POSTED ON JULY 25, 2023 BY FMDADMIN
As a fellow metal detectorist, I can attest to the thrilling pursuit of hidden treasures, and the exciting surprises that each beep of the detector might hold. As I recount with my experience, I’ll discuss the reasons why sometimes it’s better to metal detect in water, such as the beach shores, rather than on dry sand.
One of the primary reasons to focus on the water and wet sand areas of a beach is because of the unique ways that human activity interacts with the physics of the environment. When people swim or wade into the water, their hands tend to shrivel up, and their rings and other jewelry often slip off. As a result, valuable items, often more so than those left on dry land, get lost in the water and subsequently the wet sand.
Another reason pertains to the shifting nature of the beach sand. The denser and generally more valuable items, such as coins, gold, and silver jewelry, are sinking down and ending up deeper in the sand than they began. As the beach sand is constantly turning, these precious items often remain undisturbed for years. Dense items like gold can be found all over the beach but are most often found near or in the water because they are generally shallower in the sand layer.
The competition among treasure hunters is also less intense in water and wet sand areas. Fewer detectors venture into the wet sand and water, which increases your chance of finding valuable items in these areas. This situation arises in part because many detectors do not perform well on wet sand or the water, meaning those willing to invest in appropriate equipment can often have a higher chance of discovering lost treasures.
Furthermore, wet sand often contains less trash than dry sands, making the search for valuable items a bit less cluttered and potentially more rewarding. As an added benefit, those with appropriate metal detectors that can handle wet, salty conditions can enjoy a relatively quiet search experience. The best beach detectors use specialized circuitry to eliminate the sounds and signals given from the conductive salt water.
However, metal detecting in the water or wet sand isn’t without its challenges. Salt water is electrically conductive, which can cause some detectors to misidentify the salt as metal. This factor can make finding metal targets in salt water very hard for an average metal detector. It’s essential to choose a metal detector that can effectively function in such conditions, especially ones that can deal with high concentrations of iron magnetite found in wet sands.
Overall, beach metal detecting is a fascinating and rewarding pastime, with each location offering unique opportunities and challenges. Whether you choose to detect on dry sand or in water, the thrill of discovery and the connection with the world around us are what make this activity so enduringly popular. Happy hunting!
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