Shallow Water Scuba Diving and Metal Detecting

[Overkill Overkill]

Hello all,

It's good to be back. I am considering becoming SCUBA certified soon so I can head down to Texas with my Garrett Sea Hunter after Spring Break. It's $195 to become certified except for the open-water portion, which I will need to complete at my destination, such as Texas, due to the cold water here in Missouri.

Questions: The SCUBA instructor mentioned that visibility is often a problem in shallow water near beaches. Does anyone have experience metal detecting in shallow water (say, 6'-14' of water)? Do you just metal detect when the sun is directly overhead to increase visibility? Do you use a light?
Why is visibility a problem in 13' of water but not, say, 45' of water, or does it depend on the bottom? Do you ever SCUBA dive alone in shallow water? Anybody up for a Spring Break shallow water SCUBA hunt in about 3 or so weeks?

 

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[DigginThePast]

tag

 

[stevemc]

The shallow water gets roiled up by wave action near shore, also the tides greatly effect the viz near shore-low tide is usually the worst, as the bays empty out. High tide is usually the clearest. Texas coast is not clearest, actually quite dirty. The sand is kind of muddy too. Not clean sand, so that has a lot to do with it. The mississippi river empties out and circulates up that way before going South. Also the rio Grande, and a few other rivers empty into that area. If it is 2 foot viz, you can dive and find stuff with the detector. you just have to get used to nasty viz. I have seen it with 2 inch viz in Corpus Christy on a calm day near shore. You can wade and find stuff too.

 

[tarpon192]

TAG - TEN FOLD.

 

[desertfox]

One thing you need to understand, SCUBA is Dangerous. Never dive alone, not even in your own Bathtub!
Good luck on your certification.

HH

 

[S.S.Tupperware]

Welcome back...

 

[erikk]

In case your instructor forgot to mention when you are diving at night stay in about 10-12 feet of water and if at all possible drag a real bloody fish attached to your weight belt. That way any large fish in the area will be sure to follow you and the sweeping action of their tails while they circle you will keep the water clear and greatly improve visibility so you will be able to detect and view your targets. Also it is a good idea to never check your air gauge while deep diving as it will just distract you and take your mind off your detecting which is much more important.......

Welcome Back ...I can hardly wait for the next chapter

 

[TexasRT]

In case your instructor forgot to mention when you are diving at night stay in about 10-12 feet of water and if at all possible drag a real bloody fish attached to your weight belt. That way any large fish in the area will be sure to follow you and the sweeping action of their tails while they circle you will keep the water clear and greatly improve visibility so you will be able to detect and view your targets. Also it is a good idea to never check your air gauge while deep diving as it will just distract you and take your mind off your detecting which is much more important.......

Welcome Back ...I can hardly wait for the next chapter

LMAO

 

[Jason in Enid]

I was about to post a serious reply until I looked back at who the poster was.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I am curious, how are you going to drag the shark cage.....

Seriously, I highly recommend you have some hours under your belt diving before you even try detecting underwater much less alone.... In fact you should never dive alone much less alone when your a green diver.... By the way water is still chilly off the coast of Texas now, and the water temperature you see on websites for beaches is the temperature of the water on the surface, not 15 feet deep... Water usually warms up to 70 degrees by the end of March, but again that is surface temperature.....

 

[Overkill Overkill]

Thanks to those who responded with sound advice. I did not take into account that the 64 degree temperature that I saw on the internet for Marco Island, TX, is not indicative of the temperature below the surface - so thanks Treasure Hunter.

Also, you and the other poster helped me to make the decision to not rush things and get certified this weekend and then go diving alone. It feels like I am rushing things, which is not a good thing when it comes to safety. So thanks again.

 

[TexasRT]

Texas has been cleaned out, you should probably go to Florida. Just trying to help...



HH

 

[erikk]

Texas has been cleaned out, you should probably go to Florida. Just trying to help...



HH

NA, Sanibel is just full of trash-try Havana

 

[drewan29]

ooooh shiny quarter.

 

[BareBones]

Entire Florida east coast is closed for renovations. Better stick with Texas!

 

[tarpon192]

OVERKILL - YOU SHOULD TAKE YOUR DETECTOR, MASK, SNORKEL, AND FINS TO THE EAST COAST OF FLORIDA. INDIAN RIVER COUNTY WOULD BE A GREAT PLACE FOR YOU TO START - SUMMER TIME THE WATER IS CLEAR RIGHT ON THE BEACH, AND YOU WILL BE AMAZED WHAT YOU WILL FIND.
LOTS OF SPANISH GALLEONS WRECKED HERE. TONS OF GOLD AND SILVER WAITING FOR YOU 10 TO 15 FEET OFF THE BEACH IN THE WATER.
GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
P.S. NO DIVE TANKS NEEDED - JUST HOLD YOUR BREATH, AND DIVE DOWN SWINGING YOUR DETECTOR.
JUST MAKE SURE YOU RETURN TO THE SURFACE TO BREATH.

 

[Produce Guy]

Maybe it's just me,but you don't need scuba gear off the coast of Texas if your searching for springbreak treasure,most of the kids don't go out that far.I think the most they will go out is up to their chests,plus the water down at the coast is dirty.I've snorkeled down there and couldn't see anything. .I would think you would want to detect on the beach and maybe in 2-3' of water.

 

[goldfever]

I am a firm believer in self education.
Ok OK; Most, if not all, of your questions can be answered yourself by using common sense and doing a little research.

Take me for example, I bought my first detector a few years ago, and just went out detecting. I also did research, on treasure hunting, on the internet. The researching is fun for me.

Now I do pretty well finding lost jelwery.
I did it all on my own and especially without constantly asking questions on the forums.

OK, OK... No offense... Your postings on this forum have, in many times, not gone so well for you.
There is a very good reason for that.

Might I suggest a different approach for you?

How about answering your own questions by some thought and some research?

If you were to try this I think you will find that you will learn much more and faster.

Plus, you would probably improve your rep here.


Self education is honorable !

 

[goldfever]

PS OK/OK.

This is just some friendy advice, for some reason, I feel compelled to help you.
Honestly, in the past, your posts of all your questions have, on several occasions, resulted in members here giving you a hard time about them. Which, I have the feeling, resulted in your feelings getting hurt. Then the next thing you know people start getting banned from here including yourself.

Please please think about what I am saying and consider the alternative.
I think it would result in you, and many others here, being much more happy being involved in this forum.

Again, this is friendly advice, and truely not meant to offend you.

 

[drewan29]

overkill overkill I would take gold fevers advice. If you would really stop for a second you would beable to answer your own questions also do the research for your self thats half the fun the other half is taking that research that YOU did YOURSELF and put it to use. Not typing out every question here and try to get the answers from other folks I myself will try to answer a question IF it is a LOGICAL one if it's a common sense question and the poster isn't useing any I'll pass over and I am sure others will do the same. All it takes is to go online and type in the area or beach that you are thinking about hunting and go from there. I don't think that I can put it any simpler. I don't mean to sound harsh when I say this but how you are going about it now is just distancing yourself from the people that would truly help you and give you a fair answer if you have a fair question.
drewan