Treasure Coast Treasure Beach Detecting Report

I recently told you about some south Florida beaches where the rich and famous play. I mentioned that those beaches can be good places to detect for modern jewelry. Here is a sample of what Gary has found on one of those beaches that I mentioned. And this is the time of year when a lot of tourists are hitting our Florida beaches. I focus on the treasure beaches in this blog, but there are sometimes when the treasure beaches are not cooperating and you can fill in some of that time by doing a different type of hunting. And you can always learn something by learning another type of hunting. You could call it cross training, I guess. When the conditions are not right on the beaches for finding old stuff, you might want to switch your focus to modern jewelry. That is one good alternative. I probably still know the south Florida beaches better than I know the Treasure Coast beaches even though I moved to the Treasure Coast a number of years ago.

One thing that I would encourage anyone to do is don't just stick to one type of detecting. Be open to a variety of types of detecting and other types of treasure hunting as far as that is concerned. In addition to metal detecting, you might want to explore bottle hunting or fossil hunting, gold panning, or gem hunting. I got a message from one reader of this blog from North Carolina who said that the N. C. beaches were not producing much in the way old coins lately, but he found over a hundred sharks teeth one day. You might not know it, but you can sell fossil sharks teeth for nice money. When the conditions are not right for one type of hunting there is a good chance they will be right for another. When it comes to beach detecting and the old stuff is not showing up, you might consider going to beaches where there is a good chance of finding some good recent drops. Or you might consider another type of hunting.

I like a variety of types of hunting and even when I set out with one type of target in mind, I sometimes stumble over something else. I got into bottle hunting when I was hunting silver coins and came across some old bottle floating in the surf after Hurricane Andrew. I did find silver coins that day, but they were heavily corroded and the bottles turned out being the best finds.

Well, we don't have much in the way of either wind or waves and therefore not much in the way of erosion. And it doesn't look like things are going to change soon. I'm keeping my Treasure Coast beach rating at a 2. It would be a good time to consider hitting a spring break or resort beach since the tourist season is on. You might just run into a pleasant surprise in the process.

I have a good link for you today that will tell you about a 16th century wreck to the north of the Treasure Coast. It is from the book Thirty Florida Shipwrecks, by Kevin McCarthy. The ship is the Trinite, a French wreck up by Mantanzas inlet. Here is the link.

http://books.google.com/books?id=1JFT3OtBKGMC&pg=PA13&lpg=PA3&dq=shipwreck+gold+florida&output=html

Remember there is always something to be found. And often the treasures of life are discovered when things look the most bleek.

Happy hunting,

Treasureguide@comcast.net

http://books.google.com/books?id=1JFT3OtBKGMC&pg=PA13&lpg=PA3&dq=shipwreck+gold+florida&output=html

Treasure Coast Treasure Beach Detecting Report

The winds have already changed and are coming from the west. I went to the beach this morning and everybody with a metal detector must have been there. It was cloudy but hadn't started raining yet. Anyhow, I had a nice talk with some of the guys. But unfortunately, as I predicted the beaches that I saw were poor. Very mushy sand. And the scallops were even gone. With the wind changing we might have a chance at low tide hunting, but it looks like that probably won't be that hot. I'll maintain a rating of 2.

My report is a bit abbreviated today because I'm on a different computer and can't figure out the photo editing or anything so among other things I don't have a photo today. I do have a lot of pictures of finds to show in the future. And in addition to the conditions, I do have another good link for you today.

The nugget that I showed in my last blog was found Saturday of last weekend. You might recall that many hunters were disappointed last weekend. It just didn't turn out as good as expected. The waves were high enough, but there wasn't much new erosion. Yet there were finds. That nice nugget was found. That's why my ratings are done on a five point scale. It's not a binary thing. The beaches can't be rated as either good or bad because there are gradations. And the Treasure Coast covers a number of miles. While most of it might be good or bad, there will be spots where it is the other way. It is a matter of judging probabilities and taking your best shot. If you have to drive a long way or something, you might choose to not take a chance unless the conditions are very favorable. That makes sense to me. Yet it never hurts to get out there to scout around and learn more about the beaches. You might just come up with something. Even my lowest rating is a 1 - not a zero. There is always a chance, especially if you exercise some creativity and extra effort. Even though some people were disappointed last weekend, there were finds and there were some people that got a pleasant surprise.

One more note on that nugget. It was found about half way up the slope where the water was hitting at the time the nugget was found.

I'm going to have to think up some little thing to acknowledge beach wreck first-finds. By that I mean, the first find that a person has made on a Treasure Coast wreck beach that appears to have come from a wreck. I'd be glad to get photos of your first TC wreck find. Maybe I'll have some little reward at the end of the year or something for first finds.

Here is a another neat online book that has some good research information. The book was published in 1884 and is call Camping and Cruising in Florida. Here is the link.

http://books.google.com/books?id=PowdAAAAMAAJ&pg=PP12&dq=hillsboro+inlet+wreck&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html


Happy hunting,

TreasureGuide@comcast.net

Nugget - Treasure Coast Treasure Beach Detecting Report

Some time ago I showed a picture of a gold nugget that was found on a Florida beach. Today I have another pictured that I understand was found on a 1715 wreck beach. Pretty nice, huh? Jeremy says it has some black on it and some reddish coral. If you can provide information on other nuggets found on 1715 wreck beaches, Jeremy would like to know. He is now in the process of researching this find and may have additional information for us before long.


We still have some wind and waves. The seas are around five feet and the winds are pretty much from the south. That means don't expect much in the way of erosion. The seas will be tapering off through the weekend and by Monday the winds will be coming from the west. The west wind and smooth seas might provide some good low tide hunting.


I've had a lot of correspondence lately concerning south florida sites and especially the Hillsboro inlet site. I've also found documentation on a slave ship and other ships that sunk near that inlet. It all tends to confirm my idea of the old inlets being what I call wreck magnets. I am sure the same thing is true of the old Indian River and St. Lucie inlets. The inlets weren't like they are today and the shallow bars shifted and made passage hazardous, plus the fact that a ship in trouble might naturally seek safety and try to make it in the inlet. As I've recently pointed out the inlets frequently changed in older times.

I've found that a wilderness GPS system can be a good tool for the beach hunter. It will help you find locations that you want to remember, such as where you found a particular coin, and it can also help you find locations that you find in your research when all the old landmarks have disappeared. For example in a book that is over one hundred years old, I found the location of the old Indian River Inlet was said to be at 27 40 00 N. Since I've been talking about Hillsboro Inlet, there was a life saving station down that way at 26 06 45 N. A wilderness GPS would help you find those locations. I would recommend paying a little more for a water resistant unit if you can.

There is a lot that you can find online these days. I've been giving you links to a lot of books. Many are old and out of copyright, but there are also some newer books online and some that give previews or selections. The idea is, I guess, that if you can read some of the book online and find it useful, then you'll buy the book. It is convenient to have a hard copy.

One book that you can preview online is Shipwrecks of Florida by Steven Singer. He talks about the 1715 fleet and other local wrecks. Check it out at

http://books.google.com/books?id=6j6kjZQReqkC&pg=PA5&lpg=PA4&vq=contents&dq=florida+shipwrecks+singer&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html

Now that is worth the price of admission. If you find it useful, buy the book.

Have fun,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net



















Camping and Cruising in Florida 1884
http://books.google.com/books?id=PowdAAAAMAAJ&pg=PP12&dq=hillsboro+inlet+wreck&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html



Shipwrecks of Florida by Steven Singer.



http://books.google.com/books?id=6j6kjZQReqkC&pg=PA135&dq=fleet+wrecked+florida&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html


Slave and other wrecks off Hillsboro
http://books.google.com/books?id=5e8DAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT25&dq=hillsboro+inlet+wreck&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html

South Florida - Treasure Coast Treasure Beach Detecting Report

Think about taking a South Florida bling break if you want a fix of gold. I never know what I'm going to write until I just feel like talking about something. Yesterday I mentioned some of the treasure wreck beaches just outside of what I would consider to technically be the Treasure Coast. And there are a number. But I was thinking that there are times when the Treasure Coast just doesn't produce much for a while, and while a lot of people run to the Treasure Coast to do some good wreck hunting, it wouldn't be a bad idea for the Treasure Coast locals to take a break and do a little day trip to some of the other top hunting areas in our state.

Before I get into that, I'll give you todays local beach report. The winds will be blowing up to gusts of 30 mph today, but the seas are down. The waves will be coming from the southeast so don't expect much if anything in the way of erosion. I'm downgrading my rating to a 2. Again, I'll remind you that that doesn't mean it is impossible to find anything. That is not the case even when I give a 1 rating. But the conditions aren't the best - far from it. It is the approach of summer conditions that in part led to my other topic for today.

While they don't have the famous 1715 fleet and some of the other local wrecks that have turned up so much treasure on the Treasure Coast, other areas do have some wreck hunting (as I suggested yesterday), and they also have some other types of hunting that can be a lot of fun. Before I moved to the Treasure Coast, I spent a couple decades primarily hunting the beaches of South Florida. And those beaches offer their own type of treasure. In fact, if you work very hard and smart, you could make a decent living with a detector down there. Gary just yesterday sent me some pictures of some diamond and emerald studded rings and other jewelry that was found in South Florida. If you are from the Treasure Coast and want a good chance of finding some nice gold while maybe providing a little get-away for the family, you can try the South Florida beaches.

Here is one thing I want you to know. If you are from the Treasure Coast, the culture down there is different. And I'm not just talking about ethnic things. The pace is fast and there are things you need to be cautious about. There used to be one parking lot that you could expect your car to be broken into. And it wasn't in a poor area. Maybe that is more under control now, but you should be aware. And the beaches and water will be filled with more people, some of whom will be looking to get whatever you might have and some will just get in the way. That is just a fair warning. Be alert and be cautious.

Now, I'm going to give you some of the spots where the rich and famous sometimes lose their bling. First on the list is South Beach Miami. Try both shallow water and beach hunting. You might go early to beat the crowds. You might be lucky enough to find a Rolex, heavy chain, or hunk of gold and diamond ring. More likely you'll come up with a gold band or something, but the other is not uncommon.

Second on my list, I would put 46th St. That is the parking lot I was talking about. They used to break the car lock and steal anything they could find in broad daylight. If you have a real beat-up lunker of a car or truck, take that. Anyhow, the water and beach right off of 46th St. is good, but you can also take a short walk south to the Fountainbleau. I once found the keys for the watercraft rental service there for a good reward. They were shut down until I found their keys for them. You can imagine what else could be found there. An alternative to the 46 St. parking lot is the next parking lot to the north (park next to the fire station) and then walk down. On your walk, you'll pass the Alexander hotel where some of the cast and crew for Miami Vice used to stay when they were taping that program.

I'll give you one more in good site in Dade county today. It's the state park on Key Biscayne. Detect in the water in the area next to the lighthouse. While you are there you can see an old dried up well that the very early explorers used to obtain water for their ships. It is pretty close to the lighthouse, but outside the chain link fence unless things have changed lately.

In Broward County, my first spot would be at the south end of the strip, directly across from the wooden Indian statue. Also by the parking lot across from Bahia Mar. You can also walk south to the Yankee Clipper and Marriott. The beaches of Ft. Lauderdale are not what they used to be when that was the place to Spring Break. The beaches were so crowded then that you could barely find space to walk between the beach blankets. Still tourists continue to visit the area in nice numbers.

Hollywood beach is OK quantity wise. You can probably find something there in fairly short order, but the quality will generally not be up to that of the other sites.

Well, that is a starter if you are inclined to take a day trip for the fun of it. I can't guarantee anything. You should double check anything that is important to you before going. I suppose the state park still allows detecting. Things could have changed since I haunted those grounds.

One more thing before I close today - here is a neat web site showing a lot of different things that I think will be of general interest to the detectorist. Be sure to browse down through the article until you get to the gallery labeled "Ancient Finds."

http://news.aol.com/article/irish-immigrants-grave/394944?icid=mainhtmlws-maindl1link3http%3A%2F%2Fnews.aol.com%2Farticle%2Firish-immigrants-grave%2F394944

Have fun,
Treasure Guide@comcast.net

Inlets - Treasure Coast Treasure Beach Detecting Report

This is what I saw leaving the Ft. Pierce inlet this morning. Good luck guys.

I got a note from a top hunter that was in the Treasure Coast area last weekend and reported visiting a number of our 1715 sites with no good luck. The weekend was a disappointment. The wind just didn't blow from the north long enough. It shifted to the east real early. Remember to check the wind charts to see if and when there will be a strong north wind. As I've been saying, wind direction is as important as the height of the waves.

I was surprised today that there was still a bit of a small cut at Colored Beach. There could be a few more of those small cobs up near the high water line. The conditions aren't great, but with some adjustment and effort, there are probably still a few scattered things out there to be found.

The Treasure Coast has a lot of good wreck beaches to hunt, but don't forget that there is some good wreck hunting in every county along the coast. Boca inlet produces from time to time, as does Juno Beach, Jupiter inlet, Hillsboro inlet, etc. With the price of gas these days travel is costly. That's one reason I try to give you a good idea of what the Treasure Coast beaches are doing. Hopefully it will help you save a few wasted trips. I've said before, that I made a number of trips to the Treasure Coast before I ever found a cob. I know what it is like to drive a distance to get here and then only find piles of sand.

Right now, I'm keeping the 3 rating, as the beaches are not very good, yet I did see some places that I feel certain will still turn up a few scattered finds.

Concerning yesterday's photo, I failed to mention some things that Jeremy said about the case gin bottle that some of you might find interesting or helpful. "The bottle picture attached, dates from around the 1740 to 1780's. I am able to date this to such a date by looking at certain characteristics of the bottle. First you are able to see that the bottle has a pontil and the shoulders are camfered with an applied lip. This bottle was made in two separate pieces one being the actual bottle and the second being the applied lip. "

I like old bottles too. I first got started in bottle hunting after a few chance finds after Hurricane Andrew.

Concerning Hillsboro inlet, if you happen to be down that way, cobs are sometimes found from the Coast Guard station to the Pompano pier. But don't go on Coast Guard property. (I know someone who was handcuffed and removed.) It is worth checking around any of our inlets, especially on the south side where the sand doesn't accumulate. I once found fifteen rings and a bunch of coins and some older stuff in a four hour period just south of the Ft. Lauderdale inlet. Shipwreck finds are made at a lot of places. There are a number of spots in Broward and Dade that you don't much hear of. The Treasure Coast sites are better documented undoubtedly due to the success of the local salvage efforts.

It helps to remember that our inlets were not always at the same spot that they are today. In the 1800's I read where one of our inlets changed position 3 times in a seventy year period. Our inlets weren't where they are today when many of the wrecks went down. The old inlets seemed to collect shipwrecks like a magnet. The bars were sometimes open and sometimes not. Of course, the inlets are stabilized today, but in those days they wouldn't be kept open and then a storm would come and open a new inlet.

I guess I might get into some of these topics more in the future when the summer conditions set in.

In the mean time, happy hunting.
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

Case Gin - Treasure Coast Treasure Beach Detecting Report

Yesterday afternoon the wind was pretty strong. I wouldn't expect any cuts though because it was coming from the east/southeast. That doesn't mean that the situation is hopeless. There have been small cobs popping up in the high tide area above the scallops. A wind like yesterday's should stir something up, but I can't give much detail because I didn't get out to see exactly what did or didn't happen. I'm holding my beach rating at a 3 out of 5.

There was a lot of action in the Wabasso area Sunday. I also got word that there were police cars with flashing lights there, so don't take a chance on trying to go across the construction area. It's not worth it. The gates are still closed. The way to do it, if you must, is to go to one of the other beach accesses and take a good long walk. But don't forget the other beaches. Eventually the winds will turn around and push the water out so you can do some low tide hunting. When that happens, you should have a good chance of hitting some low tide targets.

I should mention Jupiter Inlet beach. That is one of my very favorite beaches. I don't mention it often because I don't get down that way very often and I don't know if you would really consider it to be a Treasure Coast beach, yet it produces some nice cobs. I consider it more like an honorary member of the Treasure Coast wreck beaches. Check it out sometime if you are down that way.

You always have an advantage if you know a beach well. It is worth getting out there sometimes even if you don't find something. You can learn how the beach works and get a feel for what it is going to do under different circumstances. All things being equal, its more productive to hunt a beach that you know well, than one that has a good reputation that you don't know so well. Of course it takes time to get to know a beach.

Maybe I'll get out before long to see what yesterday's waves did. I hope so. There should be some good low tide hunting when the seas go flat.

Today's photo is a photo that I recently received from Jeremy, an avid bottle hunter. That's one beautiful case gin bottle that he found in St. Croix. It makes a great display and would bring in some good money if he wanted to sell it. Remember, that there are things to be found other than silver and gold. And often when the conditions are not right for one type of item, they often are good for another.

I'll give you a great internet book to use for research. It's The Story of the American Sailor in Active Service by E. S. Brooks, published in 1888. I think you might find it useful.

http://books.google.com/books?id=mYqEAAAAIAAJ&pg=PR7&dq=florida+gold+shipwreck&as_brr=1&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html

That's all for now. I hope to get out there in a day or two to bring you new details.

TreasureGuide@comcast.net

Treasure Coast Treasure Beach Detecting Report

Here is a picture taken from near the Amber Sands beach entrance just south of the McClarty Museum. The view is towards the south. You can see the mushy small scallops, and very small, barely existant cuts. If you went out this weekend you would have seen something very similar all along the Treasure Coast. The latest front has not lived up to expectations. We saw projections of nine foot seas. That by itself is promising. Yet what failed to happen is what I have mentioned a number of times - the right angle. The waves were hitting the beaches straight on. We didn't see the wind blowing out of the north for long enough. This confirms once again what I've been saying - that the angle of the waves is as important as the size of the waves.

Wabasso is still closed, although I think some of the guys are parking there and getting in. It seemed that most of the detectorists were congregated around Wabasso and Seagrape. That usually means that something happened there and word got around. I did not get a personal view of either of those beaches this weekend. I personally ran into very few detectorists this weekend. Of course I was out early and when it was generally rainy.

The surf site is saying that we have another day of near eight foot seas, yet if we don't get an angle things won't improve much if at all. After Monday the winds will be coming more from the south - according to the charts.

My finds this week were thin cobs that got deposited near the surface towards the upper reaches of the incoming tide. I suppose they were moved very much like the shells and other light debris that was washed in. That's the only explanation I have for how they got there.

The weekend was a bit of a disappointment, but I'm sure there were more finds than mind. I'd like to see what others found. There are also a number of tourists hitting the beaches, if you want to switch to hunting coins and jewelry when the winds shift. I'll also be watching for the return of the west winds so I can get out there in the low tide areas to see what got deposited at the bottom of the beaches.

I'll have some more photos of finds and reference links for you in the near future. Again, I'd like to see what others found this week. Give only the amout of detail that you want.

You never know when something will show up in an unexpected place. Happy hunting.

TreasureGuide@comcast.net.

PS: After looking at my last posted cob, I think I have it oriented about 90 degrees off. I think what you can see on it is the bottom of the C and some of the A in the CARLOS monogram. Flip it ninety degrees and see what you think.

Treasure Coast Treasure Beach Detecting Report

I don't have much time, but I wanted to get this quick update in. It hasn't happened yet. I was at Colored Beach in Ft. Pierce and Turtle Trail this morning and neither were really cut yet. I suspect the same is the case for most beaches on the Treasure Coast. Colored Beach was not significantly different from yesterday. Both beaches had scallops. Of the two, Corrigans seemed the most promising. Pieces of iron were in the shells towards the top center of the scallops. I heard a rumor of a recent gold coin find at Corrigans, although I did not see the coin and do not know the person that told me about it. So take it for what it is worth. One of the most hard core hunters was at Corrigan's this morning. I found a fossil shark tooth there. I know most of you don't care much about that, but some of you might. Its good to keep your eyes open in any case.

I didn't take my camera in the wind and rain this morning.

It still looks like something could happen later today, tonight or tomorrow. Hopefully the direction of the wind and waves will change a bit. I'll keep my beach conditions rating at a 3 for now.

Oh, one more thing I'll throw in this morning. Cobs have been found directly in front of the Holiday Inn in downtown Vero Beach. Its worth checking.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

Spring has Sprung - Treasure Coast Beach Detecting Report

The weekend is looking promising. The wind is coming from the northeast already. If you look at the projections on the surf site, you'll see that they are expecting something like 9 foot seas on Saturday and Sunday. That is pretty good - the best we've seen for quite a while. And it looks like it should last for a while, gently tapering off towards the beginning of the week. Waves are one thing, but the angle is just as important. Waves that hit the beach straight on, generally don't help much. I always remember going out in Miami after Hurricane Andrew. That was one powerful storm, yet it didn't do much of anything to the mainland beaches there. The waves just washed up over the beach and back down. There was no angle to make cuts. When the waves come straight at the beach the best hope is that they are high enough to hit the back dunes and wash some things out of there. Yet the beach is not a straight line, therefore you can usually find a few spots where the beach runs more at a Northeast or southwest direction so that the waves are not hitting straight on and create some cuts. The other good possibility is when the beach projects at some point and gets over washed. Anyhow, if you study the animated wind charts on the surf site, you'll notice a time period when the winds are hitting almost directly from the north. And it is not a real short time period that they will be coming from a strong north direction as it has been often in the recent past. That should mean some nice cuts by Sunday.

If you study the beaches you'll find some spots that may be miles apart that cut at the same time. And others that are not synchronized at all. In time you will learn that when beach X cuts, so generally does beach Y.

My main point today is simply be ready for the weekend. It looks promising.

Oh, the photo today, if you didn't recognize it, is the other side of the cob that was found earlier this week, the other side of which was shown two posts ago, I think.

I've found some more great reference links that I'll post in the near future, but I'll focus on the upcoming weekend for now. It may be one of the best opportunities that we get for a while.

If you haven't already, take a look at the neat coins and artifacts on the Sedwick site.

I don't know when my next report will be. I may miss a little time.

Happy hunting til then.

TreasureGuide@comcast.net

Thurs. Treasure Coast Treasure Beach Detecting Report

The last few times I went to the beach I forgot to take my camera. I remembered to take it this rainy morning. The photo shows what I saw. In the foreground you see some scallops and in the background, some small cuts. As I predicted, the cuts weren't in as good shape today as yesterday. The winds had changed and the front was rather mushy now. I spent some time and found nothing interesting. When you think about it, if there is one cob on a beach like this, of all the ground there is to cover, you have to put your coil over that one particular square inch, or else you'll miss it. This business isn't easy. As I've mentioned before, it took a number of visits to the Treasure Coast before I got my first silver cob. I think that regular coin hunting and jewelry hunting are easier. But if you have the bug for that old Spanish shipwreck treasure, it takes time and patience.

I hope you've been getting some good out of the reference links I've been providing. I think some of those books and articles are really great.

As I've mentioned, I've been using a new detector and have some learning to do on it. But while hunting just the other day, I detected a small half reale. After recovering the target, it seemed to me that the signal should have been louder for that type of target. The item was small and thin, but not that small. So I put the target back on the ground and ran my coil back and forth over the target a few times varying the speed of my swing. When I slowed the sweep speed down, the signal was at least twice as loud. That told me that I had been swinging my coil too fast. I put down the target periodically that day in different positions and locations (sometimes in dry sand and sometimes in wet sand) and varied my sweep speed over the object until I got the loudest response. That helped me get a feel for the optimum sweep speed and it helped me learn the exact sound of that type of target.

When you turn your detector on and get all the settings ready, it is a good idea to have with you a sample of the type of target that you are focusing on for that hunt. In fact you can use a sample of two or three of your top targeted objects. If you are hunting some of the 1715 beaches and hope to find a reale, take a small one with you and when you set up your detector, adjust it for the best response on that target. If you want to focus on gold, take a piece similar to what you will be targeting and set your detector for best response to that type of target.

If you are looking for cobs and don't have one yet, you could use an old worn thin mercury or Roosevelt dime. That should give a similar response. If you don't have one that is worn paper thin, consider clipping a piece off to make it more similar to the small cobs. You want to be tuned for the smaller cobs.

As I was reminded, your sweep speed can dramatically effect the response of your detector. Some detectors have a faster optimal sweep speed than others. But if you don't adjust your sweep speed, you can lose much of the signal strength, in effect reducing the effective depth of your detector. Therefore, if you have a new detector and haven't systematically checked the optimal sweep speed for your detector, it might be a good idea to do that. And again, it is a good idea to tune your detector with a sample of the targeted object under field conditions in order to become familiar with the specific response that your detector will give in those conditions. You can do that to some extent at home, but is better to do that on the actual beach you will hunt. Also note how the response is changed by the position of the coil in relation to the object - both vertically and horizontally.

Not long ago, I was telling you to check the low tide area, but conditions change from day to day. In my opinion the place to focus after recent cutting or scalloping action is up high towards the high water mark and right next to any cuts. As the cuts get older and the winds switch around so they are no longer reaching the same high water mark and the sands start to fill in, I would switch from focusing on the high tide area to the low tide area, especially when the winds switch once again to be coming from the west.

I've actually learned quite a bit since beginning this blog and carefully watching the wind and water for my reports. The wind angle is a very good predictor of cutting and also tells me where to focus most of my time.

In one of my posts, I divided the beach into three areas: the dunes, middle beach, and front beach. I find that distinction useful. Most of the time, the water does not get beyond the front beach and seldom hits the dunes. Anytime the water gets back to the dunes and creates erosion back there, make sure to check there. Generally, and all other things being equal, I would say, the further back the cuts occur, the better the hunting will be. And the deeper the cuts are, the better the hunting will be. Yesterday, the cuts were only very slightly into what I would call the the middle beach (the flat and dry area between the dunes and the wet sand area). The light cobs seemed to be making it up to the upper edge of the high tide area.

Well those are some of my observations and conclusions. I am sure they do not always hold, but I try to come up with anything that will improve our probabilities, and at this point, the above describes what I have observed lately whether it is completely accurate or not. Some of my readers in the past have been so kind as to state where there finds have come from and I've passed that along. I'm always glad to get reports from other detectorists. As I always say, I can't be everywhere.

Best luck,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

Carlos Half - Treasure Coast Beaches Detecting Report

Last night we got some action. This morning there were some scallops and minimal cuts. I'll upgrade my beach grade from a 2 to a 3 on my five point scale. Unfortunately, the winds have switched and the waves are now coming directly from the east. That means that there will probably not be much in the way of improvement today and tomorrow, and quite possibly deterioration.


Looking at the surf report, the projection for seas keeps decreasing. If they are right, we're not going to get the waves we expected, but it still looks like close to eight foot seas this weekend. That could indeed be enough to do the job. We'll have to wait and see.


In addition to the beach conditions, I've been giving you a lot of additional information, including among other things, some very nice reference links. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.


The photo today is of a cob recovered this morning. I haven't had time to really study it and don't know if the orientation of the coin is right. At first glance it looks to me like a Carlos monogram. It is a Mexican minted half reale. If the orientation of the photo is correct, I think I might be seeing two numbers of the date towards the bottom. Maybe a 1 and 0 showing in the area that is nearly worn away.


If you can direct me to a drawing or photo of a good Carlos monogram I would appreciate it. I know I've seen one composite drawing on the internet that was good, but I can't seem to find it now. It seems like its difficult to find a good photo of a Carlos monogram. There are plenty of Philip monograms to be seen on the internet, but for some reason not the Carlos.


Happy hunting, and keep watching to see what happens this weekend.
TreasureGuide@comcast.net.

Pirates - Treasure Coast Treasure Beach Detecting Report

I wanted to get a quick update in today. The winds are starting to pick up and are now coming from the northeast. Watch for developments later this week, especially this weekend when we might see 8 to 12 foot seas. The projections have failed to come through a few times already this year, but it now looks like we might actually get some good action this weekend. I normally don't expect much improvement to the beaches with less than eight foot seas, although it doesn't always take that much.

I have some really good references that you might want to check out, but first, the photo at left is a Mexican minted half reale from a 1715 beach. Its a little hard to make out the detail on this uncleaned coin, but you can see some of the Phillip monogram.

There is a book Pillaging the Empire: Piracy in America 1500- 1750 which you can preview online. The author is Kris Lane. The book contains a lot of great information. You can take a look for yourself by going to the following address. http://books.google.com/books?id=893J8RTsKjgC&pg=PP1&lpg=PR7&vq=i&dq=santiago+1659&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html

One thing that I really like and I think divers will especially like is the illustration of the 16th and 17th century diving equipment. People came up with ways to get things done when they did not have all the modern technology. They were pretty ingenious. Take a look at this illustration.

http://books.google.com/books?id=893J8RTsKjgC&pg=PA161&lpg=PA161&vq=florida&dq=santiago+1659&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html

Pretty crazy, huh?

Well, like I said, I wanted to get this quick update in before things actually changed much and I'll have more for you soon if the beaches do change as I am now expecting. Keep watching for updates.

TreasureGuide@comcast.net

Cache - Treasure Coast Treasure Beaches Detecting Report

Nothing has happened in the past few days to change the beaches or my current rating in any way. The waves have been primarily from the southeast. It actually looks very promising for the middle and end of the week. Waves are expected to increase, especially next weekend. It looks like it might be better than we have seen for quite some time.

The photo today shows a silver ingot with a hole like what I mentioned in the last blog. This particular ingot is just under two pounds - not one of the larger silver ingots. I have a photo of another that is 36 pounds, and it also has a similar hole in the middle. Both of those ingots are from the 1715 fleet. OF course the silver is not 100% pure and probably came from Mexican mines or was obtained by melting artifacts, which varied in silver purity.

I find it interesting how the alloys and environmental conditions differently affect metal objects - silver in particular. I think you can usually tell those items once immersed in salt water versus those that come from the higher dunes and primarily only affected by rain water. Since you seldom if ever get a 100% pure silver item, there are usually alloys involved. I can tell after many years by the patina where some of my coins were found. One example, is the silver US coins found in the cold water lakes of the north, have a nice bluish patina. Other coins I've found look like they have absorbed some of the color of the immediate surrounding material in which they were buried or encrusted.

I found reference to a cache of old Spanish coins that was uncovered in 1856 not far from St. Augustine. Near Mayport Mill, actually. You seldom get such good detail on a cache recovery. IN this report you get pretty good detail on the location and also a good description of the coins. Even though the location of the find was not on the Treasure Coast, I think the coins described will be of interest and it is not really that far from the Treasure Coast, so I am including a link to the reference. The first page (35) talks about the location of the find and the second page (36) goes on to describe the coins.

Here's the link.

http://books.google.com/books?id=kmGFAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA35&vq=coins&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html&source=gbs_search_r&cad=1_1

Its a beautiful time to be at the beach. The shell piles are still out there in spots.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

Lead disk - Treasure Coast Treasure Beaches Detecting Report

"Surprise, surprise," as Gomer Pyle used to say. That's what I thought when I saw the beach yesterday. It was not that the shape was very different from what I expected, but it did look a little better and I actually found a place that looked "very interesting." I think it was Artie Johnson on Laugh In that used to say that. I don't know why my mind is on a vintage TV kick today. Anyhow,the water had been higher than I expected, undoubtedly due to the full moon bringing the tides higher. But the wreck beach that I visited had no cuts - only very shallow scalloping. Then I went to one of those out of the way places that are seldom detected. That was the interesting spot. It seemed very promising. First there was a sand bar to the east, then a slight depression that filled with shallow water at low tide, and then the beach front was nothing but piled shells covered with a light layer of sand. In the shell piles I found sea glass, which most of you will not find all that interesting, but it does show that things are washing up there even if you are not interested in the glass itself. I like to find sea glass. But there was also numerous small iron targets washing up with the shells, like tacks and older nails. I feel certain that if I spend more time there, something interesting will show up. I would tell you exactly where this is at, but when you find one area like that, you know there are more, so I'd rather you get out and find the others rather than having everybody running to that one spot. The point is, there are spots out there, undoubtedly scattered along the beach where the waves are hitting in a similar way, which I think are worth checking. By the way, the area I hunted is the same area where I picked up the recently pictured piece of possible K'hang Hsi, and where I had picked up some black glass and some other interesting things in the past.

I would rate the overall beach detecting conditions no better than a two or perhaps a two plus on my five point scale. That doesn't mean that you can't find anything. You'll just have to excercise some effort and creativity.

I've received a number of emails lately, and they've confirmed what I've been saying here. First, most of the beaches were sanded in this week and finds have been few and far between. Second, what finds were being made, were generally in the low tide areas. I'm always glad to get reports from others, because, as I always say, I can't be everywhere.

One find that was made recently down in the low tide wet sand was made by Gary D., who found the lead disk shown in the photo, which he says, "weighs 1.8 lbs and has crude slits on the top and bottom that do not go all the way thru with what looks like a rusty iron pin that is all the way thru the center. no markings of any kind." If you can help identify this item, please email me. The hole reminds me very much of the holes that I've seen in silver ingots. I never really knew why they were there but many of the larger rectangular silver ingots that I've seen do have a similar looking hole in the middle. I don't know why, and I never tried to find out why they were there even though I noticed them. I might give you a picture of one of those in the near future. I also have some more good references that I'll be posting in the near future.

My suggestion for today is, hunt around some of those shell piles at low tide.

TreasureGuide@comcast.net

PS: From the notes that I've received, the ear ring that I recently posted the other day, appears to be a rather common style and of a recent date. Thanks to those of you that emailed me with opinions on that.

Silver - Treasure Coast Treasure Beaches Detecting Report

The photo today is of a small silver (acid tested) ear ring. I haven't been able to determine the age or the type of stones. The larger stone in the middle is clear and has some inclusions which show under magnification. In the photo it appears darker than it is. A few of the smaller stones are missing. It's really an intricate little thing. The longer link that looks black in the picture holds a couple small stones too. Too bad that it's so hard to track things to a specific date or source. Finding the item is just one step in the search. I'd like to hear any opinions on date and identify.


Well, today again there is not much change in beach conditions to report and there is nothing right now in the immediate future that I would expect to change much. Hopefully we'll get a surprise storm or something. Keep alert and keep hitting those low tide areas. We're getting some churning in the front of the beach at least.

I changed the Sedwick link in the treasure links section of this blog. It will now take you to the auction items that are in the up-coming auction. There is a lot of good browsing there. Its good to learn to identify a variety of items so that you will recognize them when you do come across them. The auction photos provide good examples of pottery and glass work as well as metal items. Many of the things that I have discussed in the past are pictured. I'd really recommend studying the items in your spare time. Notice the prices on things like nails, spikes, and broken glassware. I know that some people will simply toss that type of stuff, but items like that have a historical significance and can provide important clues to an area. I've mentioned before how I quickly passed through an area which I should have spent more time in, and all because I failed to recognize a significant item that I saw there. Not only will a familiarity with items like those shown in the auction list help you recognize items in the field, but it will also help you evaluate and identify items that you find. Beside all the help it will give you, I think you'll simply enjoy browsing through this collection. I'm glad these items aren't hiding in a dusty basement somewhere.

I want to offer a few helpful hints for professional archaeologists, especially those funded by grants or employed by institutions funded by tax dollars. If you don't want your budgets cut, publish your finds and conclusions where the public has easy access to them - on the internet where people can find them. People who pay for things like to see the results of what they are paying for. Engage the public as friends instead of competitors or enemies. They have a right to see the results produced by their tax dollars, and much of the public has a natural interest in history and archaeology. Let them know what is being found and the conclusions that are reached.

I was once in Yosemite National Park and I noticed some archaeologists at work. Being an academic for much of my life and having an interest in archaeology, I went over to watch and overheard one of the students make a negative comment about the tourists that would be coming around. Here he is on publicly maintained land, pursuing his studies, probably under a grant or maybe a public university, expressing negative opinions about the tax-payers. That my friends, is self-defeating.

Many important finds are made by amateur archaeologists. Many leads are provided by the general public. And many collections are provided by collectors, not to mention the salvage crews that contribute extensively to public collections, and on top of that, some of them create their own museums.

If the professional archaeologists would partner with the public rather than show contempt and suspicion of the public, they would be much better off. People will treat sensitive sites with respect when they appreciate the significance of those sites. People will be glad to report and turn over significant finds when they are treated as partners and kept informed. Much of the public contributes in ways other than providing tax dollars now, and they will be glad to further the proper study of archaeology if they are included rather than banned from all related activities. People are interested in history and archaeology and would be glad to contribute when they are not treated as enemies, but rather as the good friends that they could be.

Auction - Treasure Coast Treasure Beaches Report

There is a lot of news to share today but not much to talk about concerning the beaches. Its very quiet out there. Very little wind and wave action. The full moon might help when it comes to low tide hunting. The projections right now show the waves picking up again about Wednesday of next week. In the mean time check out low tides and be a little creative. One thing I should add is during these types of times you can change what you are targeting, maybe checking out the resort beaches while you are waiting for conditions to change.

I received an email this morning from one of the people at Sedwick LLC including a press release telling about the soon upcoming auction of treasure coins and artifacts. At first I was going to edit the press release down, but I decided to give you the entire release. I'm sure many of you will find all of it interesting. Here it is.

===================================================================
Auction (#5) by Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC will take place on April 9, 2009. Lots are now available for viewing on their website at http://www.sedwickcoins.com/. Sedwick's newest sale is his biggest ever. Says Sedwick: "When we began our Treasure Auctions two years ago, we had no idea how quickly the concept would grow. Just compare our first sale of around 400 lots to almost 1800 lots now, more than a fourfold increase!" This is also Sedwick's first auction to offer live Internet bidding via iCollector.com. "While we hope to offer fully live auctions in person some day, we feel we offer the next best thing with live bidding on the Internet combined with full descriptions and photos, both in this catalog and on our website, and our long-standing reputation for accuracy and fairness," says Sedwick. This latest auction features extreme-size coins, from immense Swedish copper “plate money” to tiny silver cuartillos (¼ reales) from Spanish colonial mints, literally hundreds of which appear in this sale from a collection of “mini-coins” assembled over the course of 40 years. Also featured is what the catalogers believe to be the largest Potosí cob 8 reales (“Great Module”) ever made. Even the shipwreck bullion section offers the extremes of huge silver and copper ingots and to tiny flakes of gold dust and nuggets. Sedwick's primary area of concentration, Spanish colonial cobs, is well represented this time by a collection of mostly 8 reales. Among the usual shipwreck-coin lots (another Sedwick specialty) is a unique presentation-strike 8 reales from the unauthorized “Star of Lima” series of 1659 recovered from the “Jupiter wreck” off Florida. Several shipwreck Mexican pillar dollars from the first dates of 1732 and 1733 are also on offer.

Sedwick's other major niche, shipwreck and treasure-related artifacts, is augmented this time with two important collections: The Art McKee Collection of 1733-Fleet (and other) artifacts from his Sunken Treasure Museum on Plantation Key, Florida; and finds from a Spanish Colonial site of ca. 1590 in the southern Caribbean.

Treasure Auction #5 also contains an expanded World Silver Coins section, with significant collections in Guatemala, Mexican War for Independence, Nicaragua/Honduras provisional issues and more. The colonial sections of Bolivia and Peru contain numerous bust 8 reales from fresh hoards found in Peru. For the first time Sedwick is offering a variety of paper money and maps, as well as medals and decorations. At the end is a continuation of the Tom Sebring Treasure Library of books relating to shipwrecks and treasure. For catalog or more information, please contact Sedwick at info@sedwickcoins.com or log onto http://www.sedwickcoins.com/.

Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC.PO BOX 1964 Winter Park, FL
Web: http://www.sedwickcoins.com/Direct Line: 407.247.5699
==================================================================

The Jupiter Inlet beach is one of my favorites. And as you just read, they have some special coins there. I'll show you some cobs from Jupiter beach sometime.

I have fond memories of Art McKee's Sunken Treasure Museum. A number of years ago I was hunting down in the keys and stopped by Art McKee's Treasure Museum. It wasn't open at the time, but Art was there and came out to talk with me. Art was known for his willingness to share stories, give information, and even take people out to hunt his wreck sites. Some of his early exploits without all of the modern technology are really fascinating. It puts a smile on my face to think about the things he did like putting glass in the bottom of a plain old bucket to get a better look at the bottom of the ocean. Those are things that anyone COULD do. But he did it. Some of his other jerry-rigged diving equipment was amusing too. Anyhow, if you can find some of the old stories on Art, they're definitely worth reading.

One correction from my post of two days ago (I think) - I should have said "earth, water, air, sun" instead of "earth, water, air, and fire." In my mind it comes down to the same thing, but I think it would have been clearer if I would have used the word "sun" instead of "fire."

Oh, I also think it's worth summarizing a few paragraphs from yesterdays article on how to identify a meteroite. (And there is another reason to not use discrimination.)

Meteorites will be "black-crusted, non-jagged rocks that stick to a magnet.... "Take a file, take off the edge. If the internal matrix is different than the outside crust, and it's sticking to a magnet, it's a really good bet its a meteorite...." If you want to know if you found a meterorite or just a rock, westchester.meteorite@gmail.com I believe this email address is associated with the University of Pittsburgh, which is where I got my doctorate.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

Meteorites - Treasure Coast Treasure Beach Detecting Report

Did you know that meteorites can be worth good money? Some people make big bucks finding meteorites. The Treasure Coast is not known for meteorites, but I guess they could land here as well as anywhere. I ran across a news article today that was offering $10,000 for a meteorite and the article also tells how to identify one. A detectorists once told me that some of the melted pieces of metal that are sometimes found on the Treasure Coast beaches are pieces of one of the space shuttles that exploded. I don't know if that is true, but he said he had one of the pieces analyzed and that is what it was. Anyhow, if you are interested in learning to find meteorites, read this news article. http://wcbstv.com/local/boom.nanuet.loud.2.954835.html

Someone once asked me why people like the beach so much. Well, being of a philosophical mind, I had an answer. I was just reminded of it by this topic. The beach is where the four basic elements come together - earth, water, air, and fire. Or to put it in other terms, Solid, liquid, gas, and energy. You might think that is a far-fetched answer, and it probably is, but the beach is a special place for detectorists. You do directly encounter nature in its various forms there, and in a particularly open and free manner. I like to feel the wind and hear nothing but the waves. You don't need all kinds of equipment - just the basic detector and maybe scoop. Did you ever notice that nice little flute-like sound that the rod makes when the wind blows through the holes. I call it the music of gold. I'm glad that many of our beaches are still relatively free. You don't need a lease or a license to hunt on them. And that generally doesn't create a problem. Hunters get along. And the person that makes the effort gets the find and helps keep history alive by recovery artifacts that over time would continue to deteriorate. I've seen copper pennies ground paper thin by the surf and sand. Do whatever you can to keep our beaches free and our hobby alive.

If you're out tonight take a look at the full moon and the space shuttle launch at 9:20. It should be quite a sight.

As you know there hasn't been much to stir up the beaches lately, but it is still nice to go out and poke around.

And the photo today is a piece of silver discovered on one of the 1715 beaches. I did an acid test on it. I don't know what it is, but it must have come from something pretty ornate. If you have any ideas on what it is, I'd like to hear from you. I partially cleaned it, as you can probably tell from the photo.

Happy hunting,

TreasureGuide@comcast.net

Treasure Coast Treasure Beach Detecting Report

The weather is beautiful for beach combing. We don't have the humidity of summer yet. Some might feel a touch of coolness in mornings and evenings. The beaches, unfortunately, are also much like summer. There is not much in the way of wind, waves or cuts. I wouldn't rate the beaches any better than a 2 at this point. You'll probably want to adjust your hunting to the near summer conditions. We'll just have to keep hoping for a strong front or a nice storm.

The photo is of a nice Mexican half reale taken from one of the commonly hunted 1715 beaches.

As I've mentioned in times past, some of the wrecks were salvaged by the local Indians and moved from the beaches. Gold ornaments have been found in Indian mounds and other places. If you'd like to see some of the reworked Indian gold and silver that has been found in Florida, take a look at the following link.
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/sflarch/collections_results.asp?mnuColl=%25&mnuMaterial=metal&Submit=Search

I also have another good reference work for you that talks a good bit about the Indian gold, but it also talks about other topics of interest such as forts, battles, and wrecks. It is a book about the Huguenots in Florida from `1562 through 1570. Much of it takes place in north Florida, but there are instances throughout the state. To read the digital book, follow this link.
http://books.google.com/books?id=m-0RAAAAYAAJ&pg=PR9&dq=treasure+found+florida&lr=&as_brr=1&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html

Enjoy the nice beaches and good reference materials, and good hunting.
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

Treasure Coast Treasure Beaches Detecting Report

It looks like the waves won't be doing much until about Thursday. Right now I see the wind is coming from the west, and over the near term, it looks like we won't get much wind from the north or northeast for quite some time. Once again, its a good time to do some scouting around and exploring different areas and techniques. The next few days should provide some good opportunities for easily getting out a little further during low tides. You might also see some nice shell areas, that might hold lighter materials like glass and pottery as well as shells.

One thing that is good about beach hunting is that the moving water sifts things for you. Similar materials tend to accumulate together. In an active part of the beach where the water moves things, dense materials will tend to be dropped in one location and lighter materials in another. That means that when relatively dense materials like gold or silver are dropped in one area, less dense materials will generally be moved towards another. It's not entirely by density. There are other factors, but keeping it simple, when conditions are not right for finding one type of item, you will be able to find another. When you are finding gold in one area, glass or other lighter materials will generally be in found in another area. Watch for the glass and pottery and other less dense materials when the gold and silver is not being dropped on the beach. Again, there are a variety of factors that I didn't mention, but learn to follow the clues that will lead you to the type of material that you are seeking. Another thing that will help you be productive, is learning to identify a broader range of artifacts or treasures. If you've never hunted fossils, bottles, or gems, give it a try. You'll be glad you did.

There is always something to be found somewhere.
Treasureguide@comcast.net

Buttons - Treasure Coast Treasure Beach Detecting Report

As you can see from the photo taken early this morning, the beach isn't looking real good. There is piled up sand as I expected. It is surprisingly firm though. There are a few areas where you can find less than one foot high cuts. I would rate the beaches no better than a 2 right now. It almost looks like summer conditions.

A few posts ago, I showed you a piece of china that I thought could be K'hang Hsi and gave you a reference that tells how to identify it. Today I have a photo of a plate from the 1800s that at first look might not be distinguishable form K'hang Hsi, but you can tell that it is not by taking a look at the composition of the plate where it has been broken. Notice the yellowish porous material of the 1800s piece. That shows that it is not fine china like K'Hang Hsi or even any of the later British copies of fine china. The plate in today's photo is a rather typical example of common early dinner ware. This example was taken from the island that I showed you a few days ago.

While I'm at it, I might as well show you a couple other finds fromm the island that is of similar age.

These military buttons are British and came form the same island as the plate shards and are dated to the early 1800s. As I said there were a lot of artifacts on this island.

That is not what I originally intended to show you today, but since I got on the topic I just went with it. I originally intended to show some examples of Spanish gold and silver that the Indians obtained and reworked but I couldn't find my pictures. I'll keep looking for them and hopefully present them in the future.

Well, the beach is not really very good right now, but that doesn't mean there is nothing to be found.

Good luck,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

Treasure Coast Treasure Beach Detecting Report

This poor old dog is illustrating two important virtues for any detectorist - patience and wisdom. I borrowed the picture from one of those emails that circulates on the web. It is a good illustration and it put a smile on my face.

As you know, the waves are coming from the East now and I don't expect to see very much in the way of significant changes for a few days. I did notice that the Fort Pierce surf chart has been fixed. For a couple of months I thought the sea projections were consistently charted as being a few feet lower than actual. That seems to be corrected now and much more in line with the Sebastian area surf site.

Speaking of Sebastian, I recently exchanged emails with the VP of the TCAS treasure hunting club and just a few days later I got an email from someone looking for a local treasure hunting club. I can recommend TCAS as one of the best treasure hunting clubs going. If you are interested, check out TCAS by going to http://www.geocities.com/tcas_club/

When you pull out an old box or bag of junk finds, you can end up making a new exciting discovery. I am often surprised by what I find when I go through an old box of junk. It's almost like making the find twice. Sometimes it reminds me of the exact time, place and circumstance when the item was originally found. Sometimes I get excited by things that I didn't really pay much attention to before. And sometimes I get a new appreciation for an item that has been sitting in a old box for a while. That's often because I've learned something that gives the find a whole new significance. Sometimes I forget that I even had a particular item and it is almost like finding it all over again. On the other hand, sometimes I can remember the circumstances of the find so exactly that I could take you to within a few feet of the original find even if it has been years. But looking at it again reminds me. I can remember one item that sparkled through about three feet of water as I lifted the scoop and the sand fell off. There are a lot of memories. Many very specific and detailed - even sensory. I think it's good to keep all junk finds that are in some way just a little unique or interesting.

Although I don't keep finds that have a monetary value at home, sometimes things that I thought were junk, actually turn out to have a meaningful historic significance. And sometimes I find that I completely incorrectly evaluated the thing originally. I had one ring that I thought was junk, and it sure wasn't. I learned to better test and evaluate things over time. I'm sure that many people have thrown away very nice finds. My first piece of silver from a Treasure Coast shipwreck beach almost got thrown away. My partner got ready to toss it, and I said, "wait a minute, don't throw that away." When I got home and cleaned and tested it, I was glad it wasn't thrown away. I make it a rule to not throw anything away if I have any doubts about what it might be. That has paid dividends in many ways. If nothing else it still helps me recall hunts gone by.

I guess I'll close for tonight. If you've been at the game very long, maybe its time to go dig out the junk box and go through it once again.

Happy hunting,

TreasureGuide@comcast.net

Kang Hsi - Treasure Coast Treasure Beach Detecting Report

It was a really nice day on the beach this morning. It was a little cool and cloudy. There were a few cuts this morning. They weren't extensive though. The wind has shifted from the north and the waves are now coming in almost directly from the east so you can expect the beaches to fill. I would rate the beaches on my five point scale today as a minimal three. There was a shell line and shells under the front beach. There were some nice shells too, I might add. A number of the hard core guys were out this morning. I saw four at work when I got there.

I decided to take a path less traveled and went to an out-of-the-way spot where I had found some nice things before. One of the things I found while visually checking the shell line, was a piece of china that might, and I do say might, be K'ang H'si. It has a number of the typical features. Nice deeply set blue in various shades, nature design, and scalloped edges, to mention a few. I did a blog probably back in 2008 on this subject. It is worth finding K'ang H'si pottery. It can be very valuable and the pieces are sometimes set in jewelry. Here is a link to a book that tells you how to identify Chinese pottery, including K'ang H'si (variously spelled). The book is by Ms. Hugh Verrall. In case you didn't know, the galleons sometimes carried K'ang H'si pottery.

http://books.google.com/books?id=3BEFAAAAYAAJ&pg=PR7&dq=identify+porcelain+china+Kang+Hsi&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html

As I mentioned a couple of blogs ago, the more you learn to identify in the field the better you will do.

It might be worth checking the wet sand for the next day or two this week.

If there is an expert on Chinese pottery out there, I would appreciate any opinions on the pottery in the photo. It seems a bit finer too me than the English copies.

Oh, one more thing. The Wabasso beach produces fossils as well as ship wreck artifacts, so keep your eye out for them too when you are there.

Happy hunting,

TreasureGuide@comcast.net

Monday Treasure Coast Treasure Beach Detecting Report

I've been waiting for the wind to turn around. Now it looks like our best chance will be Wednesday when the seas are projected to pick up.

This weekend Dave from Orlando came over and hit the beaches and submitted a super report. Dave knows what he is doing and provided a very helpful report. I'm always glad to get reports because I can't be everywhere. Dave spent about `1.5 hours at Douglas Beach and 1.5 hours at Pepper. Here is what he found. "Conditions were poor. Nice day though. Sand was building up in the high tide scallops (soft and spongy). Focused on the low tide line and a bit at the dune toes. Metals were accumulated in the shell layers just above the low tide line pop tops, caps, fishhooks etc. Only saw one detectorist at Pepper."

It's going to take a little time to get rid of the mush that you'll find on the front of most of the beaches now, but it can happen. Hopefully the North/Northeast winds will hang around a little longer than they have in the recent past.

The photo today is one part of the island off of St. Lucia that I talked about recently. The hill you see in the photo is not the high look-out point, which is much higher than what you see in the photo. The island had a lot of military history. Artifacts came from the early 1800s.

I'll give you another nice reference today on Florida history. The link will take you to what I would consider the most relevant to Treasure Coast hunters although the book has many other nice chapters. It's a digital book and not all that easy to navigate but does give some interesting leads. The book was written in 1887 by John Lee Williams and is called Territory of Florida.

http://books.google.com/books?id=XT0VAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA152&vq=indians&dq=indian+river+florida&lr=&as_brr=1&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html

Happy reading and happy hunting.
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

Fossils - Treasure Coast Treasure Detecting Report

Here is some really old stuff. We're talking millions of years now. At least that is what the archaeologists tell us. I'm not so sure their dating techniques are all that accurate, but we are talking old... very old. The fossils in the photo were found yesterday on the Peace River. That is just some of them. There were also horse teeth, parts of mastodon teeth, turtle and tortoise shell fossils, bison teeth, and in the right upper corner of the photo, alligator skutes, and a bunch of big bones from the ancestor of the manatee. So it was a day of hard work but lots of finds.

I like to do some different things once in a while and I think that the more variety you have in your hunting, the more you learn, and the more successful you will be. I always remember the time I was hunting an island just off of St. Lucia,West Indies, when I dug up a strange piece of twisted iron. I didn't know what it was. And then I dug a rectangular piece of flint. Well, later I figured out that the piece of iron was the piece of a musket that held the flint for striking. I wish I would have had the sense to recognize that at the time because I would have stayed there and hunted that area more thoroughly. The more you know and the more you can recognize, the better your chances of good finds.

I also remember that that island had a very steep cliff facing the Atlantic. It was at one time fortified and was used as a look out. You could occasionally see allthe way to Martinique when the weather was clear. But the bank was so steep that when I would crawl along the cliff, the land crabs pull into their shell and as a result, roll all the way down the side of the cliff and into the ocean. I imagine that they turned around and climbed back up the cliff. But it was pretty comical watching them roll all the way down the cliff.

Anyhow, the Treasure Coast just keeps disappointing lately. Now it looks like we won't get more than six foot seas anytime this week. This hasn't been the best year so far for finding cobs. Maybe we'll have some storms later this year, but we're getting close to the end of the winter season. If you check the surf charts,you can't expect much in June, July and August except for perhaps an occasional storm. You'll just have to work a little smarter and harder to keep the finds coming.

I've been getting email from areas other than the Treasure Coast, so I guess it won't hurt to mention some out-of-area topics. The general principles that you get from hunting one area apply to other areas anyhow. More than fossils were found in the Peace River. For example, pieces of pottery were found that dated to the mid 1800s. That's a good reminder. Our waterways were often the highways of earlier times. Early activity, especially in areas like Florida, was often centered around the creeks and rivers, which I think are much overlooked when it comes to treasure hunting. Enough said.

Another thing I was reminded of yesterday:the one thing there is never enough of, is time. There is never enough time to share with your loved ones.

Make the most out of it.
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

*****Added 12:30 PM. Winds are blowing strong from the west. You might want to check at low tide. Also keep watching for the wind to shift around to coming in from the north. The charts say the seas won't be too high, but I'll be checking later on Monday or Tuesday to see if it does any good.*****