Underwater detecting

[shern_0711]

Recently I moved to Gulf Breeze, FL between Pensacola and Destin, and am wanting to do some underwater detecting. But I am unsure of the laws pertaining to this. I know there are several areas and wrecks that are off limits. In a week or so I will have completed my open water diving certification and am excited to start detecting. I have tried researching the laws but I am unclear on them. Any help would be greatly appreciated as well as any tips I should know getting started.

 

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[stevemc]

You can detect underwater, but by law you cannot take any historic artifacts off /out of the water. Good luck! PM me if you have any questions.

 

[Sandman]

Steve is right about the laws and sometimes they change them without telling anyone. Years ago this wasn't the case and you could do as you pleased so long as the archies didn't learn of it. Carry a couple lift bags in case you need to pull up an old anchor or treasure chest.

 

[Jason in Enid]

I would recommend getting in a few dozen normal dives before you start adding distractions. Diving is deceptively dangerous. Get a firm grip on the basics, then add new elements. Good luck, I wish I lived in florida!

 

[shern_0711]

I appreciate the help! I'm definitely going to ease into this and be safe. I just don't want to get myself some of those steel bracelets in the process!

 

[Syrena Hunter]

Hey, Good luck on the open water, I did the same thing as you for the same reason. I hooked up with a couple of awesomely serious divers and we took two dive trips where we dove 4 times a day plus a night dive now and then. That's 7 days each trip meaning around 30 dives per trip. I learned a lot fast. Now I have an excal II-1000 and SCUBA with it every chance I get. When I lived in Puerto Rico that was every week if the currents were right. Be cautious and learn the diving first. Get a good course and learn all you can to be safe. I'm looking to move closer to a 'Wreck State' and FL is on the top of my list. (Mississippi is not SCUBA friendly) Maybe we will hook-up in the future. HH

 

[john434]

Hey this is John from Indiana. I will be down in Florida right in Pensacola Panama area Thanksgiving weekend. I do dive and have been many times and am open water certified. If you want to go then text or email me and maybe we can get together while were down there. 812 498 4813 [email protected]

 

[twogunz]

run through a couple of test dives sans metal detector. get comfy with your gear, watch you depth and computer if ya got one. after a half dozen dives add teh detector but still watch teh depth it is so easy while detecting to start in twenty feet and end up in seventy feet. Fisrt though get comfy with teh gear and learnw wehere everything goes. Been U/W metal detecting for over two decades. much smarter now than i was when i started