Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of the Treasure Beaches Report.
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| Beach South of Vero Photo by DJ. |
I just received the following email from DJ.
I had wanted to get to the Sandy Point area. I was curious and the google earth map seemed to show there was some narrow beach that might have been impacted by Nicole.
I did not make it to the area I wanted to but did see some beach I had never hunted before. There was the usual light aluminum up high with some iron mid beach and several fishing lead or lures near the swash at low tide. Also found scattered clad coins.
The most amazing thing is this area had numerous property owners deny the county access to dump sand for the last two years. The beach was full of large shells that we don’t see at other areas of the Treasure Coast. People were using golf ball retrievers to feel and toss out whole shells in the swash area.
I was about a 1 1/2 miles short of the actual center ‘point’ at Sandy point but still dug a lot of targets. Something I haven’t done since the renourishment sand debacle.
Looking forward to the analysis of the storm effects.
Cheers
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| Area Between Sandy Point and Vero South Beach Photos by DJ. |
It is a good idea to check out some of the less detected beaches. Sometimes you'll find some really exciting stuff while exploring new areas.
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| Two Views of The Same Fossil Vertebra Found Monday Morning. |
My greatest surprise and discovery this week was not an object: It was finding out that I can once again physically metal detect for a decent period of time. I haven't been able to do that for years because of a degenerative back problem.
You might remember that a few years ago it got so bad that I posted that my metal detecting days might be over. A few days ago I really pushed it - and not without wondering if I should. I briskly walked about three miles in mushy sand, and not only did I make it to my destination and back again, but I suffered no pain afterward. That to me was a great discovery and relief. To me it is an absolute miracle.
I never told this before, but I once ran a telephone prayer line. I put cards out in the community giving the telephone number to call for prayer. I didn't know if it would work or not, but after going out and placing prayer cards in some local stores, I returned home and as I approached the front door I heard the telephone inside ringing. I answered the phone and prayed with the caller. Confirmation received! The lady later called back after her surgery and thanked me for praying with her.
I ran the prayer line for a good while, prayed with many callers and published an article in a magazine on how to set up a telephone prayer line. If you were in the Fort Pierce area, maybe you saw the little stack of white prayer cards on the checkout counter at a thrift store. Now it seems the internet is the media mostly used for that kind of thing.
The fossil shown above was exposed on top of a sand bar in from of John Brooks beach along with some shells and rocks. Over the years I've seen almost no fossils at John Brooks beach. I think it is a vertebra.
At John Brooks a lot of sand was moved by Nicole. The water had been high, but it didn't wash over the dunes as it did at some other South Hutchinson Island beaches. In the process, a lot of material was sifted and classified. There were shells strewn along the bottom of the slope at John Brooks and Frederick Douglass and also at the front of the sand bar in front of the beach.
When you have a shell pile or shell line made of small shells and pieces, you'll very seldom find any good metal targets in with the shells. If the shells are larger, there is a much greater chance of coins being in with the shells. There was a lot of small bits of aluminum in the shell piles at John Brooks.
Anyhow, I just can't pass up a good shell pile. I've seen some interesting things in shell piles - mostly non-metallic items such as pot sherds or stone or shell tools.
A few days earlier, and after Nicole, the fossil bone shown below was observed in the face of a cliff of an eroded dune at another beach.
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| Fossil Bone Exposed by Hurricane Nicole. |
For those of you who like to find old things, those can be really old. With all the Nicole activity I haven't gotten around to showing some other really old stuff. I will in the future.
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I received an email from Peter H. concerning the elongated lead items found by Russ P. They are shown again below.
First, here is what Peter had to say.
I still read and marvel at the wide scope of your blog, it has something for everyone, in fact, it's like metal detecting you just never know what gem of inspiration and knowledge may turn up!!
I have often found rolled lead pieces on the beach in the UK and it's normally a good indication of some shipwreck items nearby. Many of the rolled lead pieces I have found have impressions and marks left inside showing that they were once rolled around a rope or chord. The archaeologist I have been working with believes they were once used as fishing net weights rolled around the bottom of the fishing net to help with the various types of fishing because he has found similar examples on ancient lakeside sites (crannogs). No doubt sailors, when at anchor in port, used fishing nets in an effort to catch fish, to supplement their diets, so it is not inconceivable that some of these rolled lead pieces found on the treasure coast beaches come from shipwrecks. It's just a thought that may explain the use of some of the rolled lead pieces found by you and your readers.
Keep up the wonderful intelligent thought-provoking and informative treasure blog. I always look forward to it.
Kind regards
Peter H, Wales UK.
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| Lead Items Found by Russ P. |
Thanks Peter. Those found by Russ, as you might be able to see, do indeed show a groove or indentation and could have been used as net weights.
The ones I found do not show a groove and are shaped slightly differently.
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A few days ago I posted this mystery item but got no opinions on its identity.
That is a tough one. Not much to go on. Could it be from a survey marker? I wonder if it has something in it. What do you think?
Wonder if it could be a roller?
Just received the following from Glen S.
Thanks Glen.
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| Source: MagicSeaWeed.com. |
Looks like we could get bigger surf again before long. I hope so.
The tides are now smaller. Take advantage of the reduced tides and smaller surf to get to some places that were difficult before.
I might even get to check for some bottles. Haven't done that for a while.
Good hunting,
Treasureguide@comcast.net
Afte