was building a giant spider, he suddenly realized he had lost his hearing aid and could we come over with our metal detectors and find it? About an hour later we were on site, with our equipment powered up, ready to go. "Where were you when you lost it do you think?" He looked at us and said "Well, I spent most of the morning at the library, then I stopped at the diner and had some lunch, then I came home and mowed the lawn, then I was working on the giant spider over there when I noticed it was gone."

Patti and I glanced at each other...uh-oh...was the unsaid remark that passed between us. He assured us, however, he had gone back to all those places and searched, but the tiny device had not turned up, so it must be on his property. We were using Garrett equipment, an AT-Pro with a "super sniper" coil on it, and our usual ace-in-the-hole  machine for very small items, the ACE 250 with the four-inch "super sniper" coil that could find a nit on a knat's knuckle. Or so we thought. After almost five hours of searching his front-yard, his acre and a half back-yard, he asked if we could search the rooms in his house. Not usually, but whatever. Patti even looked under the bead, in the shower, the closets, the patio to no avail. He asked us if we would search the attic, but we decided that was enough and declined. I told him it was too bad he did not have another hearing aid we could have used for a test-scan to set a benchmark signal that would be recognizable to either machine. He looked at us and pulled a hearing aid out of his left ear "This is identical to the hearing aid I lost...they were a pair when I bought them." I looked at the tiny device and ran the most sensitive coil and machine combination we have over it and not a peep...the pin-pointer would not even go off either when passed over the top. I found out later that the wires inside, and there were not many, were about as thick as a human hair. Patti and I were about to pass out from the heat and went back to the car for some cold drinks and put our equipment away. He walked along with us and asked about our club and said he would send a "donation" but he was never heard from again. We don't ask for cash or credit cards, and our help is gratis, but a "Thank you!" would sometimes be nice in lieu of a reward, or even a cold drink. But these are rare cases and not usually the norm, and will never affect our mission to help someone find their personal lost something.

Making A Living Metal Detecting

This happens a lot lately, thinking metal detecting would be a great job, which is ironic, because at this point in time the hordes of detectorists that consider this, have made this life-choice well neigh impossible by their very existence. I'm talking about making enough revenue from your finds to eke out enough profit from that revenue to support yourself. Let me be clear here...that's not gonna happen. In the last 56-years I've been in this hobby I've seen this tiny light go on once in a while in either a newbie's head, or a casual detector operator's head, and it pains me to see it. Because it's pie-in-the sky baloney. Now there are a few hardy souls who have managed to make a living, nay, even a good living, out of treasure hunting per say, and you notice I did not mention metal detecting? And those that have, usually have a side gig or two to help keep their income afloat. Like writing a book, hosting a TV program, or paid speaking engagements while hawking t-shirts and mugs with your logo or face on it...need I go on?

As far as metal detecting goes as a job, it is right up there with being unemployed, with unemployed being at the top, at least bringing in some meager government benefits. Now I know people who have spent a year or more unemployed, putting themselves out there metal detecting every day. Occasionally they may hit the jackpot, more or less, by finding expensive jewelry. A few thousand dollars for a few months of metal detecting, once you subtract your fixed costs for your vehicle, fuel, insurance, maintenance, and your metal detecting gear and batteries costs, and the actual hours spent scanning the sand, you'll find a gig taking lunch orders at McDonald's a better all-around deal; air conditioning and $15 an hour beat the uncertainty and downright overheated plodding existence of scavenging a beach. The most I've ever seen anyone ever make from metal detecting on an average day is about $17 for the entire day...and I mean about 12 to 14-hours in the searing sun and elements. And that's a good day!

Of course, the vision shared by most who think this may be a viable option see themselves spending an enjoyable few hours at the beach...warm breezes, shady palm trees and downing a cold lemonade at the snack-bar afterward, with a pouch filled with a few thousand bucks worth of gold and silver jewelry. The cold, hard truth is you probably won't have found enough to even afford that lemonade and not even remotely your visit to the ER for dehydration and dizziness!

Now, it is possible for retirees to supplement their income by finding gold and silver occasionally, and enjoy a rare movie and maybe something other than cat food to eat for that month, but as a full-time job, probably not an option. And even if you can somehow manage to find enough month to month to afford to live in your car, you will never look at the hobby as an enjoyable pastime ever again. And that is not worth it! My opinion for what it is worth...which ain't much. Happy hunting and good luck and don't quit your day job! 

One Digit or Two - The Perils of VDI

Sorry for my long absence...cancer, diabetes and the other several diseases I have were getting out of hand again, reducing my will to do much of anything at all. But here I am again! Anyway, I was thinking about something the other day; mostly it concerned Visual Display Indicators (or VDI) on today's advanced metal detector screens and I had an epiphany!  Between my wife and I, we use about seven different models and makes of metal detectors that utilize a VDI display, all except one machine, which is up on blocks right now awaiting a cable refit, which would be my Minelab Excalibur.

And of the six machines in use, only one machine, my multi-frequency Minelab E-Trac utilizes 28 different frequencies all scanning simultaneously from the single DD coil of choice. The five remaining detectors all use a single frequency, scanning from a single coil. The advance features of the newer machines are impressive, but they also sport what I would term a single two-digit readout on the VDI which means different things on different makes and models, of course. But, despite all the new features in the new machines, my older tech E-Trac is more accurate with it's multi-frequency ability and dual four-digit readout. The four digit readout consists of a ferrous two-digit readout, next to a conductivity two-digit readout. This creates a "matrix" where you can very accurately determine what the probable target is, what type of metal and how big it may be as a target.

The other detectors, with their single two-digit readout, are also pretty accurate to a point, and provide you with a pretty clear dig/don't dig  decision, but still with an aura of mystery for those "in-between" numbers that may or not be something good and you decide arbitrarily on whether you should burn the time and energy to recover it. 

The strange thing I have noticed, being absolutely honest in looking at my treasure hunting habits, is that using the more accurate system the E-Trac provides, I end up making a lot more "don't dig" decisions. Of course, if you are "cherry-picking" a site, who cares? But, after using some of the more advance single readout machines, target VDI's are not quite so cut and dry. Of course who wouldn't dig a 79 or an 80 on any single readout machine as long as it is not as big as a car hood? 

So my habit now seems to be I dig a lot more "iffy" signals on the single-frequency machines, and seem to be rewarded more frequently by interesting finds I would have ruled a "don't dig" scenario with the multi-frequency, multi-readout machine. Of course it is because of my habit's not because of the detector capabilities. So I have gravitated into a new realm where I use the E-Trac for hunting deep old coins and beach hunting, and the single frequency detectors for artifact and relic hunting. Of course that could change any time a new epiphany shows up, but for now, it works for me

Finds Financed - A New Detector The Old Way

Back in the day, unlike nowadays, you did not just go out and buy a more advanced or newer machine just because you wanted one...although, I'll admit some did...but more didn't. It was a point of honor, back then, to find enough cash, silver, gold and jewels with the old machine to finance a new machine. You'd save all your clad, cash in all the precious metals, sell the jewelry, and count the proceeds. If you were almost there, price-wise, close to enough to purchase one of those shiny new Whites 6000Dj Coinmaster or a frog-green Garrett Groundhog, it was acceptable to sell your old machine to get to the price point.

My old Garrett American...finds paid the price!

What did you get for this? Bragging rights...bragging rights that would cost you friends, acquaintances, marriages, and party invites. But still. It was a beautiful thing. You lived for the moment someone (obviously, someone who didn't know you) would ask how much you paid for that amazing metal detector. "Well (short pause) I bought it with finds from my previous detector!!!" Eyes would widen, people would gasp, children would hide and dogs would bark. For a few seconds you would bask in the sunshine of admiration from newbies and old-timers. You were a master-hunter and here's the doggone proof...in crinkle-green paint sporting bright yellow instrument lettering and Bakelite knobs with toggle switches galore!

Nowadays, someone wants a newer machine, they look at a computer screen, pick the one they want and simply order it. The detector is on their porch the next day and on social media seconds later...for the "un-boxing?!?!?!"  Where is the honor in that? 

I got to go...just heard the United Parcel Service guy at my door!

Coil Cover Cleaning - Mystery Signals Revealed!

Far be it for me to tell you how to metal detect, treasure hunt, or any of the intermediary things involved, but there is something you ought to know about your coil; that little device way out on the business end of your machine. Especially if you are part of the group known in social media circles as the New-To-This-Great-Hobby! crowd. Now if you are not mad at me yet, like most everyone else is for one reason or another, you soon will be. No one likes to know the truth about Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, or the Tooth Fairy (who I always thought was Joey Heatherton doing some part-time work!) but I need to tell you something.

I don't know how to break this to you, but coil-covers or skid-plates, as they are sometimes called, are not really necessary. As a matter of fact, they are usually a pain in the larger scheme of things! "But...but...but...what are you saying?" you stutter, sweating profusely and thinking about the cash you just spent on that skid-plate for the inverted barbecue-grill-sized coil you use for deep cache hunting. 

What I'm saying is the usual story is that they keep your coil from wearing out on the bottom...physically wearing out. But do they really? No, not really. I have coils I've used for more than 10 years without a coil-cover; detecting over sand, soil, rocks and debris. After a decade of hard use, barely a scratch appears on the bottom of the hard epoxy base of my search coil. The thin-thermoplastic coil cover's real talent, though, is collecting and holding salt-water, sand, dirt, clay, fertilizer, smelly cow manure, plant-debris and whatever else your coil has motored thru that day...or the previous day. A veritable toxic waste dump of mineralization has leaked into the base of your plastic skid plate. 

Stuff builds up in the coil cover without you realizing it...salt sand, water...you name it

And that means false signals, trouble ground balancing the metal detector, and the general loss in depth and sensitivity of your expensive search coil. Searching over dry beach sand with a coil cover full of stagnant salt water or damp salty sand in the base confuses the liven dickens out of your detector ground balance circuits and can create havoc with a machine in all phases of the hunt. A lot of new people, who have no idea this is happening, and with only a few months or weeks in the hobby itself, can usually be found liberally bashing a metal detector brand on social media as a lousy machine, as if they were now an expert in metal detecting dynamics. Other newbies, unaware they are reading another inexperienced newbies opinion, can start a rumor mill that lasts for weeks, months or years, as misinformation is taken as gospel, reinforced by other un-knowledgeable comments by others. I've seen this happen at least twice in social media circles with all attempts at putting them straight come to naught.

If you absolutely are convinced that your thin thermoplastic coil covers do, without a doubt, keep those rock-hard epoxy coils of yours from being worn down like pencil erasers from hard use, then by all means, keep em' on your coil. However, do yourself a favor and after every hunt involving fine sand, water, salt-water, or mud, remove the skid-plate and thoroughly wash and dry the interior, and wash off the base of your coil, before putting it back in place. Better still, use the coil cover inverted on your coffee table and fill it with a nice party mix; peanuts, pretzels, almonds, cashews and the like. It would certainly be put to better use that way and I'd be likely to visit you a lot more after the hunt. Cheers!

Remember This - It May Save Your Life Out Detecting

Something you don't think about much while you are out metal detecting in Florida, with headphones on and a hum in your ear, poking along the river's edge for coins and artifacts, is death. Your death in particular. Good grief, Jim, what an unpleasant thing to say! I was so relaxed and enjoying...!!! Indeed you were...exactly the same state of mind you were in on your day off, out metal detecting the freshwater lakes, rivers and marshes of Florida. Something you have not noticed in your elevator-music world, however, is that a creature whose genus has existed for the last 65 million years has noticed you. The reminder comes with a screaming burning pain, as the last living member of the dinosaurs, the alligator, grabs your leg!

"I was going for the leg...dang!"  

You quickly pull out your iPhone and search for the "STOP GATOR!" app, through the blinding pain, which of course does not now and will never exist...at least on the iPhone 6 anyway. You've wasted precious seconds as the big lizard clamps his 3,000 pounds-per-square inch jaws even tighter on you leg and drags you backward toward the dark water and your gruesome, still pending, death. Gators historically kill you by drowning you then stuffing your lunchtime-goodness under an old log or embankment to get ripe. At this point, you are scared and in pain, maybe even going into shock, but we are talking about your life here; not a Patriots game on ESPN! It's the end of everything you know and are and ever will be...and don't forget those expensive metal detectors you recently bought...you've hardly read the manuals yet!!! You have, by now, miserably failed alligator basic training rule #1, and that is to RUN as soon as you spot an alligator coming out of the water toward you...don't stop to pick up your pin-pointer, or your digger...I mean RUN like the devil himself or your ex-wive's lawyer is behind you, and zig-zag a bit on the way out...for your children and your children's children sake RUN! 

Now, having been nabbed and in it's jaws, you need to get Rule #2 locked and loaded, which is to grab a rock, or the heel of the boot on you foot that is free, and slam the alligator as hard as possible on the nose...their snoot is rather sensitive, like a shark's, and a good hard slam may get it to open it's mouth and release you. Rule #3 is to get a stick or a finger into it's eye...blinding it is painful and again it might let you go. Since you ignored #1, run away, and while #2 and #3 didn't seem to work , Rule #4 is to poke your fingers into it's nostrils and cut off it's breathing. Alligators do most of their breathing through the nostrils and it is a distinct shock to them not to be able to draw a breath. It will need to open it's mouth to breath. At which point rule #1 comes back into play and you RUN!!! The last trick, fingers in it's nostrils was utilized by a 10-year old girl who was grabbed by a 17-foot alligator in Moss Park, Orlando, Florida in 2017. It let her go and she got away, Later in the hospital she said she had remembered an alligator trainer at GATORLAND had mentioned if they were ever attacked by an alligator, plugging it's nose was a good way to get it to let you go.

The main point, in addition to these techniques, is to not panic and NEVER stop fighting...kicking screaming jamming it's eyes, nostrils and nose may cause it to let you go...you may be just too much trouble for it's lunch or dinner when a fish would do. My wife says if you'd like to see an example of what kind of fight you should put up, see the movie "Atomic Blonde," she says you'll figure it out.

Gator Fighting Video...a good "fighting" example anyway

Be safe, be aware and remember these techniques if the worst should happen...remember the Boy Scouts of America motto : Be prepared! It can and will save your life. Cheers!