5/19/24 Report - Traveling Halfway Round The World With Metal Detector. Possible Creative Adjustments. Jars and Coins.

 

Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of the Treasure Beaches Report.

New Zealand Beaches Where Mark G. Did Some Metal Detecting.
Photos by Mark G.

You might remember our discussion of air travel with a metal detector.  That recent discussion of that topic was begun by Mark G. prior to his trip to New Zealand.  Now Mark completed his trip and was kind enough to tell us how it went.   You can read that below.  

I’m back from my New Zealand business/metal detector trip traveling with my metal detector in my carry-on luggage. First let me thank everyone that commented on traveling with a metal detector, I was a little apprehensive especially when this was a company sponsored “business” trip and nothing could go wrong. 

Going into NZ you have to fill out a Biosecurity Form, they are a small island country very warry of invasive species, they sight as examples of equipment that has to be declared and inspected for biosecurity as mostly sports equipment, golf glubs, skis, farming tools etc... I decided to err on the side of caution after all I use this “equipment” on salt water beaches and declared the detector for inspection. I must say I had mixed feelings when they declined to inspect my detector and just sent me through; relieved that they didn’t inspect it but a little peeved that they didn’t consider metal detecting a serious outdoor activity! Up until arriving in NZ which consisted of no less than 3 security checkpoints; departure domestic, international departure and NZ arrival there was no problem. 

Leaving NZ I was surprised to get pulled out of line for baggage check. I explained what it was, they called the supervisor and then let me go on, they said the inspector had not seen one before was the reason for inspection. Then security switching from international to domestic in New Jersey they pulled my bag aside again, before the TSA agent opened my bag (they are looking at the x-ray on a video screen) I said it was a metal detector and had been flagged before, she did not even open the bag just passed it back to me.

The beach in NZ I had targeted was Sumner Beach on the South Island near Christchurch. It is a huge expanse of public beach well known in the area locally and for tourism. I had planned on just dry sanding the expanse between the parking and popular beach side restaurant to the water as I only had a hand scope (bag would not fit travel scoop too) no water sandals and anticipated cooler winter weather (fall in NZ).

The day turned out to be sunny warm and beautiful and I had a good 4 hours to hunt the beach before I had lunch. The sand is dark and very fine, dry it was ok but the wet sand was like clay and there was virtually no slope to the water, when the tide went out it almost doubled the beach area, got a few hits in the wet but only pull tabs came up. At the end of the day besides being in a different beautiful country, not having my good long handle scope to grid the beach and roaming around like a blind squirrel if it wasn’t for the foreign denomination of the coins it was like any other beach here in Florida. The trash was the same trash, pull tabs,  aluminum, Iron hardware, coins and costume jewelry, no fishing equipment, fishing was not allowed there I guess. I dug, besides the trash, a button, a .50 cent NZ coin, a .20 cent NZ coin, a .20 cent Euro and an earring.

More mixed feelings; Most of my beach hunts are just a few minutes’ drive from my house here in Florida, to literally be able to be on the other side of world standing on a popular gorgeous South Pacific beach with my metal detector in hand was a highpoint to date, having an ordinary day of finds was surprisingly not a letdown but a confirmation of my success.

 

Thank You

Mark G.

Finds From Mark G.s New Zealand Trip.
Photos by Mark G.

Thanks to all who helped Mark prepare for his trip, and thanks to Mark for sharing his experience.  We all learn and benefit from the experiences of our fellow detectorists.

I always enjoyed exploring new metal detecting locations, no matter what I found.  Sometimes I was successful the first time at new and unfamiliar locations and sometimes not.  In either case, it is a good learning experience.  

Of course, at a totally new site, you are disadvantaged to some extent by not knowing the area or what to expect.  You can do some research to help prepare, but that is not the same as being there.

I remember that one of the things I learned when I first metal detected in the Caribbean was about the hot rocks you'll find around volcanic islands.  I had to adjust some things and took different equipment on my second trip.  I had some good surprises and some luck on some trips and learned a lot in the process.  I highly recommend vacation metal detecting and hope you now have the interest and confidence to give it a try if you haven't already.

There were also times when I made some other adjustments.  On some occasions I used my own rod assembly made of sections of wood that could be bolted together from shorter pieces than was allowed by my metal detector's regular rod assembly.   That had benefits in addition to being more compact for packing and travel.  Using a dive shaft and hip mount will requires less packing space than taking the regular metal detector shaft.  That might be a strategy depending upon what kind of metal detecting you plan to do.  

I've described in the past how there are times when you want to remain low profile for one reason or another.  Adjustments can be made to accomplish that.  You might want to think a little about how to do that, but there are creative alternatives to the standard shaft and long handled scoop.

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Hazel Atlas Piggy Bank Jar.

Yesterday I mentioned how fruit jars have been used for burying modest coin caches, but the association between canning jars and coins is so strong that Atlas even made miniature jars with lids with slots to be used as coin banks.  Here is one example.  Below is the Arc-Lid top of that bottle.

Arc-Lid Top Used With
Mini Jar for Piggy Bank.

Some people have questioned what it would be like to metal detect a buried ar full of coins.  I'll have more on that in the future.  One thing is certain, one of the biggest dangers is discrimination and passing over an unusual sound. 

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The surf will remain small for the next week or so.  It seems we are well into summer beach conditions now and hurricanes and storms provide about the only hope of relief.

Good hunting,

Treasureguide@comcast.net