Searching for treasures, I found the unexpected

Hello friends of this interesting community; this is the first time I’m sharing my words here. My name is Andrés; I’m Cuban and I really enjoy my hobbies. When the stress of life in my country weighs on me, I head out into nature—whether to the sea or onto the land.

One of my passions is spending an adventurous day with family or friends. I enjoy using metal detectors for prospecting outings.

I always plan which equipment and tools to use based on the specific location where I’ll be detecting. Today, I’d like to share one of my experiences with you.

The park near my home is a great spot for metal detecting. It features large trees, and the ground is a mix of compacted soil and stones. During these summer months, it often rains in the afternoons. The grass grows quickly, sometimes reaching up to half a meter in height.

My wife joined me on this adventure. I brought a small digging pick, my Garrett Pro-Pointer AT and—as my main detector—a very lightweight Tesoro Cibola model. It’s a vintage machine, but I like it because it has a small, fully analog control box without a digital display. Its light weight allows me to spend hours in the field without straining my arm.

The ground was damp from the previous day's heavy rain, yet free of puddles, making it easier to dig the holes.

As is typical in this hobby, the items most frequently pulled from the ground are pieces of metal trash: can pull-tabs, nails and other ferrous objects, scraps of wire, and fragments of aluminum and lead, among others.

Aside from a few of those items, I dug up six Cuban coins: a five-centavo piece from 1946, a twenty-centavo piece from 1972, and four one-peso coins dated 1962, 2012, 2014, and 2016.

It is common for the use of a detector to spark people's curiosity. Sure enough, some children approached and stayed right by our side.

But what we didn't imagine was that this day of searching held an unexpected surprise in store for us.

About ten meters away, near a fence, the vegetation looked different; it was denser and a more striking green. The intermittent croaking of a frog—which had stopped as soon as we arrived—had been drifting toward us from that very spot.

It was difficult to sweep the coil just centimeters above the ground because the grass was so tall. The children helped by using their hands to push aside whatever they could.

Suddenly, I heard a different tone coming from the center of a small hollow. It wasn't the low-frequency sound typical of ferrous metal; instead, it was a sharp, loud, and precise signal covering an area about thirty centimeters long.

I cleared away the undergrowth with the flat end of my small pickaxe, and before my eyes, I saw something with a matte silver finish. I used the tool to pry it loose and managed to pull out a plastic tube wrapped in aluminum foil.

It had some weight to it. I assumed it was filled with dirt, but when I turned it over to look inside, a large snail—nearly fifteen centimeters long—fell out right at my feet.

At first, we were all startled by how unexpected it all was—especially when we recognized the mollusk by its spiral shell and its pattern of alternating brown and cream-colored spots.

My wife and the kids immediately stepped back; fear was written on their faces.

It was a giant African land snail, scientifically known as Achatina fulica. It is a non-native invasive species that was first detected in Cuba in 2014. Since then, it has spread across the country thanks to its great adaptability and preference for our humid climate.

Medical studies classify it as a dangerous species, as it harbors various parasites that cause diseases potentially fatal to humans. However, to date, I have not read any reports of deaths caused by this snail in the country.

I believe that, like any living creature, it plays a positive role from an ecological standpoint.

Metal detecting is a fascinating activity that involves aerobic exercise—sometimes quite intense.

When practiced on land, it is not simply a matter of walking. You need to use a pickaxe and shovel, clear obstacles, dig holes—a task that can sometimes take time—and then fill them back in.

You also need to be familiar with the laws and required permits in the country where you use the detector. It is essential to be prepared for potential setbacks and accidents, including encounters with local wildlife and the injuries such interactions might cause.

Not all treasures are made of precious metals. For me—and for many other enthusiasts—the true treasure of this hobby lies in enjoying quality time with family doing something different, sharing experiences with other detectorists, learning from every outing, and appreciating the history behind each find.

Thank you to those who read to the end. I wish you all a lovely Tuesday.