Gravel Bottom Solutions

[Cool Moe C]

I need your input on this subject. Around my area here in Bavaria there are very few sandy areas. Most lake beds are medium sized gravel up to tennis-ball sized rocks. The good thing is, that no matter how old it is, it's just sitting on the top. The bad thing is that there's no way of getting it out, other than diving for it or kicking it loose and around for about 10 minutes before recovering a shell casing or other junk. The sandy parts are pretty much hunted out and I'm sure the gravel still contains some goodies, so any input would be greatly appreciated.

 

[grumpyolman]

I hope somebody has a better solution that I do. I've tried a bunch of different scoops, the Nutall Diamondhead is one, and when it comes to dense gravel or rocks like you describe...I just can't get to the target with a scoop. The thing that worked best for me was to get a strong garden 3-prong thing for scratching in the dirt, and lay on the bottom with somekind of surface air and scrape the dickens out of where the signal comes. I scrape off the very top layer and sometimes move the larger individual rocks one a time or bakchand sweep them away. When I get down to the smaller rocks/mud/sand/clay I fan a jet of water fomr my hand towards the target area, like I was swatting at a bee, and the jet moves stuff away. Usually the target is more dense than the rocks and the rocks move away and the target remains relatively close. Of course it requires some kind of visibility to do this. 1-2' vis is good enough. More is better. My 2 cents worth....Jim

 

[Magicman]

This is what I use in the situation you described. For all other I use the diamond head. I always have mask and snorkel with me when I need to go below..

 

[deerman]

you might try a garden rake(heavy prong type to rake away the larger overburden to get to the target?then you should be able to scoop it up into a floating shifter i made one for about 6 bucks?look in the mods fourm for how to make one

 

[utahshovelhead]

Try what I call the chomper digger. It is longer than a hammer has a 5-7 inch point on one end and three prong rake points in the other. Think or yourself as a hard rock miner looking for gold deposits. It is hard work but if you hit a site like I did and pry out the big rocks scrape out the little pinpoint alot you will have a blast! Yes its hard work but nobody else wants to do it so lots of the stuff is still sitting amoung the rocks wedged in there. Good luck.

 

[aushunter]

Gudday Cool Moe C
When I hunt the fresh water creeks and rivers I seem to be faced with simalar scenario. Tight rocks and gravel in a popular
swimming location is what I have to deal with, with 50% of my detecting. I tend to use an old divers knife to chomp my way
thru the hardpack to uncover the target. As for the larger rocks, removal by hand and fan as much as possible away, just like grumpyolman (jim)
indicated above in this post. Clear water is always welcomed when snorkling in any situation.
Goodluck and HH
aushunter