SNUBA check dive turns into a fun land hunt

Buellride

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Olympia, Washington
This is the update I put in the water/beach hunting section....

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Well update from my SNUBA "check dive". First problem was my wet suit zipper decided to quit while putting it on:mad:. Completely exploded in my hands while zipping up. No worries I had a second surfing wetsuit that I decided to put on over the broken one to hold my body heat in. In short it didn't work.

Second error on my part was I didn't bring enough weight on my belt to hold me in a decent "hover" while in the water. Thus I was fighting to get down to every target I hit on.

Lastly the lake silt was so bad that when I fanned back and forth I got such a cloud of silt in the water I couldn't even attempt to see the target after fanning.

After 45+ minutes, cold (from the suit leaks and inadequate coverage), and a little dejected from not being able to recover a target (due to the silt and inability to hover over the target) I left.

Tomorrow is round 2 with new air, new wetsuit and more weight.

Good check dive though....:laughing:. I did find some coolness land hunting for a bit after the water.

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Once I warmed up from the water "check dive" I hunted an older town on the way back home. I have hunted this tiny park before but decided to really focus on "faint" tones.

Ended up just a few coins in the course of a very short 35 minute hunt...but I did find my oldest wheatie in Washington State (1920(S)), a 1930s era sales tax token (my first), and a WWI era Army button on a threaded post.

Pics are included...if anyone that has more knowledge about old military buttons that could help me with any additional info I would appreciate it.
 

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Great report! I know you will get this figured out...I wondered myself if it would just be easier to stuff handfuls of mud and targets inside a large but small hole mesh bag? Check the targets when you get back to shore? In the zero vis mud bottom situations, a guy might have to resort to something like that?
 
Great report! I know you will get this figured out...I wondered myself if it would just be easier to stuff handfuls of mud and targets inside a large but small hole mesh bag? Check the targets when you get back to shore? In the zero vis mud bottom situations, a guy might have to resort to something like that?

Mud, yea, actually I feel my inability to "hover" over the target (more weight to the belt) was more constraining than the silt. After a 5-10 sec it would settle down enough to continue looking. My wife told me that maybe I should carry my all metal travel scoop, will consider that.

Like the mud in the mesh bag idea but thankfully I haven't run into too much mud up here in WA yet. But your "handle" says it all!!! HH and Good Luck!
 
Nice finds. The button you found is called a Great Seal Button. These have been in use since 1902.

http://www.metaldetectingworld.com/05_photo_gallery/05_great_seal_but_1902/index.htm

Thank you Sir! The back is a threaded post so I am assuming if it is a more recent button it came from the sides of an officer "saucer" cap. If it is older then it may be a cuff or shoulder board button...to my knowledge those are the only locations where a button has a threaded back.
 
You're quite welcome. As it's threaded these were on the sides of the cap.

https://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=232678

Thank you Sir! The back is a threaded post so I am assuming if it is a more recent button it came from the sides of an officer "saucer" cap. If it is older then it may be a cuff or shoulder board button...to my knowledge those are the only locations where a button has a threaded back.
 
As for your fanning problem. Forget fanning in silt. Mud suggested it, Get a small mesh bag. I get them from XS scuba 6" X 9". Carefully grab handfuls of muck and wave them in front of your coil. When the target is in your hand, put the handful i9n the bag. Hold the top closed and swish it in the water. Then carefully reach in and get the target.

Practice practice practice, Aluminum tops have broken glass in them. Do not squeeze anything in your hand
 
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