Alliterative subject lines fascinate me. But, on to the topic.
I hunt in all weather having a waterproof diving detector for just such use. It serves me well in parks, old houses, sidewalks, as well as at the beach when it's pouring down rain. But that's not to say that I spend every rainy day outside. Just some.
What I do mostly is research on rainy days. I make up a list of things of treasure related items that come to mind when I'm driving, out treasure hunting or just sitting around at the keyboard like right now. I keep a notepad handy, a voice recorder and my personal database of leads handy. One of them, at least, is always nearby. Ever wake up in the middle of the night with the world's best idea only to forget it by morning? My voice recorder never lets me forget.
The public library is your best friend. Historical society memberships are near the top of my list of resources. The Internet, while valuable, isn't always as up to date as it can be. Even newspapers which are shifting to more and more on-line content are often just issuing a teaser to get you to buy their paper to read more.
Most public libraries today have their catalog on-line for members only or the general public. The Library of Western Australia, my local Stirling City library and the National Library of Australia all have different policies but all do allow access via the Internet. I can order books to be sent to my local branch with just a few clicks. Some documents like maps can be scanned and sent to me as an attached document. Technology advances and just gets better and better. I get to stay dry until what I need is available.
The Library of Congress in the United States has dozens of on-line resources in digital format which can be saved to your hard drive. So do many of the libraries in my area. I can search databases and add information to my personal research in a flash. Wow!
Historical societies have members so passionate about what they do that local booklets and research papers abound. Some of them never meet the public in any form but remain in the archives of the society. That, to a treasure hunter, can mean that you can locate a pristine site and not have to worry about anyone else being there first. A dream come true but you won't find it unless you join the historical society and perhaps spend a rainy afternoon there instead of at home moping about like a teenager with spring fever. That wasn't me being unkind. That was me telling you to get out and stop wasting time. Not all treasure is hard metal. Some of it comes in the form of knowledge which only you possess.
One overlooked resource can be found at public libraries. The Yellow Pages from 20 or more years ago can list things like school camps, Boy Scout camps, private picnic grounds, wedding gardens and numerous other leads. Another resource which most people forget is the listings of property taxpayers. Some properties become abandoned and are in a state of limbo until ownership can be established or the arrears paid. Either way, contacting your local city government can grant you access to those properties.
Use your imagination. Think about where people gathered in days gone by and focus your attention to pinpointing those places. Read about battle sites near you and determine, based on terrain maps available from Google Maps, just where the participants would have camped or fought. Mix the resources I have mentioned to get the most complete picture you can of things like unsolved bank robberies, sunken ships, battle sites, old campgrounds, old parks and swimming holes. The possibilities are endless.
So, wet weather? Why worry? Take advantage of it.
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It's all about that moment when metal that hasn't seen the light of day for generations frees itself from the soil and presents itself to me.
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