Last summer I saw multiple people metal detecting at the local beach. During the day I asked one of them if he had found something. He told me that he only found trash. Later on the day I asked another guy if he found something cool. He said that he found 12 dollars, one gold wedding ring and one expensive bracelet.
I was really impressed by this amazing finds. He told me that it was the skill to go on ‘the perfect time’ on ‘the perfect day’. This made me really curious. What are actually the best times to go metal detecting on the beach?
The best time for metal detecting on the beach is during the summer months. You should go just before sunset or early in the morning. At these times, the most of the people just left the beach so you can find all the lost things before it gets busy again at the beach. There are also less people at the beach these times, so you won’t be disturbed.
If you are going at the perfect time, you have the chance of finding some real treasures! In this article I will not only talk about the best times for metal detecting. I will also show you what kind of stuff you can find at the beach.
What are the best seasons for metal detecting at the beach?
As mentioned before, the best times for finding valuable stuff at the beach is during the summer months. For the most countries this is from June to August. In these months, the most of the people visit the beach. The more visitors, the higher the chance of finding valuable stuff.
This doesn’t mean that you can’t find valuable stuff during the winter days. During the winter days you can still find cool things. The problem is that the more an object is exposed to tidal action of the sea, the more the object is covered with sediment.
It might be possible that an object end up outside the range of the metal detector when the process of sedimentation continues for a long period. The average hobby metal detector can only detect to an depth of 11 inches.
If the object is located deeper than this, you should use more complicated metal detectors. A Pulse Induction metal detector might be a better option than a VLF metal detector in this case.
So, my advice is to detect during the summer months shortly after everyone left the beach. This gives you the highest chance of finding cool stuff! If you are not able to do this, go metal detecting during the other seasons.
What is the best part of the day to go metal detecting at the beach?
Now you know that you have the highest chance to succeed during the summer months. Another important factor is the part of the day that you are detecting.
There are several parts of the day when it is perfect to go metal detecting at the beach. A good time is shortly after the most of the beach visitors have left. Other good times are just before sunset and early in the morning. At these moments, you will not get disturbed by curious people and there is a pleasant temperature.
You should be prepared for the bad view when twilight begins. This bad view increases the chance of hurting your ankles because you can’t see the inequalities of the beach surface very well.
In my other blog can you find much more information about the dangers of metal detecting if you are interested!
What are the best places at the beach for metal detecting?
Of course, not all the places at the beach are good for finding a treasure. It is important to detect at the places with the highest chance of finding valuable objects.
The best places for metal detecting at the beach are the parts where most people gather. Also, the footpaths towards the beach are good places. Furthermore, the places nearby beach bars and toilets are quite good. Last but not least, the shallow part of the sea is good.
Always try to think where the most of the people lie, walk and move with their own stuff. At these locations you have the highest chance of finding a valuable object.
The influence of the tidal action of the sea
As said before, the tidal action of the sea is not nice for metal detecting at the beach. The sediment of the sea can cover your potential treasure when it is high tide. It might be possible that the objects in the ground end up outside the range of the maximum metal detecting depth.
When there is too much sediment above your target, your metal detector doesn’t give a signal anymore.
What kind of stuff can you find with your metal detector at the beach?
The most of the time you will find garbage of people when you are metal detecting at the beach. Despite the fact that you often find waste, there is also a chance that you will find:
– Jewelry
– Money
– Mobile phones
– Sunglasses
– Wallets
– Keys
Always try to find the owner, when you find some personal things. For example: wedding rings, wallets or phones. But how can you find an owner in an easy way?
Finding the owner of personal jewelry
You should google the name or date which can be found on the jewel. Try to contact the person in question on Instagram and Facebook. It is not a good idea to sell the jewel if you can’t find the owner because the jewel can be stolen. Bring the jewel to the police when you can’t find the owner.
It will be difficult when a jewel doesn’t contain a name or date. You should ask the local beach house if somebody came to ask if somebody found their specific jewel.
Keep in mind that somebody can say that it is their jewel, although it isn’t. Only give the jewel back to somebody when you can verify that it is the owner.
You should never sell the jewel that you found because there is always a chance that the jewel is stolen. If the buyer finds out that the jewel is stolen, you have a big problem. The buyer can send the police to you. This is a criminal offense.
What kind of permission do you need for metal detecting at the beach?
For the most public beaches you don’t need a permit. The kind of permit differs between countries and places. Always check your local beach rules and contact your council to make sure that you are detecting in a permitted way. In the UK you can apply for a metal-detecting permit, issued by the municipality. This allows you to detect on their crown owned beaches.
Frequently Asked Questions
The best time for metal detecting at the beach is during the summer months. You should go just after the most people have left the beach.
The most of the time you will find trash. However, it might be possible that you find money, jewelry, mobile phones, wallets or keys.
You should google the name or date which can be found on the jewel. Try to contact the person in question on Instagram and Facebook. Bring the jewel to the police when you can’t find the owner.