Friday, September 22, 2017

9/22/17 Report - Predicting Versus Rating Beach Conditions. Will Maria Send Us Good Hunting? Coaked Sheave. Beached Sailboat.


Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.

Washed Up.
Photo by Warren D.
Warren D. said, This is located in Brevard County at South Spessard Holland Park. Similar to the one in Vero a couple of years ago.

I talked with the Channel 13 reporters and they said no one was on board but there was a mannequin.

The coast guard had boarded it at sea and saw no one was on board and they painted "OK" on the hull.
---

Two hurricanes and little to show for it.  Disappointing!  That is how you might be feeling.

Irma and Jose raised expectations but didn't deliver much.  The surf got bigger, but on the Treasure Coast we didn't get anymore than brief erosion at a few spots.  There were definitely places that got more.

As I said the other day, it isn't over yet.  We still have a chance.  Maria is still out there, and they are predicting a surf of six to nine feet for three days.  And Monday we're supposed to have North winds. That could be what we've been waiting for.

I recently highlighted some factors that have to come together to produce what I would call ideal beach hunting conditions when I referred to the legendary Thanksgiving Storm: high surf, north/northeast wind, continuing for days coordinated with high tides.

The MagicSeaWeed surf predictions are frequently off when they predict a very high surf several days in advance.  As I've often pointed out, those high predicted surfs tend to get smaller as the time gets closer.  I don't know why that is, but it is a definite error in their model.

It is often said that one of the most important qualities for a treasure hunter is patience.  Treasure hunting is a very opportunistic activity.  You have to be at the right place at the right time.  You have to be alert and prepared to take advantage when the window of opportunity opens.

I often say there is always some place good to detect.  You might have to adapt.  It depends upon what you are willing and able to do.

I have no doubt that some of the most serious detectorists will travel to other parts of the state to find better hunting conditions.  Over the years I ran into fellows that lived in their van and traveled around always looking for  the best location they could find to detect.  Maybe they'd pull into Fort Lauderdale during the height of spring break, park their van and detect for days until some better opportunity called, and then they'd move on.  They'd follow the opportunities.

Most of us aren't willing to live out of a van and follow the biggest and best detecting opportunities. That is a choice we make.  For me and you that might be a good choice, but it is a choice.  We have our priorities and detecting doesn't come first.

You might have been disappointed by Irma and Jose.  It is better to be prepared than not be prepared when the window of opportunity does open.

I don't think I've issued any higher than a three rating on my Treasure Coast Treasure Beach Detecting Conditions Scale in a few years.  We just haven't had very good beach detecting conditions overall for quite a while.  All of the beach renourishment has not helped.  But there will be a time when the window of opportunity opens wide again, and I'd rather be prepared, even if it means that I was prepared several times and nothing much happened.  I guess it is something like putting up your hurricane shutters.  All of the preparation might be for nothing, but then again, at least you will be prepared when you really need it.

If you wait for me to issue a high rating on my beach conditions scale, I don't do that until I am highly confident that I should.  I don't issue those ratings without making very sure that I am correct.That means that I don't do that early.  I have to see it for myself.  But I also keep you informed about the predictions and developments as they occur, so if you keep up with what I am posting, you should have a very good idea in advance when something good might happen before it happens.

---

Coaked Sheave.
Source: promare.co.uk/ships/finds
Recently I posted photos of sheaves.  One was found on the Treasure Coast as the result of Irma.  Of course sheaves vary.  The one shown above is in very good condition.  The found ones that I showed in this blog don't have the metal bearings anymore.  You can see how the bearing sits into a depression in the wood.

In case you didn't know, a sheave is a wheel used in a pulley block.  Back years ago Ian A. found one on the Treasure Coast with the bearing still in it and marked with a broad arrow, if I correctly recall, indicating it was from a ship of the Royal Navy

---

Source: MagicSeaWeed.com
Notice that the surf predictions slipped just a little but not much.  I hope it doesn't slip any more.

If I had more accurate surf and wind predictions, I'd be able to better predict beach conditions myself.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net