shallow water diving

[signal]

I would like to do more detecting in shallow water, say 6' or so. It seems like it would be easier to just use a scuba tank, hand scoop and short shaft on say an excal and just stay down under water and detect away. So a few questions:

1. Does anyone do this?
2. Do you use a "dive buddy" being that the water is so shallow......I could almost stand up in it.
3. Do you use a small tank?

I am not that tall, 5'7", so add to that the surf, and it can be a bit frustrating to do water detecting. It just seems that using a scuba tank could make things go even easier.

 

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[Treasure_Hunter]

You could do that. You can also use a snorkle and dive belt.

Have to wonder how much lost jewelry will be there since majority of people at beach stay where they can stand up.

“A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”
― James Madison
The Constitution of the United States of America

 

[signal]

So I made the decision to do scuba in shallow water. I already own my scuba gear and maybe down the line I buy a hookah, but I plan to just use regular Aluminum 80 tanks, I have two, they are Nitrox. I am going to use an Anderson scuba shaft on an Excalibur 10", and use a small hand scoop with 5/8" holes.

Reasons are:

1. With the surf we have, particularly in winter, you really get beat up if your above the surf line, under water its not bad at all, just a little shifting about.
2. I can hit areas at high tide that many can't hit until low tide
3. I can hit areas further deep at either tide, and since we all know objects can move about, this hopefully gives me some advantage on those targets
4. The time to recover targets should be substantially reduced. With full visibility on the target (in ideal conditions), the routine of scooping, checking, sifting should be much quicker.

It seems like a PITA to bring all this scuba to the beach, gear up and go in. But, if I can spend a few productive hours under water, I think it won't be time wasted. In very shallow water, say 3.5' or less I can just snorkel, but use the same Excal scuba setup. I am looking forward to it!

 

[SADS 669]

I use a tank sometimes in inches of water to MD. It means you can completely relax in terms of concentration on the job at hand without worry about choking if a wave tumbles you a bit.

Also a tank lasts a very long time in shallow water. Also most BCDs have huge pockets for goodies a useful bonus.

 

[Higgy]

I use cheap gear and dive in 10-12 feet of water with an aluminum 80. It really does help me to relax, concentrate, and enjoy what I am doing. No fins - just hard-soled dive boots, and enough weight to stay slightly negative buoyancy. Any signs of trouble, and I hit the inflate on the BCD.

I also do all this alone. Wife is ticked off by my insistence to do it, but I don't see any reason to worry, since I wont be diving in any depth that I cant snorkel. FWIW, I been a PADI diver since 1978.

 

[Capt Nemo]

Solo, I don't dive deeper than I can make a "blow and go" from. About 30' max.

NASDS 1987

 

[riverdiver]

Ive been doing it since 1993 with a Whites Surf master II with the dive handle, don't do the ocean though, do river bottoms and lake beaches here in New England. Dive solo now, Have dove with a partner with same gear set up, single 80, hard sole boots, ankle weights. Made one adaptation to my detector handle in that I attached 2-plastic containers to hold the good and the bad . I took two plastic peanut butter containers, cut a 2" hole in the lid, glued a disc of rubber into the underside, cut an X into the rubber so it serves as a check valve, items go through the rubber into the container but don't come out if I get flipped over by the river current, I used some pvc pipe fittings to mate it all to the handle. Been Naui an Padi certified since 1979.

 

[AUVnav]

1. Does anyone do this? Yes.
2. Do you use a "dive buddy" being that the water is so shallow......I could almost stand up in it. Depending on your level of experience, no problems diving alone, just not as fun.
3. Do you use a small tank I dont carry the tank(s) on my back, the tank(s) are strapped to a floatation device (a Keen 3" dredge support) I suppose you can just use a truck tube. Attached is a long air hose and hookah mask, just towed along. If the conditions warrant, it can be anchored. Good place for the dive flag.
Like others, hard shoes with strap-on ankle weights people use for exercising that I got at a second hand store. A good dive light helps.

In further posts, you mentioned Nitrox, I would not use that for shallow diving.

 

[agflit]

Probably 85% of my shallow water recovery work...lost jewelry, dropped camera etc etc etc....I do with a work rig... anything between 6' and 25' or so. I'm in the upper midwest, so conditions dictate that I can focus on the detector and what it's telling me...heavy silt and marl, viz conditions from inches to a few feet on a good day.

I always work alone...for a few reasons. First...I can't be focusing on my dive buddy if I'm trying to locate something...second...I don't need ANYONE...stirring silt and creating even more viz issues. And quite frankly...I KNOW..my abilitys and training, so don't expend mental acuity on others and "what if's".
Few things to maybe keep in mind when working submerged shallow...ALWAYS...have a cutting tool...mono can kill you. BE VERY AWARE...of boat traffic. Listen...alot...often..ALWAYS. And remember...theres no where to hide in only a few feet of water if some fidiot comes blasting thru. Be ready to get small, and become mud if ya have any doubt about a boat close by.
I also seldom run a marker float...it's an invitation to jetskis, boaters and "come here!!" It's just safer to NOT mark your position alot of times.. imo.

Good luck, and hunt safe!!

 

[njcommercialdiver]

agflit,
I hear you, many times ive did the mud burrow while on scuba, most times you cant see more than 5-7ft out here. couple times ive seen the prop go over. I never use a flag anymore after I had some idiot trying to pull mine up abt 10 years ago,"I thought it was a lobster pot"

 

[ScubaDetector]

I am in shallow water 95% of the time. I always use a flag. I know most boaters have absolutely no idea what it means. However better they get a ticket and not me. I am in the great lakes and inland lakes of Michigan. Most the gold is in water less than 7' deep. The exception is drop offs at the end of docks.

The only place I don't use a flag and one can't be used anyway is the St. Clair River in my hometown. Current is 8+ knots and 1000 foot boats go over top of you. You go in at the seawall and come up at the seawall. Detectors are useless out there also.



I never use fins in the river either. I walk along the bottom or let the current push me. Can't go against it if you wanted to



A few shipwrecks are in the river. Just downstream from where I am is the wreck of the M.E. Tremble, it sank in 1890.