7/16/17 Report - A Metal Detector Beginners Observations and Experiences Plus Commentary. New Tropical Disturbance Brewing.

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

Tropical Disturbance In The Atlantic
Source: nhc.noaa.gov

There is now a disturbance that has a 20% chance of becoming a cyclone in the next 48 hours.  You would expect this to continue heading west and turning north at some point.

No significant increase in surf is predicted for the Treasure Coast yet.

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NPR's Alex Chadwick talked with Slate contributor Emily Yoffe about her latest Human Guinea Pig experience: metal detector-ism. Subsequently Emily wrote a post on www.slate.com having the subtitle Metal Detecting Is The World's Worst Hobby. I listened to a few minutes of the NPR interview and read Emily's article.  I found the article interesting because it clearly presented the impressions of someone just giving metal detecting a try.  And as you would guess from the subtitle, Emily and her family, didn't like it at all.  You might wonder why.

First of all, the Staffordshire Hoard was one of her first references to metal detector finds that she made.  With images of such sugar plums dancing in her head, surely the reality must have been a shock after going out and finding the typical junk.  The point of that being that expectations need to be realistic.  Big treasure hunting dreams usually come true only after a lot of effort. Optimism is a plus, but patience is required.

The author of the article (Emily) called a metal detector salesman to purchase her first metal detector and told him she wanted something her seven year old could easily use and she wanted to find Civil War relics because she lived where they could hunt for those.  She was surprised when the salesman told her the seven year old would probably only want to go metal detecting one time.  That is about the way it turned out.  He also told her he had been detecting for three years (pretty much of a beginner himself) and had never found any Civil War relics.  She was surprised that a salesman would tell her something like that.

In her post she said, I started metal detecting for the latest episode of Human Guinea Pig, the column in which I do things people are curious about but wish someone else would do for them. But metal detecting was something our family actually did want to do, even without Slate's encouragement. It was my daughter's idea, actually. She requested a metal detector for her 7th birthday—she had seen a TV commercial that promised diamond rings and other amazing treasure.

Many people are curious.  They sit and watch and try to get a glimpse of what you dig, and they ask if you found anything.  Emily actually tried it, spurred on, it seems, by her seven year old daughter who was enticed by a commercial.  I guess the commercial worked to sell one metal detector, but the result was an entire family being turned off by the experience, and perhaps many more people being negatively influenced by her interview and blog post.   

She, as I suppose most beginners, was confused by the variety of detectors offered on the web.  That must be very common.  I receive a lot of questions from people wanting to get started who don't know what to buy.  

Here is something else she said that I believe people need to pay attention to.  The beep of the metal detector, like the car alarm, the busy signal, and the colicky baby, belongs in the catalog of irritating sounds. The booklet that came with my Tracker IV instructed me to study the different tones emitted by the machine so I would know the kind of metal being indicated. But I could never keep straight whether the chirp that resembled a dying sparrow meant iron or the drone like that of a truck backing up meant copper.

I agree one hundred percent that metal detector sounds are irritating.  Do they have to be so cheap and unpleasant sounding?  Most are.  Secondly, and more important, it isn't easy discriminate a lot of the sounds.  A musician might have an easier time with it than the average person.  In my opinion, that is one of the better reasons for visual displays.  (You might remember my recent post discussing aural versus visual signals.) 

After some discouragement, she consulted a neighbor who was a detectorist.  He showed a box of his finds, evidently exciting her interest to some extent again.  He did another thing for her.  She said, Phil adjusted the arm length on my Tracker IV, resulting in the immediate relief of what was becoming a debilitating case of metal detectorist elbow.  It wasn't long ago that I referred to the importance of a properly adjusted rod.

Metal detecting isn't something that someone with no experience or help can easily jump into on their own.  It is not as simple as buying a detector, turning it on and admiring the finds.

Emily's post (no pun intended) should be of some assistance to metal detector manufacturers.  It might also be of some assistance to beginners, as discouraging as it might sound.  If you are a beginner, expect to put in your time learning how to use your metal detector and find treasure.  It can be an activity that provides a world or interest and education.  Take your time to get educated before making a lot of commitment.

I personally found Emily's observations interesting.  They might be of value to both metal detector manufacturing companies and retail outlets. 

Here is Emily's blog post.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/recycled/2009/09/full_metal_racket.html

And here is the NPR radio interview here.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/recycled/2009/09/full_metal_racket.html

Happy hunting and happy learning,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

5/1/14 Report - Flash Flooding, More Beach Observations, Old Maps and Sedwick Auction Goes Live

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



I recently posted some links to articles about discoveries over in the Gulf Coast area.  I used to hunt that area fairly frequently, especially around Pensacola.

They are now having flash flooding over there (see photo here).  That could uncover some old earth and artifacts.

The Pensacola News Journal reports the following.

 About 23,700 people are without power in Escambia County and 1,300 in Santa Rosa. Gulf Power is still evaluating how long it will take to get power restored.

Here is the link.

http://www.pnj.com/story/weather/2014/04/29/weather-alerts-flooding-hazardous-weather/8448465/

Not only have I been talking about the Gulf Coast area but also about checking any newly exposed or disturbed earth.  I can guarantee old things will be uncovered by flooding like this.

It looks like we will be getting thunder storms on the Treasure Coast Friday and Saturday.


Yesterday I was talking about sitting at the beach and observing.  Clint L. sent me a long email.  I'll post the part that relates to that now.

Here is what Clint said.

I decided to spend a week at the beach WATCHING…People and their actions., waves and their actions, seaweed etc.

What I saw was this: Women would stand in waist deep water in fall/winter waves and get blasted midsection and the reaction of throwing their arms up and outward caused watches, bracelets and rings to pop off and go out in the water. Guys would perform sumersaults off buddies shoulders and large necklaces would come off.

 I stood at the waters edge at Lake Worth Beach  and watched waves for hours…if a wave comes straight in and straight out, I did not see anything except herringbone necklaces (eye sight)  washing up the beach slope and looking like a yellow pencil and then rolling back on the wave retreat. I would snatch these up immediately. They were always straight where the smallest sand particles would lock them in a straight position. I found Necklaces with Gold Maltese Crosses, Eagles, etc by eying the beach and would see about 3 to 6 inches of chain moving with the waves and grab it . People would walk right by this stuff and not be aware of it.

If a wave comes in at an angle, and creates a crescentic motion, coins, medallions and other flat things would actually surf in and drop out at the peak of the wave…yes, in a 15 minute period,  I watched 3 quarters, 2 nickels, and a dime size St. Christopher in 14k drop at my feet.

I found small gold and silver chains by SIGHT wrapped up in the sea wrack at high tide zone.

 

I'll post other parts of Clint's email some other time.  His detecting goes back quite a number of years and includes the famous storm of 1984 among others.



The first session of the SedwickCoins treasure auction will begin this morning (5/1/14) at 10:00 EDT.

Gold cobs will be auctioned first.

Here is the link.

http://auction.sedwickcoins.com/auctionlist.aspx



You can find some really good research materials on Ancestry.com.   Here is a map that I found useful - just as one example.

Notice towards the upper left corner where I circled the Old Miller Block House.  An Indian massacre took place there.

The map is an 1870 land use map, and it is very useful.   All of those old buildings and farms are good potential detecting sites.

As I've said before you can join Ancestry.com for a free trial period.  You'll be amazed by all the good research resources.


On the Treasure Coast the surf will be up to about four feet today and tomorrow maybe another foot or so higher.  Unfortunately the wind and swells are still coming from the South.

Don't forget to respond to the blog poll.


You might enjoy watching the bidding on the auction today.  It goes fast.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net