A Five Ring Weekend - - - plus One Carberator:yikes:

[bdahunter]

For the first time in quite a while I not only had a chance to get out and do some real hunting but there was loot to be had in the waters around Bermuda.
Friday was a quickie hunt just to wind down from a rough week at work but I was able to net a 14k band in less than an hour.
Saturday I really didn't have time to go anywhere but my own beach before heading into work and it was back to being quiet again, except for this honking big carberator that I had to dig practically to China for.
[attachment 35492 P9170011.JPG]

This morning I slipped out while the Princess was sleeping in and found the custom 10k ring on the left plus two .925 rings that I am tumbling clean after scrubbing most of the crud off of them. After a nice breakfast courtesy of my darling wife I slipped back out for the low tide and managed to net the 14k band on the right. The 14k ring at the top of the pic is the one from Friday.
[attachment 35493 P9170008.JPG]

Ijust pulled the 925's out of the tumbler and they have cleaned up pretty well.
[attachment 35502 P9170001.JPG]

The total nut is a real mixed bag of clad, a 20mm shell casing (it would take a shell the size of a silver dollar), some boating bits and bobs, a buckle, etc.
[attachment 35494 P9170005.JPG]

To get an idea of how encrusted finds get in these salty Bermuda waters just take a look at this pic of a British threepence coin.
[attachment 35495 P9170002.JPG][attachment 35496 P9170001.JPG]
I had hoped it was an old, military button but when I cracked it open I found a coin inside.

Pretty pleased with this weekend's work, too bad it's over so soon.

Cheers,

BDA

 

[alex]

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[Sanddigger]

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[VaBeachRon]

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[Joe of South Jersey]

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[Mike (Virginia Beach)]

Now those are some nice gold rings there. Good lookin' booty!

As for the silver, I'll bet that one missing the stone had turquoise in it. I guess it's ok to tumble junk silver, but that's too destructive for a nice silver ring. Electrolysis is my method of choice for silver. I don't have a tumbler, but have been thinking about it. I usually just wash my coins off and dump 'em in the Coinstar machine in the supermarket. It takes 98% ot them and I toss the rest which are usually crusty pennies anyway. That threepence is MAD crusted...bet that sounded off loud and proud.

 

[JSinkAZ]

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[Craig-PI]

Excellant finds BDA... I sure hope you didn't knock out a large emerald or diamond out of that ring lol...

 

[bdahunter]

I just finished cleaning out the tumbler and I found this cross that I had dumped in with the silver. No karat markings on it but I would guess it to be 10k just by colour and weight, Wierd litle engravings on it, never seen these on a cross before but you never know what you're going to find in Bermuda.
[attachment 35514 P9170008-2.JPG]

So assuming that it's real gold and I believe it is, that makes 4 gold for the weekend. It's all good!

BDA

 

[Steve and Bia]

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[VaBeachRon]

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[protech]

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[Mike (Virginia Beach)]

I believe it's 8 cents on the dollar. But I look at it like this...most of the change I put in there looks like a$$ and it's not real "spendable". So instead of having to tumble it, roll it, and go through all that hassle, I just sinse it off and toss it in a box and when it gets to be about $40 to $50 worth, I toss it in the machine at Food Lion, get my receipt, and get my cash. I've done that like 4 or 5 times so far this summer. How much I "lost" I really don't care...it's free money anyway, right?

 

[newtohunting]

BDA, were you in the water or surf? In dry sand?

 

[Walter L.I.]

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[Walter L.I.]

Hi Bdahunter, That looks like a very old piece.See if you can pick up a gold test kit. 3 bottles of acid 10K,14,+18k and a black stone.It is a Big help. Many pieces I find have no markings.You had a Great weekend in Paradise. Find more!! Good Luck! Walter

 

[Gulf Huntress]

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[GraveDiggerMax-VaBch-Va]

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[bdahunter]

I am not a great swimmer so I will wear a BCD or an inflatable life preserver if it is rough or there is a chance of rip tides. They don't impede movement and add a comfort/safety factor to my hunts.
Typically I am anywhere from knee to neck deep when I'm on the hunt for loot.
I am taking my PADI course this fall so I will be able to go deeper when I have scuba training under my belt.
The dry and wet stuff just aren't worth the time and effort, once you get wet and have some success you won't want to dig anywhere else.

Cheers,

BDA

 

[BEACH HUNTER]

alot of what works beach hunting in other areas just wont work here!! our high water temp for the summer was about 60* or less most times. Boston harbor got to 64* we dont get alot of swimmers just people who mess around in very shallow.