Sorry, metal detecting is not allowed on STJ anywhere in the park - here is the link to the National Park Service rules and regulations.

http://www.nps.gov/archive/viis/rules.htm

And on other beaches NOT in the National Park, such as on STT, it depends on the beach. Magens Beach (which is a VI Park), for example, does not allow it, but the beach at, say, Hull Bay will. Where will you be spending most of your time?

Thank you for responding. We will be staying at Secret Harbour on St. Thomas. We were planning on spending 2 or 3 days on St. John so they won't work there. Do you think they could use them at Secret Harbour? It isn't a necessity, just something I thought they would have fun doing along the beach. They break down into 3 peices so they would be easy to travel with.

Secret Harbour is part of the east end marine sanctuary. I do not believe you would be welcome using one on the beach, sorry!

Thanks everyone. We'll leave them at home!

With all that said I doubt anyone would say anything to two young kids playing with metal detectors at Secret Harbour. On STJ yes someone might say something but on STT other than Magens I think you'd be more than safe. There are some beaches near Secret Harbour that you would have no problem, if one did arise for some reason at Sec Harbour. Vessup Beach.

I remember a man who used a metal detector every day at Morningstar Beach. Amazing the stuff he found.

Stu: I beg to differ with you. Secret Harbour is part of the St James Marine Sanctuary and there are residents who do not like any activity that would destroy the peace and calm (as well as the crab habitat) of the bay.

Extreme BULL from EastEnder. You won't destroy any crabs. For one thing they're not that fragile and secondly the best detecting is on the beach sand anyway. {I realize many of the small crabs are in the sand }. Do respect the rules though. Where I stay, they are often looking for folks with detectors to help find rings etc. lost on the beach. I usually only find knives,forks, spoons and such leftover in the sand from the previous nights BBQ. Your detector will stir up less silt than a foot in the sand. Use your head, stay legal, and check with your resort. Best part about detecting is the little kids that will follow you around and be amazed at the dime or penny you found under the volleyball net.

P.S. Haven't found a crab yet with my detector but have found a bunch of tabs, lures, hooks, etc. that I've removed from the beach.

Sandcrab, it's not bull, extreme or otherwise about some of the residents being extremely protective at Secret Harbour. Whether they're right or not is another issue but I've seen a couple who are extremely confrontational about "their" beach & really dislike any outsiders/nonresidents there.

Beaches are "public" albeit some, maybe all, state/national parks are posted prohibiting metal detecting. Would be nice if some of those protective residents would be as concerned about their sewage and refuse.

Sandy, Sandy, Sandy! What's the deal? We are concerned about sewage and we refuse to let some folks get to us! 😉 LOL

The beaches are public only up to a certain line. Dragging metal detecting equipment through *some* beaches will probably get you an invitation to cease and desist! There are a number of creatures that live in the sand and some creatures who live on the soil try to keep it that way!! 😉

P.S. While Secret Harbour advertises itself as a "resort", it is actually two condominium associations with many owner occupied units.

Ditto East Ender. (Don't let it go to your head, now. 🙂 )

Don't quite understand your humor. Your islands, though adorable and keep me coming back, are so full of trash that I can't believe you are so upset about someone "dragging" a metal detector thru the sand. This is dragging not dredging.and like I said before, we remove more debries than we collect. If I were you I'd focus mre on the economy/crime. That's the way I see it.

Yeah, almost daily I follow safaris full of tourists & again, almost daily I see somebody toss out their beer bottle or coke can. Where do you live, Sandcrab? I want to live where it's crime-free.

And it is possible to use a metal detector on some beaches, so I don't see the issue. Happy New Year, all!

Sorry to have opened a can of worms. My kids are small and I'm always looking for something to keep their attention. I bought a crude version ($20 each) of a metal detector thinking they could bring them with to keep them occupied. I certainly wouldn't want to disturb a crab or make a resident angry. The kids can leave them at home and I will work on other things besides snorkeling for entertainment.

I have to agree with Trade.

This is a true story and one the mother still cringes about.

While living on STJ my parents came to visit and we were driving out to Coral Bay for a Skinny Legs burger. We were following a safari bus filled with cruise ship passengers. As we slowed down at the intersection in Coral Bay, the passenger in the very back of the safari bus threw out a bottle. I slammed on the brakes and jumped out of the car and grabbed it and followed the bus. They pulled into Shipwreck Landing and I ran up to the bus and waited for the back row to get off the bus, held up the bottle and said " I think someone dropped this out the bus back there" A woman with a very red face, did not look me in the eye but took the bottle from my hand.

My mother was mortified. I felt pretty darn good about myself.

I don't head to Ohio or Georgia or wherever you call home and drive through your town throwing out my trash, please don't do it in my town.

The tourist business is what keeps the economy going but many tourists treat the islands like garbage( literally)

I was employed on cruise ships for years and we used to dock in the Virgin Islands all the time. I brought my first metal detector in England way back, but I carried that machine everywhere I went. In the early 70's I detected on the VI beaches and there really was no restriction. If your going to have fun or anywhere around the world, do your research first. Of primary importance are old maps , as the early surveyors added just about everything on that document. Great historical maps of VI or anywhere else is http://www.historicmapsrestored.com / Good luck and great metal detecting.

Of course some people litter where I live up here in the Northwoods. How do those cruise ship passengers throw all those junked cars off their tour bus??? Also where I live, there are a large number of "volunteer organizations" that regularly clean up the highways and ditches of litter. We also have very strict rules on littering and and water area management. Many of the areas I've traveled thru the islands are not what you call tourist destinations. Generally the tourist areas are the best kept albeit I'm sure, no thanks to the tourists.