If you have time to kill, you can (and should) read all of the pages I have written here but here is a list of tips and tricks that are covered on the other pages. Most important thing for you to remember is that even with ALL of this knowledge people who have never been to the Treasure Coast have literally picked up a coin off the beach that was sticking out in an unlikely place. I don’t even follow all of these tips and tricks but use them to my advantage as needed. No pictures or in-depth details here, you need to read the other pages for that. That brings me directly to Rule #1:


1: There are no rules. Use this knowledge and combine it with what you see to design your own pattern of metal detecting.

2: Low tide is the best place to look for shipwreck treasure. Once the low tide comes in you can metal detect where you could not reach just hours before. Add in the full moon and low tides allow you to go out even further.

3: Watch out for shiny green “rocks”. Uncut emeralds were also on these treasure ships but no metal detector can find them. While some were recovered from found shipwrecks there is no method of finding these like a metal detector.

4: Slow down. Most people know that low tide hunting is really hit or miss and most people you spot metal detecting will be moving and swinging their metal detector quickly. If you really want to find something, slow down and narrow down an area if possible.

5: Zig zag or backtrack. The low tide area is larger than your swings. Some people like to zig zag up and down as they walk. I prefer to work the low tide in one direction and work it a little higher on the way back. Or use your research to grid an area and focus on favorite spots.

6: Dig everything. You never know what you will find. Parts of an old ship can be worth money. Occasionally I find pieces of the Challenger that exploded over 25 years ago as do other people. You will find a lot of pull tabs, fishing sinkers and pieces from a boiler on a ship but do you you want to risk not digging that one hole?

7: Look for “cuts” in the sand. This is where higher waves have crashed and left a drop off pulling the sand from there back towards the water. This means that anything buried here has now been pulled forward and is within reach of your metal detector when just earlier it could have been 2 feet or more below the sand.

8: Come out after a nor’easter or hurricane. You won’t be alone. Anyone with a metal detector will be there too. Those high winds bring in all sorts of things from the ocean and this is the crappiest weather, and the best time, to go hunting.

Metal Detecting the Treasure Coast Beaches: Introduction

Metal Detecting the Treasure Coast Beaches: Equipment you need to bring with you

Metal Detecting the Treasure Coast Beaches: Dry Sand

Metal Detecting Wet Sand (You are here)

Metal Detecting the Treasure Coast Beaches: Locations

Metal Detecting the Treasure Coast Beaches: Links

You can always email tim AT majorgeeks.com with your ideas or suggestions.

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01/21/2011 03:49 PM: Metal Detecting the Treasure Coast Beaches: Locations by TimothyT
Metal Detecting the Treasure Coast Beaches: Locations One of the nice things about the Treasure Coast is the abundance of parks and public access. This means that metal detecting on the Treasure Coas...

01/05/2011 07:57 AM: Metal Detecting the Treasure Coast Beaches: Introduction by TimothyT
Metal Detecting the Treasure Coast: Introduction After a year or two of metal detecting the dry sand, I decided to upgrade to a better detector. Going from wet sand to dry sand is two different world...

01/02/2011 06:56 PM: Metal Detecting the Treasure Coast Beaches: Equipment you need to bring with you by TimothyT
Metal Detecting the Treasure Coast Beaches: Equipment you need to bring with you What do you need for the beach? The beach makes it simple because you don’t need to worry about digging plugs in soil ...

01/02/2011 06:56 PM: Metal Detecting the Treasure Coast Beaches: Links by TimothyT
Links: Over time I discover, and continue to discover, great resources to help you find what all the information you need. Some are included in these guides and some are not. Here they are: ...

01/02/2011 06:56 PM: Metal Detecting the Treasure Coast Beaches: Wet Sand by TimothyT
Metal Detecting the Treasure Coast Beaches: Wet Sand As mentioned, detecting wet sand takes more patience and knowledge but most importantly, better (read expensive) gear. I bought the White’s V3i ...