Any Texas Gulf Beach Hunters Here?

[Rick K - First Member]

I worked part-time at the Texas Archaeological Research Labs in Austin in the ‘70’s. We had a separate lab for conservation and documentation of the seized artifacts. Donny Hamilton was the lab director.

Donny later went on to become the Director of the Nautical Archaeology Department at Texas A&M. The techniques collected from various sources as well as the techniques developed by the lab at UT in Austin became by 1999 THE BOOK on the subject. Here’s a link to it.

https://nautarch.tamu.edu/CRL/conservationmanual/ConservationManual.pdf

[Ridge Runner]

Jim

 I understand what you’re saying but it will come a day the only thing we’ll have is dreams.

 I’m here if you change your thinking 🤔.

 Chuck 

[Joe D.]

Hey Rick, 

Looks like a great resource!

Maybe you or Steve could put this link on the Cleaning Coin Finds thread that was recently started as well! Thanks!👍👍

[Rick K - First Member]

When we lived in VA for a couple of years around 2010, besides having the chance to do a good bit of beach detecting at Virginia Beach, we visited the Mainer’s museum in Newport News. We turned up for one of the weekly free tours and as it ended, I mentioned to the researcher who led the tour that I was impressed with the USS Monitor relics and how I had worked at TARL for Donny Hamilton. Hey face lit up and she explained how Dr. Hamilton was her PhD thesis advisor and what a great guy he is (true, by the way). She asked if we would like to visit the working area in the labs and, of course we did. We were especially lucky because the Monitor’s turret, which lives submerged in a huge tank, was sitting there dry in the empty tank due to some or other need to get at it directly - so we would see every detail quite clearly.

[Steve Herschbach]

54 minutes ago, Joe D. said:

Hey Rick, 

Looks like a great resource!

Maybe you or Steve could put this link on the Cleaning Coin Finds thread that was recently started as well! Thanks!👍👍

Anyone can post links. 

[Tiftaaft]

Thanks for the information.  I'm hanging up my Lesche for a few days and headed down to Surfside, TX this weekend and will give Gulf Detecting my first go since moving to Texas.  Hopefully more beach hunts in my future this year.  I'm only an hour or two away from the Galveston to Corpus coastline, so I have no excuse except dedicating the time.  Any suggestions welcome!  ~Tim.

[rvpopeye]

Happy hunting.

[Tiftaaft]

3 hours ago, rvpopeye said:

Happy hunting.

Thanks Popeye.  After a a few hours  I realize I have "a lot of learnin' to do" on beach detecting.  I will be re-reading all the beach detecting posts with a little more context.  

My finds today look like I would have expected for first time out... clad and trash.  I was lucky enough to find a '64 Rosie.. that was unexpected! 

I definitely need to study up on how to read the sand, and whether to hunt the wet sand or the water (waders).  This beach is pretty flat, and no visible cuts today.  Trying to figure out how to work the "washboard" sand, as those areas seem to be the most noticeable difference from flat, smooth areas.  Just need more practice.  :)  had a great time today.