BEACHCOMBING TIPS

Two important websites for beachcombers:
www.saltwatertides.com
www.weather.com (local weather)

When to Beachcomb:

The optimum time to treasure hunt is:

1. When there is sufficient light. Early morning light and dusky twilight renders it difficult to identify things.

2. Two to three hours before peak low tide to an hour or two after that; and

3. Any time after a good rain, strong winds or big storms. Strong winds especially stir up wave action and waves toss things onto the shore and/or expose things mired in sand, silt, clay or mud.

4. I have found winter and spring to be the best beachcombing seasons. Summer beaches are often too crowded or already picked over. And in some places in the summer and fall, trash or leaf foliage can make it difficult to spot treasures.

Where to Go

Go off-season or to beaches less traveled during peak tourist times. On busy beaches, stroll away from the crowds to an abandoned stretch of shoreline. Also, don’t forget to check up near the dunes and grass lines. Winter storms can toss things high up on the beach.

You don't need an ocean for beachcombing. You can also find many interesting items—old bottles, beach glass, driftwood, ceramics, fossils and man-made artifacts—on bay and lake beaches and along riverbanks.

Unfortunately, many beaches in America are private and thus, access to the beach can be problematic. Visit city, state and national seashore parks. Go off-season or before or after hours to avoid crowds and admission fees, or visit beaches on rainy days when tollgates may be closed. You can also travel to remote beaches by kayak or motorboat. Or make friends with other beachcombers on the beachblog and visit them on their beach!

Equipment

Keep it simple and uncomplicated. Beachcombing is not about fashion. It's about freedom.

Hats, sunblock and water are always musts.

Wear a fishing vest or comfortable shorts/pants with deep pockets for holding treasures and to keep your hands free (unless you want to carry a trash bag to collect litter as you stroll along, an idea I'm sure the beach appreciates).

Warm Temperatures: Keep cool and sun protected. Wear bathing suits or loose, comfortable clothing that enables you to easily bend or squat low enough to scrutinize things in the sand.

Latex medical gloves keep hands warmer in winter and protect hands with cuts in any season if beachcombing by polluted waterways.

I tend to go barefoot from spring through fall, unless the beach is littered with dangerous things like broken glass and boards with nails. Then I wear simple, inexpensive slip-on shoes.

To save your knees and your back, learn to bend properly. Bring along a shovel, a “grabber stick” ($10 at many drug stores) or devise, like I did, a ladle scoop attached to the end of an old golf club.

Cold Temperatures: Dress accordingly. Frostbite is always a possibility.

Wellington boots or fishing waders are great if you want to wade in calm clear bay, sound, lake or river waterways.

A neck warmer or scarf can be used to cover the nose and cheeks if the wind is harsh.

A thermos filled with hot water comes in handy to melt ice covering sea glass and other artifacts. (I’ve scraped my fingers raw trying to free things frozen in sand.)

Technique

Slow down. Look small. Let your eyes adjust slowly to the world at your feet.

Sometimes the best finds are not at the water's edge but further up past the tide line.

Some rocks require "wetting" before you can really appreciate their beauty.

The waves toss in many interesting objects. Wave action also exposes numerous treasures such as fossils, arrowheads, pottery, and bottles that have been imbedded in the sand or washed down from eroding cliffs or coastal zones. Be mindful of objects whose appearance or shape in the sand looks different from more usual items in the area (i.e., a circle shape could indicate a bottle top or fossil vertebrae).

Cultivate collections of two or three different types of treasure so that you are rarely disappointed.

Safety

Never beachcomb alone on a deserted beach unless you are familiar with the area. When visiting beaches in foreign countries, check with locals first to see if it is safe to wander alone or in pairs.

If possible, don't bring valuables along with you. But better to bring them with you then leave them back on a beach towel or in a tote. (Again, that's where vests or pants with big zip pockets come in handy.)

Check the water quality in the area (s) where you are beachcombing. Some waterways are highly polluted and contain dangerous bacteria that can enter into your bloodstream through open sores or cuts. If you have cuts on your hands or feet, stick strictly to shore beachcombing, avoid wading, and rinse off when you're done.

Some beaches are littered with dangerous objects - needles, broken glass, fishhooks and lures, rusty pieces of metal. To protect your feet, wear reef shoes. Reef shoes also come in handy on rocky beaches or when climbing over boulders.

Do not tamper with suspicious looking objects such as needles, containers, metal canisters, etc.

Avoid climbing on or under unstable cliffs and/or piles of rocks. When poking under rocks, piers, or jetties for things, watch out for snakes, spiders, eels, or crabs.

Always know when high tide is due and be ever mindful of the incoming tide so you don't get stranded.