Hurricane Idalia Results

[okara gold]

Hurricane Idalia went up through the Gulf of Mexico a little over 2 weeks ago. It caused significant erosion along some portions of the west coast of Florida. I've been hunting mainly where the erosion has stripped large sections of sand up to the dunes or seawalls. Most of these finds were in the eroded areas including the two 14k and the broken 10k ring. The storm pulled a lot of sand off the beach and into the water. Not many finds in the water, probably because everything out there is covered up. One of the rings pictured is silver with a small 18K circle of gold on its side with the manufacturers name on it. Another picture shows where a walkway went down to the water. Nothing left but the last support that held it up. There was at least 100 feet of sandy beach at that spot before the storm. Now the water is right up to the seawall with boulders shown. I was amazed that in one long stretch of beach loads of sinkers were found but no gold was found in that area. I've been back several times now where all the sinkers were found but still can't pull out any gold...yet. Unfortunately, the sea turtle nests were wiped out for miles. Nothing left but some yellow painted sticks that marked where they once were.    Bob

[midalake]

Lots of hard work there!!!  Good job on the gold! 

[Valens Legacy]

Great work on the finds and it looks like you spent a lot of time out there.

Good luck on your next outing and save some for me.

[King-Of-Bling]

It was still a good hunt. But I can tell by your wording that this was a storm that you look forward to and were expecting more gold. That is alot of sand movement. There must be more there but probably covered up until the next. GL....

[okara gold]

4 hours ago, King-Of-Bling said:

It was still a good hunt. But I can tell by your wording that this was a storm that you look forward to and were expecting more gold. That is alot of sand movement. There must be more there but probably covered up until the next. GL....

I was definitely expecting gold when I came upon a large flat section that had sinkers about every other target, I dug about 30 the first time I hunted it. Went back the next day and must have dug another 20 or so, but no gold.  Good thing I didn't bet my paycheck that I'd find gold. lol

[rvpopeye]

What I'd call a very cooperative beach ! ?

A bit disappointing but cooperative. ?

Enjoyed the display , thx . 

 

[Joe D.]

   Still and all, a great hunt!?

   But I think it's a sign of the times with gold, and good jewelry in general! Like coins in some ways, there just not being replenished like it used to be!???

[CPT_GhostLight]

Great hunts, OG, well done and congrats on the silver and gold and also for finding both halves of the broken gold ring! There's an interesting donut looking sinker next to a tenet peg in one of your photos that looks like it has some age to it. 

[TampaBayBrad]

15 hours ago, okara gold said:

The storm pulled a lot of sand off the beach and into the water. Not many finds in the water, probably because everything out there is covered up.

Exactly what I'm finding Bob. I hunt the dry before daybreak with a headlamp and then jump in the water when it gets light enough. The storm cleared a lot of the foil off my beaches (YAY!) and seemed to concentrate the pull tabs in a line near the upper third of the beach.

I've been on three 4 hour hunts since the storm with 3/4 of that time in the water waist to chest deep. I've found only 4 coins and nothing else in the water for all that time. (appx. 9 hours) I did get a regular amount of clad in the dry and managed a small 14k 3 leaf clover pendant.

This is the definition of "sanded in". All that eroded sand off the beach has been dumped into the swim area. I am finding virtually no targets in the water. I have attempted to dig several quarter TIDs that were just too deep to retrieve due to the sand falling back into the hole and then they just disappear into never never land. 

I think any jewelry found in the water at this point will be a fresh drop in my area.