Beachcombers Strike Gold... and Platinum and Diamonds

Treasure lies beneath the surface of the sand. These diamonds and gold are the sort of treasure that funds retirement and makes dreams comes true. But there is no treasure map to the riches. You only find them with a metal detector and an obsession for the search itself.

For decades, a couple of men with metal detectors have quietly combed South Bay beaches and pulled pounds of gold and hundreds of diamonds out. They have amassed fortunes: $250,000 over 20 years, one local man claims to have found.

If you need proof the sand contains  so many rings, watches and necklaces that have fallen off beach-goers, a view of the Hermosa Beach shoreline after Memorial Day weekend festivities provided it: A dozen men with the latest metal detectors were out listening for that "wah" sound on their headphones to indicate the presence of metal below the surface.

Few people find anything of value their first time out. This activity requires patience and the right equipment. A metal detector that can operate in the water and distinguish between valuable metal and common iron deposits is a necessity. One such detector is the Whites Surfmaster PI Pro. It retails for $800, but you might pick one up on Craigslist for $300-$600.

Don't make the mistake of looking for treasure in the afternoon sun. You'll bake. Plenty of first-time seekers make this mistake. It won't be an enjoyable experience. You'll become uncomfortable and frustrated after several times out with nothing but a sunburn to show for your efforts. Head out at sunrise or sundown instead.

Don't look too hard for treasure in the dry sand. Sure, you'll occasionally find something, but the valuable stuff is found where the water meets the skin of swimmers and jewelry slips off.

Here's the big secret: Watch for erosion of the shoreline, which occurs when the wind is strong, there's a high tide and a swell. Web cameras on local businesses and near the piers allow anyone to view the shoreline before heading out to the beach.

After a storm is a good time to hunt. The rain often beats sand away and opens up gullies, exposing terrain usually covered by sand. The winter is a good time to search the shoreline, as the beach tends to shrink from the waves of winter storms. Successful seekers say spotting valuables is more difficult in the summer when the beach expands.

If you start finding quarters, you'll  know you're searching on a good day. Quarters are heavy, and when they rise near the surface it means erosion has occurred.

Keep this metal detector etiquette in mind: If someone is trolling along a patch of shoreline, don't go exploring right next to him, or you're liable to get an earful. There are exceptions, such as after Memorial Day when the sand was crawling with hunters.

You have to put in your time. You could go weeks without finding anything besides bottle tops and metal plugs and loose change. But if you can enjoy the process, you will find success. You will discover your first $1,500 gold ring studded with diamonds on Hermosa Beach. You will unearth your first $2,000 gold necklace on Redondo Beach. You may even find a $3,000 platinum wristband on Manhattan Beach. Those are the moments "the thrill of the hunt" comes alive.

It's going to be feast or famine, and mostly famine. But some days you will gorge, digging up more than one piece of expensive jewelry. After 20 years, you may have pulled 10 pounds of gold from the sand.

For some people,  combing the beach with metal detectors is just for fun. One man likes to bring his grandson along and finds about "60 cents an hour" looking in the dry sand. Another man likens the experience of searching for treasure to the rush of playing poker. But for a couple of men, sifting through South Bay beaches is a lucrative hobby. One of them heads out in a wetsuit and combs the shoreline consistently. The other is constantly on watchthewater.org. One has been featured on the cover of a metal detector magazine; the other likes to keep a lower profile.

Typically, the more successful beachcombers don't like the added competition that media attention brings, as more people are drawn to the beach to try their luck with a detector.  Once in a while someone will spread out his treasures for the media and bask in their glow, but then he'll have to deal with his fellow treasure hunters giving him grief.

Most successful treasure hunters, like the valuables they seek, like to stay out of sight.