Transition from dredging gold to beach gold

[jimmy]

I need some help/advice from any of you guys on what I would need to do to transition from Gold dredging to beach/water jewelry hunting, I lost my claims in Alaska because I can't afford to drive up anymore but I still have my drysuit (hyper dry 2000) dive boots(oceanic) etc, still have my regulaters,hoses etc. I only worked in 2-10ft depth and as such I never had any formal dive training. I will purchase a detector for water searching but I want to stay shallow maybe 2-20ft, what works best scuba tanks or air compressor such as I used in Alaska. I live in North Carolina so I have many many water areas to hunt. Thanks in advance for any and all ideas ,jimmy (USNavy 1965-71) Here is a pic of some of the gold I have found,the nugget on the left bottom of pic is the horse head (my biggest ever) 1 0z.

 

[scubadetector]

If you have a gas opperated hooka, it will be frowned upon becasue they are noisy. If you wanted tanks filled you HAVE to be certified. Even with hookah you should be trained but since you used one thats your call. Sounds like you need an electric hookah OR SCUBA certified.

 

[jimmy]

Thanks scubadetector, I appreciate the info. Does the electric hooka setup work in rolling waves or is it a better system for fresh water detecting? May I ask what your setup is and how you work it? I always worked with a friend while underwater dredging in alaska and we took turns working the gravel beds, we had to use weight belt to stay down and help stabilize us in the fast moving water, do you use weight belt? Thanks

 

[scubadetector]

I only use scuba. I had a gas hookah used it once and sold it.

 

[Magyar]

n/t

 

[jimmy]

Thanks, I only hope I can replicate that while hunting beach/sea and swimming lakes here in N.C., I was driving back and forth and the fuel just got too costly and it took me 6-7 summers to get 22+ oz's you see in the pic's. I have sold all but a 1/2 oz nugget my wife wears and my metal detector test nugget 1/2 gram picker I use for setting up my whites mxt. BTW tell your friends to not sleep in tents if possible, I used a 6x14 enclosed trailer after my 1st summer, black bears & grizzlies will come into your camp and DO NOT go anywhere ALONE!! I'm talking from experience lol, I am one lucky Tarheel lol. Now I just got to figure how to do this water detecting, it's like starting all over again. The Pic of a ring I made from sterling silver and pickers n flakes from my last trip up.

 

[cubfan64]

That ring is a really nice personal momento to all your efforts!

 

[Magyar]

n/t

 

[Hank68]

Ring ring, that's one of a kind!!!

 

[jimmy]

thanks, I melted some broken sterling silver jewelry with my Smith little torch and hammered it into a small sheet, used a dremel and cutting files to groove out the eagle sized a ring and soldered it together then I placed small pickers & flakes from Alaska into the eagle and sealed it with jewelry grade clear epoxy, next I polished it up,this pic doesn't do justice.