Very shallow water solo diving for metal detecting?

[Anonymous_Diver]

Hey Kelemvor thanks for the information. I know once I get re-cert'ed I will eventually fly down to Florida and take a tour / assist with their dive boat for a few days. Otherwise, all of my detecting will be outside of the USA. I suppose I should also re-up my FL boating licence too while I am at it...

And yes, a good friend of mine also said never tell anyone where you hunt unless you want to always invite them over as once the word is out, everyone will be out there with you. Thank you again for the information.

 

[markmud]

... Watch out for swimmers who think you are a shark... I've
been kicked vigorously by a parent trying to defend their child.

Ha!
I was stoned by a father and son combo. They were throwing large rocks, not pebbles. When I surfaced they had started to bolt away. There was an expression of fear on their faces.


markm

 

[almostDIR]

I would consider shallow solo diving pretty much the same risk level as a bit deeper solo diving as long as you stay within NDL limits.
Hookah diving would have lots higher risk levels than scuba though especially if going deep and if using a compressor hookah rather than surface scuba tank supply. AND if not being certified and knowledgeable about compressed air diving.

if wanting to use hookah it would be best to have a scuba tank backup with you and make sure you stay within NDL at all times, it would be otherwise pretty unpractical if you need to haul multiple scuba tanks with you to be able to complete decompression if the hookah dies at the end of a hours long dive.

scuba would probably also be healthier because having much better filtered air. the basic hookah setups are pretty miserable looking filtering wise and I would never want to breath hours from one of those ones, especially if it's gasoline powered and there is high risk of getting the exhaust fumes to the air inlet while you dive. the impression I have gotten from the available hookah systems is that they are generally marketed to persons not scuba certified and who believe they could "safely" save some money by using a hookah instead of scuba gear. the hookah stuff seems to be cheap-o Chinese air compressors slightly modified and some sub-par carbon filter added without further safety measures and no backup whatsoever, the intention being that if the compressor stops you will just shoot to the surface like a Polaris missile and risk burst lung / decompression illness.
I considered hookah stuff last year when looked for options for remote diving but the available affordable options looked too much like 'passive cigarette smoking machines' health wise so I will rather haul the scuba tanks to the remote sites

Maybe first getting scuba certified and then decide later if you want to use hookah or go with scuba instead? if the hookah is very good quality it could maybe be used if you have scuba backup with you like suggested. I would use a good sized pony bottle like 40cf or more for shallow diving, the spare air would probably not be enough especially if you get entangled. the hookah hose is additional entanglement hazard and it is great to have a backup scuba with you in case you need to get out of the hose entanglement mess

 

[happy-diver]

with some more experience you would be doing yourself a favour
if you honed all these ideas of yours, preferably with explosives

 

[johndiver999]

I would consider shallow solo diving pretty much the same risk level as a bit deeper solo diving as long as you stay within NDL limits.
Hookah diving would have lots higher risk levels than scuba though especially if going deep and if using a compressor hookah rather than surface scuba tank supply. AND if not being certified and knowledgeable about compressed air diving.

if wanting to use hookah it would be best to have a scuba tank backup with you and make sure you stay within NDL at all times, it would be otherwise pretty unpractical if you need to haul multiple scuba tanks with you to be able to complete decompression if the hookah dies at the end of a hours long dive.

scuba would probably also be healthier because having much better filtered air. the basic hookah setups are pretty miserable looking filtering wise and I would never want to breath hours from one of those ones, especially if it's gasoline powered and there is high risk of getting the exhaust fumes to the air inlet while you dive. the impression I have gotten from the available hookah systems is that they are generally marketed to persons not scuba certified and who believe they could "safely" save some money by using a hookah instead of scuba gear. the hookah stuff seems to be cheap-o Chinese air compressors slightly modified and some sub-par carbon filter added without further safety measures and no backup whatsoever, the intention being that if the compressor stops you will just shoot to the surface like a Polaris missile and risk burst lung / decompression illness.
I considered hookah stuff last year when looked for options for remote diving but the available affordable options looked too much like 'passive cigarette smoking machines' health wise so I will rather haul the scuba tanks to the remote sites

Maybe first getting scuba certified and then decide later if you want to use hookah or go with scuba instead? if the hookah is very good quality it could maybe be used if you have scuba backup with you like suggested. I would use a good sized pony bottle like 40cf or more for shallow diving, the spare air would probably not be enough especially if you get entangled. the hookah hose is additional entanglement hazard and it is great to have a backup scuba with you in case you need to get out of the hose entanglement mess

The guy needs a 40 cuf bottle to bail out from less than 15 feet? As for the other comments...

 

[Bob DBF]

Hello everyone again. Thank you for your thoughts about this as it is appreciated. Without having dived in a decade things are a bit fuzzy.

You could do a refresher class, rather than repeating the class.

As for the diver down flag, some of the areas for the island may be netted for swimmers only thus no need (?) for a flag.

As @kelemvor mentioned the flag can be required by the state, as in Florida, or a particular jurisdiction like Corps of Engineers lakes. I ran into that when checking out a new dive site, since it wasn't posted we didn't know, the ranger was nice and just told us to use one next time.


Bob

 

[American Digger In Europe]

I have many years experience in Underwater Metal Detecting, with plenty of beach and SCUBA Detecting videos on my YouTube channel, linked in my signature below.

In my opinion, diving hookah for underwater metal detecting is not only a pain in the hind-quarters, but also an expense that you really don't need.

I usually set up my SCUBA equipment and get into the water very early in the morning to avoid the tourist crowds and exit the water before the tourists start coming to the beach.

My strategy is to beach detect the first morning out to neck-depth with my CTX 3030 and do SCUBA the next morning with my Excalibur II. When SCUBA Detecting, I ALWAYS attach a dive-flag torpedo with a reel to my Excalibur II even when I'm searching in a roped-off swimmer only area because on more than one occasion, I've had a Sea-Do violate the rope and fly by me "danger-close". It also allows my wife to see where I am at anytime.

When beach detecting and using my sand-scoop, I wear a heavy weight belt to maintain negative buoyancy. I also wear an inner-tube basket firmly attached to my weight belt to assist in shifting through pebbles I may have in my sand-scoop and also as an emergency flotation device. One time I was beach detecting on an unfamiliar beach and stepped into a 5 meter deep hole. The basket attached to my weight belt saved me.

My personal rules:

1. NEVER SCUBA detect deeper than 5 meters.
2. Make sure you use a torpedo with a dive flag and attach it to your detector.
3. ALWAYS have someone on the shore to track your location.
4. Have TWO cutting tools.
5. Religiously service your equipment!

Additionally: If I were you, I'd take a SCUBA Refresher and a Stress and Rescue Course. On one occasion, I got caught by my first stage in fishing line and had to remove my SCUBA unit and cut my way out of it. Taking a Stress and Rescue course will allow you to keep cool and think your way out of a bad situation.

Good Luck and Happy Hunting! Keep me posted on your progress!

 

[PBcatfish]

This depends entirely on where you'll be diving. Unless I missed it, I haven't seen you mention specifically where you'll be (probably wise, to keep that beach from getting picked over )

I know the rules for Florida as that's where I dive most of the time.

Technically, you need a flag anytime you're underwater in Florida. I have seen some marked swimming areas like you're talking about where diving is not allowed. Blue Heron Bridge comes to mind. In that case, you're required to surface swim until you leave the swimming area at which point you can descend on scuba. I don't know if that was a local rule or a statewide rule.

I do know that the laws covering diver's down flags do not make any exceptions for designated swimming areas. That said, it doesn't make sense to me to carry one in a swimming area. The penalty for violation is tiny, therefore I probably would risk a ticket and not carry one.

Here's the law: Statutes & Constitution :View Statutes : Online Sunshine

Here's where the FWC translates the law into English: Regulationsaaa

The way that I read it, you are not legally required to have the flag in an area that is for swimming only -

“All divers must prominently display a divers-down flag or buoy in the area in which the diving occurs, other than when diving in an area customarily used for swimming only”
This was found in your first link section 327.331 F 2

That aside, pretty close to everyone at BHB does have a flag whenever I am there.

I've only dove BHB a few times, but all of those times, I have just walked in from the beach in full gear & nobody said anything. I don't know if part of the beach allows that & part does not. I just know that going in near the east end of the beach on the south side of Blue Heron Blvd., I had no problems. The lifeguard didn't say a thing.

 

[PBcatfish]

Question: how risky or benign is shallow water metal detecting with SCUBA? My other option is hookah diving which apparently doesn't require a certification. ....

Hooka carries the same risk of lung expansion injury as SCUBA if you ascend while holding your breath. I would not use a hooka unless you are competent with SCUBA.

With a gas powered hooka, you have the added risk of CO poisoning if the exhaust blows into the intake. You need to know how to configure the rig to avoid this.

 

[NAM001]

First I have to say that neither scuba or hookah requires a certification to do. You need a cert to get air unless you et some one else to get it for you. Its not like a drivers license

With that,, deep or shallow makes no difference as to whether it is a safe thing to do. The meat of the issue is,,, there are dangers there that will bite you. An obstruction free area, sand bottom, no current, cove of sorts has very little danger as opposed to a shallow , flooded area, with trees etc through out. Certification is only one avenue to get the life saving skills and experience to dive. To be brutally honest,,, that cert makes no difference until you have a business involved that could have some liability if you get hurt. So many of us old farts started diving almost before certs were invented. The cert is just a document of training received and has no direct bearing on your competence.

More direct to your question I should say if you are going to go solo in an unfamiliar shallow area DONT. If you are thinking about going in an area that you have dove before and know the lay out then it is probable that you can do it safely. Rumor has it that Jaques Coustou got rejected on a dive boat cause he did not have a dive cert. Its all about weighing your risks against your skills.