Lost treasure awaits beach 'detectorists'

A. Pawlowski -

Most people heading to the seashore bring along sunscreen, colorful towels and a big umbrella. For others, the ultimate beach accessory is a metal detector.

You've probably seen them during your trips to any coast -- sweeping the gadget back and forth along the water, ears covered by big headphones, eyes scanning the sand -- and wondered what exactly they're looking for.

Meet the detectorists, as the community of hobbyists is known.

You'll return from a day at the beach with a tan and some pretty sea shells. They're hoping to bring back something more lucrative. Gold, anyone?

This treasure hunt may evoke romantic images of shipwreck relics washing up ashore, and that does sometimes happen. But more often than not, the loot simply slips off the bodies of modern-day beachgoers.

"If you have people who are swimming, you're going to have gold in the water," said Dan Berg, an avid detectorist and author of "Beach and Water Treasure Hunting with Metal Detectors."

"The more swimmers there are, the more gold there's going to be."

It's the perfect setup, when you think about it.

Most vacationers cover themselves liberally with suntan lotion and bake under the sun, so their hands swell.

Then, when they go to cool off in the water, their fingers shrink. And since they've already been "pre-lubricated" by the sunscreen, rings can slide right off, Berg said. Waves and currents help nudge accessories off, too.

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