Safety at night

[Pushingtin]

Coming from South Africa where you constantly have to watch over your shoulder, I wanted to hear how safe it would be in Australia (Perth specifically) to go out to the beach at night to detect alone.

Is it something that is safe to do, or something thats not recommended?

We have had quite a few instances in South Africa of detectorists getting harrased / mugged and we also have a very high violent crime rate so one always has to be extremely cautious when venturing out alone.

I would suspect that in Australia, it should be relatively safe but just want to check from your point of view.

Thanks in advance

 

[Sandta]

Gday PT , i dont live in Perth ( never been there) . Generally speaking i doubt you would have any real concerns at all.
I suppose we all think about 'those' situations,and so should always be aware of our suroundings wether it be the beach ,inland park or bush in the middle of nowhere.

 

[Wally69]

No need to carry a firearm here mate.

The only threat that I am weary of is drunken groups of louts, you can usually hear them a mile away. At that point I have learnt not to go low-n-slow but to do some speed detecting in the opposite direction.

 

[aushunter]

If detecting beaches, put all of your goodies in one pocket and the bits and sh#ts with a cupola coins for good measure in the other pocket.
When approached and asked how are you going, just reach into the Sh#ts and bits pocket and show them that, make sure you are over the moon about it big time and they will most likely leave the crazy man alone with his treasures of bottle caps and empty ciggy packets with 10 cents also.
Oh by the way, check out Ciggy packs as a lot of smokers tend to put their hard earned inside the packet.
Aussie beaches are generally safe but there are the odd clown around too.
Hope this helps.
Cheers
Brad...

 

[Metamorphic]

As long as your not in the water, you should be ok!



My mate can smell you approaching from a long way off night or day, and trust me, he ain't gonna let you near me!

Good Ol' German security

 

[grubstake]

Coming from South Africa where you constantly have to watch over your shoulder, I wanted to hear how safe it would be in Australia (Perth specifically) to go out to the beach at night to detect alone.
Is it something that is safe to do, or something thats not recommended?

I live in Perth and detect beaches here alone for a few hours several days a week, starting at dawn. During warmer weather (November - April), it's not uncommon to see backpackers camped out overnight on the beaches and others sleeping in cars/camper vans/buses in nearby parking lots, so in general I imagine it would be reasonably safe to detect at night here.

On some beaches you would likely have the occasional recreational fisherman for company and perhaps even surfers, if there's a good swell running. However I'd recommend avoiding key celebration times such as New Years Eve and Australia Day, when the number of drunken/drugged young hotheads out and about is probably too high for comfort.

Forum member stalker (https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/profile.php?id=3000), is also a Perthite who I understand specialises in beach detecting at night. If he doesn't see and respond to this post, you could send him a PM and seek his more informed opinion.

 

[Mackka]

Mate be careful in the parks for "Drop Bears" they are deadly!
Mackka

 

[Pushingtin]

Thanks for all the replies, I look forward to not having to detect in "fear". Cheers.

 

[Pushingtin]

Mate be careful in the parks for "Drop Bears" they are deadly!
Mackka

Nothing like a little vegemite behind the ears

Luckily I aint that gullible

 

[Heatho]

Ha,that only works on Bunyips........

 

[Panner]

Drugged up idiots are all you have to worry about, just don't be alone too late at night I'd say.

 

[Metamorphic]

Shaz might be right, but not to many greens party members get down there late at night.

 

[DrDuck]

Mate, I'm a criminologist by profession, and I can confidently say that the beaches in WA are much safer than, say, those at Durban in the evenings!

 

[KayEd Twitchers]

Hello ..I lived in both Durban and Cape Town before settling in Adelaide. I swung a coil regularly on the beaches in South Africa without serious incident to myself but in saying that I was constantly aware of my surroundings.. The biggest risk is leaving your vehicle unattended while on the beach...many a time I returned to find my car precariously raised on bricks and missing the wheels or a windscreen smashed and my belongings taken. I can't comment on Perth but here in Adelaide it's a real pleasure detecting the beaches after dark and I would believe the same goes for Perth!

 

[jamie]

im not from Perth but the east coast of aus and i pretty much only do the beaches at night, i haven't had a problem but in saying that i am always keeping a eye on my surrounds and generally avoid the busy beaches on the common 'drinking nights', but like i said haven't been bothered by anyone yet

 

[AtomRat]

You guys are certainly keen if your out there at night detecting alone.

Theres still your modern Ned Kelly to be very aware of, especially as this ice eppidemic continues in the young.

Im never too worried, but I never let it slip my mind either, no matter where I am.

 

[jamie]

i am always alone Atomrat when detecting, unfortunately i dont have a detecting buddy to go with and the one time i did go with someone else for the first time they found trash then chucked it back in the hole and only half refilled it so needless to say never went with them again, and to be honest i like the solitude most of the time

 

[silver]

Well,.... having carefully read through all the posts up to date I can safely say :lol: that all we need do is watch out for south africans on our beaches late at night, as that seems to be our main and only concern(present company"S As" excluded).

 

[AngerManagement]

As per every one else here...

Usually very safe, if anything; onlookers that frighten you out of the blue; when they just appear beside you with a smile.

Drunken louts or any drug users.... Same when I fish of a night, it's the louts that you have to be aware of. Wading of a Night = Forget it.

I do know of the odd beach rage with another person detecting and have been confronted once my self - Scary, as you first think as they are detecting all will be good. Then you get verbally abused... WTF

As another stated above; I would be more concerned about where my car was parked and if it was secure... People see you head off and a long way down the beach = your car a sitting duck. Noosa etc there is one detector fellow that is known harass others and also " believed" to have keyed / damaged cars that belong to others that detect in the area...

Not good, when you have to worry more about other detector people; than louts and drunks.

But overall, safer than going for a walk down any mall of a Friday night... AND more fun...

 

[TheSilentBugler]

Night is ok, but only with single ear phones.

Same as anywhere/when, be aware of your environment.