Go Metal Detecting on your next Vacation
Danial Bernzweig manages MetalDetector.com in Southborough, MA (They Ship worldwide). He has written extensively on the subject of metal detecting since the mid 1980’s. He has traveled the world in his pursuit of educating, exploring and advising others in the proper use of metal detectors. Outside of the business he enjoys mentoring students, being involved in the community and spending time with his family.
For many, the idea of a perfect vacation is going to the beach. What better way to spend your free time than lounging on the beach or taking easy strolls along the surf? Metal detecting, that’s what. The beach is the perfect place for finding any number of treasures that others have left behind hidden in the sand.
After lathering up with sunscreen, many head into the water where their jewelry unknowingly slips off. Others lose items from their pockets coming and going into the surf, or just lose valuables inadvertently covered by the sand. And with so many people crowding the beaches during the summer months, finding a number of souvenirs with the aid of a metal detector shouldn’t be too difficult.
You will need a detector with a few special features to fully enjoy hunting for objects in a beach environment. Mineralized rock and other minerals in the salt water can throw off many metal detectors. Detectors used specifically for land searches will give off a frustrating amount of false signals and create a fair amount of excess chatter.
Your best choice for a beach detector will be of the Pulse Induction (PI) or Very Low Frequency (VFI) variety that has a ground balance control to remove false signals. If you really want to increase your odds of retrieving the hidden treasures swallowed by the sea, look into metal detectors that you can take into the surf. Most of your fellow diggers will stick to dry ground, so searching the water increases your odds of finding that special ‘souvenir.’
Find sunken treasures
If you are the adventurous type, an underwater detector adds a whole new dimension to snorkeling or scuba diving. If you enjoy diving to explore shipwrecks, then taking a metal detector along will take your diving experience to the next level. With literally thousands of shipwrecks along such vacation hotspots as the Florida coast and Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, you can make underwater metal detecting a part of your vacation itinerary. Many of these wrecks are known to have gone down with a considerable amount of gold and silver on board.
Searching along the shore
If you want to make your metal detecting trip as enjoyable as possible, you will want to follow these tips for searching along the beach.
Go during the slow times. To maximize your experience go in the early morning or after late afternoon when the chances of having others around is small.
Scout out the busy beaches. Locate the most heavily used beach areas to do your searching. The more people that frequent a beach, the greater potential for reward.
Dig out all your targets. Many detectors can discriminate trash from other items. Even so, it is good practice to dig up all your targets. You never know when that supposed piece of garbage may turn out to be a small engagement ring.
Beware of currents. If you are using an underwater metal detector out in the surf keep constantly aware of the tidal surges and other obstacles like reefs or rocks.
Dig more, find more. A common rule of thumb is that the more targets you dig, the more you will find. So don’t hesitate to dig when your detector goes off. Also work in a grid pattern to make sure you cover the entire area.