The beach proving ground

In this photo you see where the metal detector you use for beach hunting has to perform, the wet sand on the lower beach. 

The lower beach is where your metal detector has to be able to operate smoothly, or you are going to struggle to recover coins and jewelry. 
Can you spot the three things in the photo that can wreck a beach hunters chance of finding jewelry?
The first is the line of fresh seaweed deposited on the beach, wet seaweed holds saltwater and will cause many metal detectors to false when you sweep your search coil over it. 
Second is the wet sand on the lower beach, still saturated in saltwater as waves wash in over the area. 
The third potential problem is the surf breaking over your search coil as you metal detect over the wet sand.
These three things make your choice of metal detector all the more important if you want to have success on the lower beach. 
Now you can see why I call the lower beach the proving ground, because it can make or break your chances of finding jewelry or coins at the beach. 
If your metal detector is effected by saturated wet sand, soaking seaweed or breaking surf, you have to stay away from one of most target rich areas of the beach. 
An erratic metal detector, makes it almost impossible to tell the difference between real targets and false signals in the wet sand. 
There are ways to work the wet sand by lowering sensitivity, using small search coils and just digging two way repeatable signals. 
Or you could research what metal detectors operate smoothly on the lower beach and invest in one. 
You have to use the right tool for the right job on the beach proving ground to be a successful beach or water hunting.