Found The GOLD,Manatee encounter,Flying girl

[bob.oz]

Two hunts on two beautiful days...Started out this morning hoping to end my gold drought.Its been really slow on the beaches now that summer vacation is over,last 5 hunts have resulted in a silver ring on 3 of them,skunked once,and a junk one Friday that i thought was going to keep the silver streak alive, It sure looked silver when recovered...but was a "Kiam Family" costume ring....Today started out with nothing but junk for the first hour,not even a penny....that changed with some clad and a hoop in the scoop...not much, but better than tabs and caps!!
As i continued to work the beach,i was entertained by the "JetFly" workers trying to drum up customers. The guys and girl that run it make it look real easy,that's a girl flying it,for the $250..45 minute ride...You don't have full control like she does,it is remotely controlled from a support boat,to keep you from going too high/fast and loosing it.
I was starting to think the beaches are just too sanded in after the storms we've had,so much sand and trash...and old trash at that,lots of old encrusted caps....last three silver rings i have found have been deep and and come up encrusted in blackness.The class ring came up in one scoop,and its a pretty one,full name inside,think Ill hang on to this one till after our club meeting this month,Its got that winner look!!!...After finding 3 class rings this summer...and returning them all in the last 2 weeks...I'd rather find a ring without all that info...no guilt in keeping those.
As i was ending my hunt i had an encounter with a Manatee,one of the guys on a waiting parasail boats gave me a heads up one was coming up the beach right behind me....I turned around and he was about 50 yards away,swam right up to me,stopped..let me rub his head as he checked out my gear...and continued on his way.Could not react fast enough to put the camera in underwater mode....The one pic is him as he was stopped in front of me,prop scar on its back....and the other moving on down the beach snorting air...HH GL

 

[bootyhoundpa]

wow,looks like an exciting day ....congrats..... ive never seen a manatee in person and i know they are harmless ,but if i ever had something that big sneak up on me in the water you would see my feet moving like a high speed motorboat...

 

[mudslingers8]

I'm down in Naples and the beaches are sanded in bad here also, I did get out today and found a stainless ring & silver .925 leaf ring with stones. I also found an unusual looking piece of silver it is 23 grams and looks old. I will post pictures of it to see if anyone can help identify it.

Mudslingers
AT Pro
Sand Shark

 

[bob.oz]

wow,looks like an exciting day ....congrats..... I've never seen a manatee in person and i know they are harmless ,but if i ever had something that big sneak up on me in the water you would see my feet moving like a high speed motorboat...

I usually keep my eyes moving in all directions when I'm out there early sunup,dead calm lots of bait, you cant be too cautious......Been out there before and seen them coming....but when they catch you off guard and a dark mass overtakes you suddenly...it can be heart stopping....i did appreciate the heads up from the boater.....
Checked out the stones with my neighbors diamond tester...They are real and the big ones are amethyst...blind me didn't even notice the diamonds them till i got home...

 

[scott.f]

Beautiful ring, and very cool seeing a manatee that close.

 

[scubadetector]

Hey Bob, do you take in castaways?? I am willing to relocate for a few weeks to Florida if you take me out detecting!! What a deal! You get to show me some good spots and you get a little competition from a diver! You can't pass that opportunity up! Very nice rings your getting this year. Last one is no exception.

 

[bob.oz]

OH WOW!!....I feel so, sooo....What I ever do to you???....Hmmmm..can you remodel a bath,lay tile,shingle a roof,set a couple tie poles,...in 2 weeks?...when did you post this,i have threatening PMs from all over Florida,You know the Manatees really are vicious...the boaters are just as bad as the drivers on the roads... year round.. you could go up to CWB every day,they could always use another MDer.....

 

[kcdigit]

I had a large Bass sneak up on me but nothing that big even though it would be cool. I think the Manatee's would be shivering here. Nice finds!!!!!

 

[birdman]

Love the bling! I can't wait to get back to Fl!

 

[bob.oz]

Class ring #4, found this summer is going home.That's 4/4 returned class rings this summer or about 700.00 in melt..Hmmmmm...I sleep well at night.....
After searching for the past month the owner of the ring was found.I traced him to Maryland and posted on CL lost&found,called the University,contacted the hotels,goggled his name and found a utube video by him,and contacted the ring maker (Jotens) who still had a phone # and contacted the family...who just called me today.Arrangements made to send me postage first before i send the ring...lesson learned!!
An interesting note to my fellow west coast hunters...This ring was lost 8/12/12 and found 9/16/12...I and many other MDers had been up,down,and all around this beach many,many times that month and missed it...it was a one scooper and in knee deep water...just shows how well they can hide...nobody finds it all. HH GL