bhid and diving

[native conch]

Hi to everyone!!!!!!!! I have been using my Whites bhid300 in the dry and wet sand and chest deep water but would like to start diving with it.If anyone has had experience with this I would like to hear your tips,do's and don'ts,techniques,etc.The water depth will be between 5 and 10 feet deep.Thankyou in advance for any help.

 

[JP]

I took a detector down using scuba this past weekend for the first time. So, here's what I can tell you:

Advice:

1- Dive with a partner. I had a problem at the end of the dive because of my weight belt. While in 7 feet of water the weight belt slipped off and it was either lose the belt or my Excal. I lost over $50 with those plastic coated weights, belt, stainless pieces. If I had a partner near, he or she could have recovered my weight belt. I had a metal detecting buddy about 10 feet away from me but he couldn't go under for it.

2- If you have to tote a dive flag, anchor it in the area where you will be. You will find with toting it that the line will start getting in your way and potentially cause a problem if not a dangerous situation. Plus, being that you don't want to tie off the line to you, it's hard to hold on to the spool and move your detector.

3- Targets are easy to uncover, just fan the sand.

4- Use a short dive shaft, the regular one is too long.

5- You will find that you will use a lot more air then normal. At least with my experience, the current was moving one way, and the water was too cold (58 degrees), plus your moving the detector around.

6- Signals are hard to hear even with the volume all the way up. The exhaust bubbles and the waves negate the signals, another words they are louder then the metal detector.

7- Try to locate the best location from above before entering the water. I finally started hitting targets in an area at the end of the dive. The area looked different then the other areas. I noticed that you could see the same region (more or less) from shore. I lost almost 45 minutes because I was in the wrong zone. Remember, with the water cold, one is looking for old finds, there are very few if any new drops, so you don't want to hit sandy areas. At least that is what I have experienced and read about on here from the experts.

The pros will have more advice for you and I will be watching for myself. Believe me it isn't an easy activity to metal detect and scuba at the same time. At least the first time, maybe it gets easier with time.....I hope.

HH

 

[rehless]

I dive and snorkel. Have six water machines. However, do not use a detector in salt water
as I live in Western Washington and the salt is too cold for swimming. I hunt fresh water
with pi machines.
Normally, you will not be going deep. You are right about going to ten feet or so. The
idea is to hunt where people play and splash and horse around. I have found lots of
goodies, snorkeling. You will be diving alone. Using a detector underwater, it will be near
impossible to have a dive buddy with in sight. I have a dive flag, but only use it if there
is boat traffic. Target sounds can be a little hard to hear with the hood on, but with
experience, it gets easier. Carry a knife as it could come in handy in the event of fishing
line. I fan the sand, but also have stainless steel garden trowel attached to my wrist on a
lanyard. Very handy for moving sand and stones. Go get 'em.

 

[Doctor Detroit]

I have used the BHID snorkeling and found that this detector leaks if taken down even five feet. The O ring was good, and it was well greased with silicone. I should have learned my lesson the first time it happened. I now just keep the Whites in the closet and use my Fisher CZ20.