Honey Hole Located

[strobeone]

I need some fresh ideas! I have located an old swimming pool from the turn of the century. It has cement around the sides and a mud bottom, very odd, but absolutely confirmed. Used to be one heck of a draw back then for untold visitors. People who worked there (now in nursing home) told me the bottom is mud and numerous rings, chains and jewelry were lost over the years. Has been abandoned for the past 30 yrs and totally overgrown around it. Now has 3 feet of clear water on top, then soft, silty mud to the bottom. This upper mud drifted in over the years through the air. I need some ideas on how to get to the bottom for the recoveries of a lifetime? Have ordered a 48in beach scoop and plan to add several extended handles to see if I can penetrate the soft mud to the bottom. Then dragging the bottom might just bring some rewards. I'm open for suggestions.

 

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[Floater]

Hmmm How Deep is it and if it is fresh water then why not just get some gear and dive in . Trying to drag the bottom will be difficult but scooping may work. Are you using a detector. We need more info. No location just facts on the condition. This sounds like a good story and could be a record post. Give us some more to go on. I would probe for depth and determine the hard bottom point first. Let us know. HH

 

[southern gent]

First let me say congrats on finding a seemingly great spot. They are very rare these days. As for how to hunt the hole, I would estimate the silt to be around 1/2" per year since it was built. With that in mind, make what ever considerations you can on what type of equiptment may be used. If I could I would use a tractor to excavate the hole one layer at a time. If the tractor is out, consider using a dredge to pull the targets from the bottom. It is an aggrivating process, but well worth the time and effort. Just start at one end, clear it, then move to the other end. Hope that helps. Good luck HH and keep me posted on your finds! Chris

 

[rasrandy]

Maybe pumping out the water and let it dry up a bit might help also.

 

[WeaponsUSMC]

A siphon might work to get out the water, might take a little time and effort, but might be well worth the wait. Use multiple garden hose's.

 

[Crutch]

If you are going to have the freedom to work it you might pump it out with a submersible pump and a generator. Depending on where you are you could have a big problem with mosquitos and also be careful of stagnant water which carries all kinds of bad things in it. Remember that you will always be able to walk around on dry ground or freeze dried ground this winter depending on where you are. Hope these suggestions help in some way.

 

[Gigisdiamonds]

Hi,Strobeone

I will be betting its hard to have freedom to work the old pool. I'm sure if you were to have it all to yourself, to do as you would, you could do what some of the people here have suggested. What are the chances of you getting to be left alone with it, and do anything beyond scoop in it? They told you, people had lost stuff it in yes...but was that before it was turned into a pond? As it seems to be now? Or since it has been? I would think it was when it was a pool...back in the day. How else would so many things as necklaces and rings end up there? I hope I'm wrong, and you do find tons of great stuff in there! But before you go to too much trouble, or feel you have lost out on a chance of a life time, if you can't get to it when you feel is there, remember ...who is it that is telling you about it ? Is it, the people that were around when what they say happen occurred? Or is it just "what everyone has said" ?
Please let us know what freedoms you have in looking, then maybe people will beable to give you more suggestions.

Good Luck!!!
Gigi

 

[JakePhelps]

If its not deep and you got a underwater detector just go in there and detect it

 

[Bavaria Mike]

Good ideas and suggestions, what are you going to do, LOL! Nice site!! HH, Mike

 

[kermit]

You may want to rent a pump and pump it down to the mud. Not dry as the mud will be as hard a stone if it dries out. I would leave a few inches of water. Put on my hip waders and start scooping............just like on the beach but it don't fall out of the scoop as well. You may want to stage a tub of water with a large sift in it. Wood frame with wire on the bottom. To drop the mud/target in and shake it. Hang the sift box from the center of 3 long poles. Looks like a Tpee. Make the line so the box is just in the tube of water. That mud gets heavy. Or you could float the sift box.and just shake it until the mud is gone size of the hole is a big deal. ............Just get ready to get wet and get dirty........

 

[DandyDon]

I need some fresh ideas!? I have located an old swimming pool from the turn of the century.? It has cement around the sides and a mud bottom, very odd, but absolutely confirmed.? Used to be one heck of a draw back then for untold visitors.? People who worked there (now in nursing home) told me the bottom is mud and numerous rings, chains and jewelry were lost over the years.? Has been abandoned for the past 30 yrs and totally overgrown around it.? Now has 3 feet of clear water on top, then soft, silty mud to the bottom.? This upper mud drifted in over the years through the air.? I need some ideas on how to get to the bottom for the recoveries of a lifetime?? Have ordered a 48in beach scoop and plan to add several extended handles to see if I can penetrate the soft mud to the bottom.? Then dragging the bottom might just bring some rewards.? I'm open for suggestions.

You should look at a subject called "Airlift" by DinkyDick, this is a technique used by divers to remove silt covered wrecks as it act as a underwater vacuum and will pick up light weight objects. Once the stuff is at the surface it can be deposited in a sift screen and the rings can then be sorted.

Happy Trails - DandyDon

 

[strobeone]

OK, I can see some more information is needed here. ?First off, the site was very famous in its hey day. ?So much so, that I have been able to locate pictures of it when it was surrounded by cars, visitors, swimmers, families, etc. ?The pictures make your jaw drop and every metal detecting gland in your body to salivate. ?The pool itself is 1/2 a football field in size. ?Those that worked there and even lifeguarded there state that it was 20ft at deepest end and 10 feet at shallowest end. ?There were swings, platforms and boards to jump off of!! ?I stand on the edge and can see approx three feet of clear water and then the silty mud starts with just a sprinkling of stalk like growth here and there. ?My plan is to return with a 20 ft piece of ?pvc pipe and test it for density and depth. ?That should be the easiest and lightest test pole I can think of....besides, if it is lightly packed and silty, then the pvc should pass right through?? ?Actually, it is owned by a small town, but abandoned for all practical purposes and they have no qualms about a metal detector being in there. ?No one has tried the pool because of the depth problem and 95% of people who see a cement sided pool would assume a cement bottom. ?I did!! ?Ahhhh but not so!! ?I am a therapist in three nursing homes over a 100 mile area and almost every old person knew of this place!! ?Matter of fact, numerous people know of the old place, but few are looking at it as a md'er would!! ?It is so overgrown now that you have to be up on it to see it and very alert due to rattlesnakes, copperheads and other critters. ?Surely, a spot this good wouldn't come easy...right?? ?It may be more than one or two people can handle, for sure. ?I doubt letting it dry out would be wise...you'd then be digging a zillion cubic yards of dirt...I think. ?Or it may pack down so solid that a blasting cap would be necessary. ?Man, when you look at it and its potential (you'd have to see the pics to realize how many folks came here), it makes you want to just jump in and start digging!! ?The pool was not the only attraction....there were other things to entertain the family too, but I can't say too much here or I'll have half the nation in here in a flash! ?I used to belong to a md'ing club and all you would have to do is let on the location of any site and they would sneak in and butcher the place with holes etc! ?I quickly learned to be very careful about what I say to whom! ?We got thrown out of a civil war site, due to their greed and inconsideration of other's property. ? A brave scuba person would be real handy here!! ?Thanks for all the ideas. ?I will test the mud and get an approximate depth and whether I can reach the bottom and return. ?Good Hunting!!

 

[slow sweeper]

Know how to run a backhoe?

 

[MUD(S.W.A.T)]

I love being talked about so much... All I have to say is tie a rope to your waist and around a tree so you can pull yourself out if you get stuck, bring a buddy too. Then you should walk away alive and well with some good finds.

Keep @ it and HH!!

 

[downindixie]

I've used a gold dredge in situations like this in local drainage ditch that goes underneath the city and have found lots of coins and jewelry.

 

[southern gent]

I still say dredging is the way to go. You may need to add water to bring the level up. Do not be fooled by the earth under water either. It can and will pack very tightly. The good news is that if you make a few good finds then you'll be very happy. The bad news.... if the local municipality figures out that your having fun they will most likely shut you down. One good thing is that if you know how to dredge you could clean the hole out in around three days. That's why I love my dredge!!! HH! Chris

 

[Jason in TN]

I would agree with the gold dredge. Find some one with a 6in dredge and some diving gear most guys with a dredge will have it. Get in there and start pumping the water and mud through a sluice to catch the coins and gold. I would also do it when you have several days to finish the job because someone will complain and sooner or later you will most likely shut you down. Good luck and keep us posted.