Do you scuba and detect?

[Overvoltage]

I really haven't read much on here from people who SCUBA, mostly posts about wading and detecting. How many of you SCUBA and detect? Lets hear some stories, great finds, harrowing moments, reports on the equipment you have used (Regulators, masks, tanks, hookah systems, detectors of course, boats, whatever is interesting) both good and bad. Post some pictures/videos if you got em. I'm thinking about jumping into the sport of diving (pun intended) as another tool for finding cool stuff metal detecting and would love to read/watch more about it from you guys that are out doing it. HH

 

[mudpuppy]

We had a guy here called "Scubadetector" who did exactly that...and another guy called "Royal", and of course "CarterNy"... just absolutely knocked the stink out of stuff that was deeper than a fellow could wade...Scubadee worked freshwater inland lakes with a modified CZ21/20...he would have the PP button disabled....he would hunt for old rafts and docks and whatnot...Royal did the same, both are from Michigan....CarterNY works the salt, I dont know where hes from, possibly Hawaii? ...all of them still check in from time to time, and they are a wealth of info if you call them and chat...talk about some cool finds! As you can imagine, those old raft sites, jump off spots, and deeper water hold silver and gold that cannot be harvested any other way than with tanks or hookah...I was looking at a hookah rig, on account of I'm a hoover with tanks...never pulled the trigger...YET...

Seems tanks and a deepwater bulletproof rig like the CZ21 is the way to go if a fellow is intent on this kind of hunting..if you have some old water in your area, and are relatively spry, it would be a good thing to get good at....the "barrier to entry" is the initial outlay for your gear, (several thousand) your shape and stamina....mind you, most times you are working in cold water mud with zero vis...crawling along the dark bottom in the cold and mud and grabbing all signals, trying to keep from getting runt the hell over by boats and all...I sure have been thinking about it,and thats as far as I've got..theres some great youtube vids of guys that dive and fan...CarterNy has some of the best ones I've ever seen...let us know what you are thinking...its really the last frontier for us to find massive gold/silver in this sport..so a guy just has to buck up and go diving I suppose....by dang, you nearly got me talked into it!
Mud

 

[Overvoltage]

Well Mud, I'm not getting any younger and getting certified is on my bucket list. I am really looking for some motivation. I already have the Infinium that is well suited for the task. I had to send my CTX3030 in for repair so have been using the Infinium for the past two weeks in the water with fairly good results and really enjoying using it more than I thought I would. Actually, I bought it about five years ago with the intent of using it while diving some day. As you said, I would really like to get out just a little farther than chest deep detecting. I bet it would open up a whole new world of finds.

 

[mudpuppy]

Yeah, it sure does...go to youtube and watch some of Carter's vids...certainly is a whole 'nother game....I figure I got just a few good years left myself, maybe a year and a half?, and I have seriously thought about it..but thats as far as I got...
I'm PADI certified, so I have no good excuse, except that I like to smoke and drink coffee, run and gun totlots, listen to the radio, all of which are hard to do underwater....that said, if I ever do try this, I have no doubt I be REALLY good at it! Thing is, when a fellow is diving, even shallow, a fellow is supposed to have a "buddy"... and who can find a reliable buddy now a days?
Mud

 

[georgefrombc]

I underwater metal detect and love it. i use to have a hookah unit, but went just to scuba as i have lots of tanks and own my own compressor. yes it is very nice to get in a spot that people are not able to get to. the only thing around here in bc canada, is that there is alot of lakes that are clay bottoms, which make it a little bit more of a challenge when finding targets as there is 0 vis down there. the other advantage is that no one is down there to bother you when you are detecting. well if you have anymore questions give me a shout and i hope i can help with your decision. thanks and have a good day. i only have a couple of videos on youtube if you want to look at them my nick on there is geo shat. bye for now.

 

[fongu]

I took a dive course last November, but haven't been able to go get certified mainly because of back trouble and also money trouble. My money trouble is I don't have enough money. I want to get certified and have until this October, but I want a hookah for the local lakes and swimming holes more than scuba and just want to be safe. Mud, you're right, it's better to go with a buddy ,but finding someone you can trust and get along with is another matter. I have a great instructor and he is working with me about putting on my tank in the water, but won't let me do my certification dive off a boat, but in a spring in Florida. The weight of the tank and other gear and stepping off a platform or boat is too much for my back. Putting in on in the deep spring in the water is better for me.

 

[Overvoltage]

fongu, where are you located? I am in Aiken SC not far from Augusta Ga. Our dive shop here in Augusta (we don't have one in the small town of Aiken) goes down to Florida freshwater springs.

 

[GeorgeinSC]

I took up Scuba Diving in Puerto Rico. After nearly three years in those clear waters I was transferred back to Charleston SC. Found that Real Good visibility in this area was less than a foot during the summer and a couple of feet during the winter.

I did not detect at the time and was not going to dive in water where one had to feel to see what was there. So I sold my diving equipment.

Now the cost of equipment is far more than the budget could tolerate and not having a dive buddy will keep me from using scuba while detecting.

I can only dream of what might be waiting for someone who is properly equipped.

 

[fongu]

fongu, where are you located? I am in Aiken SC not far from Augusta Ga. Our dive shop here in Augusta (we don't have one in the small town of Aiken) goes down to Florida freshwater springs.

OV, I'm about 50 miles from Albany, Ga and that's the nearest dive shop. Great instructors who work with my disability. I was supposed to take 8 weeks of physical therapy a few months ago, but family health problems prevented me from doing it but a week. I had hoped to take the therapy and then do my certification dive, but will do the dive in October if possible. They go to several springs in Florida and one is about 100 feet deep. My certification dive will be 60 feet and will consist of several dives over two days to earn my certification. I can't remember the name of the springs right now. They are freshwater also. It's a long drive from Augusta to the springs.

 

[Overvoltage]

fongu, would it be Morrison Springs? My Father-n-law use to dive there.

 

[fongu]

I'll check the dive shop's website and let you know later.

 

[Overvoltage]

Come on you divers, lets hear some stories, great finds, harrowing moments, reports on the equipment you have used (Regulators, masks, tanks, hookah systems, detectors of course, boats, whatever is interesting) both good and bad. Post some pictures/videos if you got em.

 

[fongu]

fongu, would it be Morrison Springs? My Father-n-law use to dive there.

That's the place. They also go to PCB, Fl. and other locations.

 

[Overvoltage]

fongu...I went with my Father-in-Law to Morrison Springs probably 20 years ago. It was really nice back then. I would assume it is still very nice there now. Post some pictures and tell us about how your certification dives go and a report on where you went, we would love to hear about it (congrats on taking the initiative in getting certified). I know you said you have a disability, but are you planning on SCUBA and detecting at some point?

 

[fongu]

It will be in October when I go for my certification. The main reason I took the course is to learn how to dive safely and then get a hookah rig. After reading BVI's post about hookahs giving away your locations, I'm rethinking using the scuba gear. I just have to get my back in better shape before I start trying to lug any tanks around. I do plan to detect under water and I may use the scuba gear or if it's a place isolated, I might go with the hookah. The advantage of getting certified is I can rent equipment from the dive shop and right now that's my best option. I will get a PI detector at some point when I find enough jewelry to pay for it. That's only for places deeper than 10 feet. There is a spring about 26 miles from my house that is about 30-60 feet deep and I wouldn't want to tackle it until I get 2-3 dive trips under my belt.

 

[Overvoltage]

Sounds like an awsome plan. I have done it a little backwards, I already have a PI (Infinium LS). I purchased it with the intentions of using it while diving. That was 5 years ago and I still havent taken SCUBA lessons yet. I love the Infinium though. It has paid for itself in finds.

 

[fongu]

I watched the antiques roadshow last night and this woman and her party found some gold just lying at the bottom of the ocean near this wreck and it was worth about 8-10,000 in 1997 and about 35-40,000 in 2012. Two small gold ingots and what looked like a bell or something. She said they didn't have much time and I believe it was 100 feet. She had a photo of the gold just lying there. What are the chances on something like that? Can't remember where exactly, but believe in the Pacific ocean.

 

[diverdrew]

I use the excel.2 w/ 10" coil. got it on a hip mount. I use a simple rig for the stuff just outside of wading range or around piers or swimming spots. it is a 20 cf bottle with a first and second stage, and pressure gauge. I clip it on my lower back. no bc. just mask, boots, detector, bottle, regulator w/pg. and two 4 lb waits to walk or hop across bottom. little sketch sometimes. the whole timing thing on when I run out of air and when I need to get to my exit point. I can get about 30 min at 30 feet. I usually only take a screw driver or something to poke or scrape at things. I have herd of un exploded items being found in the area. haven't found one yet. happy hunting.

 

[scubadetector]

All I do is scuba and detect. RARELY wade at all. Been doing it for about 10 years now. I have a lot of pictures on my website but none in action underwater. Best day so far this year is 6 gold and 20 silver. That was two weeks ago. I am still on here, just not as active as I used to be.

My website is my name with a dot com after it. Lots of advice and help and NOT a deterent to this site. I have 10 tanks and they last me about 3 hours each if I am warm enough. I hit water from 3 - 30' deep and love drop off's. Love being able to fan my hand and see the target emerge without having to scoop and miss it or having it fall through the scoop like a bullet.

I have a CZ-21 hipmounted and I hit lots of lakes in Michigan.

 

[mudpuppy]

Scubadee...you gotta show us some pics of this years finds brother! I'd sure like to read the story of your 6 gold,20 silver day..you using your boat, or the canoe? We are sanded in to be danged over here on the West, so a guy needs to see something...
Mud