11/1/18 Report - A Look At Some Beaches. Cocoa Beach Hunt. Magic Black Quarters and A Friendly Wave.

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

John Brooks This Morning.

I took a look at a couple beaches on South Hutchinson Island this morning.  I didn't feel any throat irritation from Red Tide.  It was much better today.

Surveying at John Brooks This Morning.

EPA Vehicle At John Brooks.

On arriving I saw an Environmental Protection Agency vehicle in the parking lot.  They were doing a survey.  


The beach was scalloped irregularly.

There were a few cuts.  The biggest cut was in one scallop.  That one (shown above) was about three feet high, but only ran about ten yards.

The sand on the slope was mushy.  I did a quick check and saw no evidence of good targets.

I didn't see any dead fish.

Scallop With Three Foot Cut at John Brooks This Morning.

Beach Front At John Brooks This Morning Around Low Tide.

I also took a look at Frederick Douglass Beach.

Frederick Douglass Beach This Morning Near Low Tide.

Frederick Douglass was very mushy.

I also stopped at Fort Pierce South Jetty just to take a look.

Fort Pierce South Jetty Beach.

The slope there was very mushy.  I did another quick check and didn't find much.

By the way, those aren't my foot prints.  I took the photo before walking up the beach.

Dan C. sent me this report of his recent outing at Cocoa.

After a month of no hunting I decided to try yesterday since low tide coincided with sunrise-perfect for me.  I parked 200 yards from the beach, and when I got out of the truck, immediately my throat began burning. The closer I walked towards the beach, the worse it got.

I saw many people wearing dust masks or handkerchiefs, although I doubt that would work. I tolerated 3 1/2 hours of detecting but had to give up.

A small cut produced one tiny half inch diameter 14k religious medallion and a few "greenies", but otherwise the beach is not ripe for detecting.

My nostrils were inflamed for hours afterwards and the red tide toxin deposits on my face caused my eyes to burn if I rubbed my eyes. The beach also smelled like a combination of decay and dirty socks.

At least I have something to show for the 1.5 hours of driving and 3.5 hours of hunting, but I would have accepted getting skunked, as is usually the case at that beach. 

Thanks for sharing Dan.

When I stopped at Fort Pierce Jetty I met a fellow that asked if I had any spare change.  It reminded me of one time many years ago that I met a fellow when I arrived at a Fort Lauderdale beach just across from Bahia Mar.  The fellow asked if I could spare any change.  I had been detecting at another beach earlier and had a pocket full of change.  I pulled out about two dollars of black quarters and give those to him.  He said "God helps those who help others."  

I started detecting, and about two steps into the water after turning on my detector got a hit, dug it up - diamond ring.  Not bad.

I continued, maybe three more steps, got a hit - bingo - another diamond ring.

Call it coincidence or a message from God or whatever, it has been probably nearly thirty years and I still remember the experience.

Today I had a single dollar bill in my pocket, and very little change, so I handed the fellow the dollar bill.  I hoped he wasn't going to buy booze or drugs.

I should have given him some of my magic found change, but I didn't have any this morning.  And I found no diamond ring, but there was something better.  There was the absolutely beautiful day and the hope the fellow would be a little better off.

When I left, I was driving down the road and saw the fellow come out of a small store and throw a small wrapper in the trash can.  As I drove by he waved, and so did I.

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Looks like the surf, which isn't big now, will continue to decrease for a few days.

At least it looks like the Red Tide is subsiding.

Happy hunting,
Treasureguide@comcast.net

9/18/17 - Hurricane Irma Uncovered Great Find. Parts of Unidentified Shipwreck Uncovered Too. Its Only Just Begun.

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

PHOTO: Randy Lathrop of Cocoa, Fla., discovered the historic dugout canoe, Sept. 11, 2017, after Irma struck the coast. (Randy Shots)

A Florida photographer on an early-morning bike ride the day after Hurricane Irma ravaged the coast stumbled upon an exciting find: a dugout canoe that may be hundreds of years old, according to officials.

The canoe washed up from the Indian River, north of Cocoa, Florida...

He immediately contacted the Florida Division of Historical Resources before someone could mistake it for debris and throw it away...

Thanks much to SuperRick who sent me the following link for this article.

https://www.yahoo.com/gma/canoe-unearthed-hurricane-irma-could-hundreds-years-old-195804517--abc-news-topstories.html

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Post-Irma Finds From Unidentified Shipwreck Site.

Encrusted Clump Possibly Containing Coins From Same Shipwreck Site.

Above are some finds from an anonymous source that were made after hurricane Irma.

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I said maybe Irma wouldn't be the big deal for metal detecting.  I thought from what I was seeing on MagicSeaWeed that it might be Jose.  Well it wasn't Jose, but according to the latest predictions, it might be Maria.  Just look at the surf predictions below.

Source: MagicSeaWeed

I've commented many times on how often a big surf predicted a week or so in advance doesn't happen.  I go by the predictions because that is the best information I can get.  They could be wrong again, but if the current predictions are right, Maria could be the one that does it for us.

Last afternoon the surf started coming more from the north.  That wasn't the case the past few days.  The wind should be from the north when the swell from Maria gets here.  If that happens and we actually get the predicted big surf, it should be very good.  Only time will tell.  I'll sure be watching that.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

1/11/17 Report - Reports From Treasure Coast and Jupiter. Extensive Colonial Shipwreck Construction Study.

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

First a couple reports.  Jonah M. said, Beaches didn't look that bad around turtle trail lots of sand moved off and ended making a sand bar in the water. The bags were showing from looking down the beach. Lots of pieces of small lead sheeting a couple musket balls and some great square bronze spikes. I didn't get to hunt it but wish I had. I wouldn't be real surprised if a couple cob popped out. I know it was cold.

Thanks for the report Jonah.  I didn't get up that way to take a look.

From up in the Cocoa area, Dan C., who hunts mostly modern jewelry, sent this report.

I have been hunting Cocoa Beach quite a bit lately, mostly high tide mark down to low tide area in the wash. No luck lately, same haul of clad coins and there are bottlecaps and pennies everywhere as usual for this trashy beach.

The surf has been too rough for in-water detecting, so I am confined to the beach.
I was extremely disappointed in this last cold front which, instead of giving us a nice beach cut, piled up tons of sand instead. I attribute this to the high surf combined with not enough NE winds. The only difference today was that the clad pennies were mostly encrusted, so, yes the pennies washed up, but not the gold.

The gold has apparently moved even deeper, and there is another foot of sand or more along the high tide mark where the cut should be.

Thanks for the report Dan.

There are times when I can't get out to check the beaches as much as I would like.  Reports from other people help.  I suspected that the Vero area might have improved, but didn't get a chance to look for myself.  I appreciate receiving reports from various beaches.

You might think that you learned about a beach a day or two too late.  Even when that might be true, it still helps to know what beaches are doing at different times.  If you know which ones were cut recently, even if you didn't get there in time, that information will help you get some idea of what will happen next, especially when the wind and waves are similar.

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Here is an great study of 18th century merchant ships.  The title is EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY COLONIAL AMERICAN MERCHANT SHIP CONSTRUCTION.  It is a thesis by Kellie  Michelle VanHorn.  There is really a lot of very useful information in this thesis.  It provides archaeological notes on a lot of wrecks along the East Coast of the US, as well as some from other areas.  Notes on type o wood and fasteners is included.  Always check the reference list at the end of studies like this.

Here is a map of the wrecks included in the study.

Source: Thesis by Kellie VanHorn.  See link below.

And below are a couple excerpts to give you some idea of the types of things you can find in this study.

In the archaeological examples, the 100-ton merchant vessels all had inner and outer planking of about 2 in (5.1 cm), as did Boscawen. The 100-ton Deadman’s Island wreck had thinner planking for its size; at 1.5 in (3.8 cm), this planking was closer to the dimensions used on the much smaller river traders, making it unusual for a naval vessel. This thin planking, along with the relatively small scantlings of the keelson and frames, would have made the vessel lighter and faster. The 260-ton Ronson ship also had light planking for its size, measuring only 2 in (5.1 cm), the same as vessels less than half its tonnage. As in the Deadman’s Island wreck, this smaller dimension matched the ship’s lighter scantlings for other timbers. Even the merchant vessels with the thickest planking, the two colliers, still had thinner strakes than what Murray recommended for their size. Thick planking would have benefited the colliers in supporting the heavy cargoes they were designed to carry. The ceiling planking was the same thickness as the external planking in most of the shipwrecks, except for the Phips wreck, Rose Hill vessel, and the Nancy, where it was thinner.


Copper sheathing did not become common on merchant vessels until the nineteenth century, so it is not surprising to find only wood sheathing on these vessels. Lead strips or patches were found in association with the Ronson ship, the Otter Creek wreck, and the Deadman’s Island vessel; these lead pieces were probably used as patches to cover leaks or damaged areas. Remains of copper sheathing were found on Charon, including the sides of the keel and the garboard strakes; this warship was one of the first to be coppered. Concretions found near the Cornwallis Cave wreck suggest it may have been sheathed with copper in addition to wood.

Here is the link if you want to take a look at the thesis.

http://nautarch.tamu.edu/pdf-files/VanHorn-MA2004.pdf

If you are trying to learn to identify shipwreck finds, this study will help.

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Wednesday the high and low tides are supposed to be big.  Later this week we are supposed to have a couple days of 5 -  8 foot surf.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

6/18/14 Report - Salvage Vessel at Cocoa, Mucking, Class Ring Found On Old Shipwreck Returned and Stamp Worth Nearly 10 Million

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

Salvage Vessel  Working Up At Cocoa
Photo by John Morgan

John Morgan sent me this picture and email message.

Hi Treasure Guide,
At 8:25 AM  6/18/2014 I spotted a treasure salvage boat with blowers down outside on my balcony at 16th south Cocoa Beach.
They are 1/3 mile offshore...

John heard Josh Fisher talking on a podcast about a wreck of the 1715 Fleet that they thought was around Cape Canaveral.


Thanks for the information and report John!  Nice photo too!




Do you know the difference between this blog and some of the others?  This one is all about you.  I'd rather post your finds, reports and information than mine.

I'm not trying to get attention or sell you anything.  Not even trying to make money off of clicks by advertising.  No ads here.  I just pass along information.

The thing that makes me happiest is when the information that I post helps other people and I hear about that.  One person recently sent me an email and said his finds have about doubled since he began reading this blog.  That is the kind of thing I like to hear.

Another reader recently said that as a direct result of one of my tips, he looked where he never would have looked and found two high quality rings.

I do enjoy researching and analyzing and passing along what I learn.  I was a researcher in academia for a lot of years, and I enjoyed it.  I also enjoy analyzing things and learning, as well as sharing what I learn.  That is why I do this blog.

Typical Sandy Treasure Coast Beach This Morning Near Low Tide 

Here is one typical Treasure Coast beach as I found it this morning.

I have pictures of other beaches from this morning, but they all look pretty much the same.  

In the picture above. towards the right you can see slight remains of an old cut (right of the ATV tracks), and all of that sand in front has washed up since.  You can see the last high tide line.

If you are detecting on the Treasure Coast now, during these sandy conditions, your best bet is recent drops. There is a lot of sand.  Even recent drops are sinking or being covered quickly, both in the water and in the wet sand area.

The renourishment projects added a lot of sand to our beaches too.  Much of the renourishment project sand has been dragged into the shallow water, where it extends out quite a few yards.

I did a little detecting in front of a small hotel this morning where the renourishment was.   I ran loose scan pattern to find any concentrations, then I focused on one small area but only came up with coins.  I don't remember getting anything but coins there - no trash at all.

I then moved on and did some mucking at another beach that had been replenished recently and has been eroding. The sand that was brought in has a lot of torn aluminum in it.  I detected in front of a cut there even though I knew I would find tons of aluminum trash.  

By "mucking" I mean detecting a very trashy where I figured there would be a few good targets. 

The area where I was mucking had about ten aluminum targets to every non aluminum targets, at least that is how it seemed, although I did not keep track exactly, yet it took less than a half hour to find a ring.  Come to think of it, there was only one coin found in that mess, and about a half dozen other non-aluminum targets, plus the ring.  

There is a trick to mucking.  Read the pattern of trash to find the areas where other kinds of targets are most likely to be found.    I should have taken some pictures of that area so I could explain the technique better.  Basically, you analyze the pattern of junk, both laterally and depth, and it will point you to where you might find better things.  There is no escaping digging the trash though.  The trash is what will tell you how things are distributed, and therefore, where to go.

Mucking takes patience.   But it will often pay off.

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I show them all the time - rings that are found and returned to the owner.   A 1972 class ring was found by a treasure salvage crew off of Vero and returned to the owner who last saw the ring when it was stolen form his apartment in Miami some 40 years ago.

Here is the link to that story.

http://www.wptv.com/news/region-indian-river-county/vero-beach/tcoast-treasure-hunters-find-class-ring-missing-for-40-years


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One cent stamp sold for $9.5 million.  Here is the link for that story.

http://xfinity.comcast.net/video/Rare-Postage-Stamp-Sells-for-Millions/283452995508/Comcast/Today_in_Video/?cid=hero_sf_TIV


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On the Treasure Coast we'll have about a one-foot surf for several days.  That won't change the sandy conditions we have.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net