Tips and info required for underwater detecting

[Africa]

Hello to all my friends, I am in the process of buying a brand new Excalibur 11, it is on its way from Cape Town to Queenstown where I live, now I already have a Sovereign GT that I have been using on battle fields and beach hunting, however I then bought an Exterra 30 for inland use but still found my Sovereign GT A much easier machine to use instead, thus I have sent my "brand new" Exterra 30 back to the supplier where I bought it from a few months back and he is sending me this underwater machine up this week, he will just sell my old "new" machine for me.
Here in South Africa these Excalibur 11 machines retail for round about R9 400.00 not sure what it is in American dollars but maybe round about $1 175. 00 but a person also has to take into consideration import duties, freight and taxes.

Anyway I need to chat with you guys who have used underwater machines in the beach shallows.
1. What kit do you wear, goggles, snorkel, wet suite, flippers, life jacket?
2. Where do you keep your finds?
3. Do you use a scoop, spade or what to dig in the beach sand or do you just move the sand away with your hands?
4. How do you attache the machine to yourself, do not want the current to take it away?
5. When you have finished using the machine and you want to clean it, do you only spray fresh water over the machine or what else do you do?
6. Any other info or ideas will be appreciated
7. Do these machines by any chance attract sharks
Thankyou

 

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[Sandman]

What you wear in the water depends on where and how cold it is. I wear a wet suit shorty or just the farmer john pants. During colder weather in fresh water chest waders are fine, but I don't advise waders in the surf. Some guys will snorkle along with fins and goggles, but most just wade depending on the tides and how comfortable they are in the water. Goodies and trash can be kept in a two pocket nail apron. On coming ashore it is best to rinse off the detector in fresh water. Buy some Silicone Grease and apply some to the threads inside the battery connector to help keep water out. As far as the detector attracting sharks, I haven't had any visit me on the east coast or US. but you never know.

The guys that snorkle sometimes fan the sand with ping pong paddles but the waders use a long handled scoop like the Sunspot. There are other good scoops, they just need an awful lot of holes for fast sifting and a long handle.

http://www.nmhra.netfirms.com/pulltab/

Good Luck,
Sandman

 

[sniffer]

when you detect on the beach or any where else for that matter, don't move the dirt or sand with your hands unless you know what it is. I found a couple of pieces of glass that way. it was not pleasant