Vacation Geocaching

[+archeangelsk2002]

hello everybody

me and my wife are headed to madeira beach florida. she going to get a tan and i am going with my etrex legend, pda, and metal detector to find caches and perhaps hidden treasure.

pocket quiries gave me 35 caches within 3 miles of the location we will be staying at.

i plan on doing some night caching. however, i have no idea what the policy is concerning the time the beach closes etc.

could anyone who has done some caching in the madeira beach area give some info on the policies and regulations of the area concerning geocaching?

 

best regards

archeangelsk2002 (archie)

cgriffin101@yahoo.com

[Keystone]

Since this is not a "Getting Started" issue, I'm moving your thread to the South and Southeast forum, where Florida geocachers are more likely to see your question and give you assistance. Have a good trip!

[+ranger-rob]

In most areas of Florida "the beach" [1] is considered public property. This obviously excludes state and national park areas. But, for the most part you're free to do on the beach most anything you can do on a public sidewalk or street. Most municipal parks will close at dark or a scheduled time and the parking lots of the condos and hotels built along the beach are private property. This makes actually getting to the sand a little tricky sometimes, but if the place you're staying in on the water or has beach access you're home free. Check with the place you're staying or the local police/sheriff about local ordinances and any places to avoid.

 

[1] the beach was legally defined as the result of numerous complaints from the public about being denied access to public land and waters by the overabundant beachfront developments. This happened in either the mid to late '80's or early 90's. I think it's either halfway between the mean high tide line and the first line of dunes or from the mean high tide line to the first line of dunes. Regardless, once you get on the sand the line is pretty obvious if not physically marked by a fence or signs. It's been a long time since I had to know this and have since archived that information deep into the darker recesses of my (limited) mental storage facility.

 

Edit: edit

Edit: <sp>

Edited July 19, 2006 by ranger-rob

[+OB Jets]

Never cached the area but I doubt most of the caches would be ON the beach. You might ask some of the locals at www.floridacaching.com they would know for sure...

 

Ob