Waist Deep, Snorkeling, or Scuba Gear for your hunts?

[UncleVinnys]

Hello, gang.

I'm writing an article on water detecting and would appreciate your input.

Questions:

1. When you go water detecting do you use any special gear other than your detector?
I mean, do you just stand in waist-deep water or use snorkeling gear?

2. From your experience, do most detectorists use snorkels or nothing?

3. How frequent (or rare) is water detecting using scuba gear?
Is that just a small subset of water detecting or fairly common?

Thanks in advance.

 

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[Indian Steve]

I go nose deep on tip toes with 20 lb weight belt , Excal II and a Stealth 920 IX hybrid scoop. One of these days, I should learn to swim so I could go deeper.

 

[CASPER-2]

maybe some of my articles will help
https://www.flickr.com/photos/casper-2/

 

[ctdirtdigger]

I go chest deep in water with an either an Excal II or Equinox 800, wet or drysuit (thanks OBN for the guidance), Xtreme scoop, and 14 lb. weight belt. If water is extremely murky or a muddy bottom I don't use any other equipment and everything is done by sound & feel. However, and this is my preference, if there is even the slightest amount of visibility I use a mask & snorkel so I can watch the coil location. It really speeds target recovery.

I am a certified diver, although I've been away from it for a number of years, I have been considering using SCUBA for maybe 10 - 15 ft. of water, which very few treasure hunters are accessing.

 

[Terry Soloman]

Most folks go chest deep with no special gear other than a sand scoop and belt weight.

 

[rc2125]

All of the above and scuba gear. Often wading chin deep, on tip toes using slightly taller height to my advantage when i can. Getting to be nearly all fresh drops around here, less and less gold, record high lake levels which terrible for detecting the past few years. Specialty stuff will go unmentioned, lol.

 

[Avanti]

SNUBA Shoreline Detection/ Excavation

I work E. Florida and Caribe islands shorelines from my 38ft boat (US) or 36' boat (St Lucia) using a SNUBA system, consisting of deck fixed filtered high-volume "free air" air compressor with four 130' airhoses, providing continuous cool slightly pressurized breathing for me and a dive partner, and two for air driven suction excavation. With 130' hoses we can cover a wide shallow area with extreme accuracy using side / ground penetrating sonar, and Fisher 8X Pulse detectors. Breathing filtered free air, removes issue of SCUBA time/decompression. Vacuum excavation provides little sediment suspension and enables use of smaller apparatus for longer use without undue fatigue. Weight belts are always required, with heavier weight and stability close to shore with wave turbulence and running tides/ currents. BTW: I get a lot of productive "hits" with side boom deployed heavy lift "simple" magnets.

 

[Fast Ed]

Casper.....just wanted to say how much I enjoyed reading your articles. Very well written and informative. Thanks for sharing.

 

[CASPER-2]

Casper.....just wanted to say how much I enjoyed reading your articles. Very well written and informative. Thanks for sharing.

thank you - i wrote them to help and/or inspire others

 

[TooManyHobbies]

I detect to my chin, sometimes with a snorkel. At 6'6", I can usually get out further than the avg. guy.

 

[cudamark]

I hunt mostly waist deep or less if there's any surf. If it's calm, up to my chin. I wear a wet suit and booties if I'm going to be out there a while or if the water is cold (which it usually is). Sometimes (most times) gloves depending on temp and shells/cobble. Other than that, just my normal beach hunting gear.....nylon mesh pouch, Stealth scoop, water bottle, VibraProbe pin pointer on a lanyard.

 

[islamoradamark]

I also go out on my tip toes with the x-cal always wear a mask and snorkel thats how ya find the cash and other goodies. weight belt, wetsuit, webbed glove to fan targets. If I go by boat to spots deeper I will have a tank in da boat with a hundred foot hose nice and peaceful until the detector goes off

 

[KEYSHUNTER]

been approched by certain LEO if you have mask and snorkel even in stand up water,must have diver down flag near by,im ok with that ,hate to get propped,hit by jet ski......

 

[UncleVinnys]

Thanks for the reference material Casper. Hey, my new best friend!

 

[UncleVinnys]

All helpful responses. Big THANKS!

 

[LawrencetheMDer]

Full wet suit w boots and gloves and 24 lb belt (and mask and snorkel sometimes) with Equinox 800/CTX 3030/Excal II. Lower the tide the better. It really depends on trade-off between where people go and where metal detectorists hunt - there is a sweet spot where people go and where but few detectorists can hunt...BINGO.

2020
Gold - 20
Silver - 30

 

[NowandThenTreasures]

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6477972

 

[ctdirtdigger]

What’s preferred a dry or wet suit

That really depends on the temperature of the water you can withstand, comfortably, and for How Long SAFELY !!

I live in New England so the water gets pretty chilly here (could be dangerous), for example the first water I entered here in March was 42°........for me, theres no choice.....DRYSUIT !! June, July & August...probably Sept. a wetsuit is very comfortable. There is no ONE suit that is perfect in all conditions, if you want the longest hunting season possible you need BOTH wetsuit(s) and DRYSUIT ! But, hey...thats just me !! Good hunting !

 

[silkwire]

As far as detectors go, I see several mentions of Excal II and Equinox 800. I'm just getting started in the hobby and am looking at getting an AT Pro. 10 feet of water seems good enough for me. What's the consensus on this detector nowadays?

 

[ARC]

I use 200 lbs in weight... and go in until my ankles.

Hard to walk really.

:P