First dig of the Season

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oz-riley

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Well, I have had my first creek dig of the bottle digging season here in Australia, it is still spring but we had a couple of warmer days and I was visiting friends in a country town in Victoria.

I though I would have a go at a place where we have had good success in the past and it was right in the middle of town so easy to get to. I pulled on my wetsuit and jumped in the river, now I have a 7mm wetsuit but the cold water still took my breath away, I thought I will give this ten minutes and if I have not found a good bottle I will pack it in!

After about five minutes to my surprise I pulled out a Cruickshank Bulge Top Codd from Hamilton with a Rooster trade Mark, this is a very rare bottle and I was very happy to find it. I thought I will give it a bit longer, and soon enough my probe found another Codd bottle this one was the Volcanic Aerated Water Co also from Hamilton. Well that was it I managed to stay in the water for just on three hours before Hypothermia almost set in and I had to get out, in that time I had also found another Codd bottle a J.S. Rowley from Warrnambool & Hamilton.

All three codds are rare and these were some of the better bottles to come from this spot, there were also heaps of more common bottles found.

Thanks
Chris

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Pontiled

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Nice finds, Chris! I've never "water dug" before, but I've seen some fantastic pieces found. On the Potomac River, near Alexandria, Virginia, a friend recovered a milk-glass school house ink. It was a beauty!
 

IRISH

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Hi Max,
I strongly recommend you DON'T use waders, although I did use them for years (until I started to dig with oz-riley) I will never wear them now, there are a few fishermen and shooters drown here every year in waders due to stepping into a deep spot etc. and the bottom of creeks and rivers are often very uneven (if you go under in waders you will likely not get out).
The best way to go is with a wetsuit, warmer and safe [;)] .
 

Harry Pristis

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RE: First dig: Neoprene Wetsuit

I agree with IRISH. Not only is a wet suit warmer, it is buoyant. It will give some protection from bumps such as barking your shin on a submerged tree branch.

I always wear neoprene wetsuit boots, as well. These work well to minimize the grit that gets next to your feet.

Over the neoprene boots, I wear oversize, canvas high-top basketball shoes. The latter provide a flexible, protective sole with good traction. The rubberized soles allow you to feel things like bottles on the bottom, but are stiff enough to dig those things out of the bottom sediment using your toe.

BTW, IRISH, I gather you are hunting rivers outside of the range of the Saltwater Crocodiles?

Good hunting!

---------------Harry Pristis
 

IRISH

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Well away from the crocs Harry [:D] about 1800 kilometers from the southern most range of them, can't help but think about the bottles that must be in all the rivers around the Queensland goldfields though [;)] .
 

oz-riley

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As for boots I used to wear rubber boots, now I have a pair of what are called 'rock hoppers', they are a soaled wetsuit boot with small metal spikes on the base. they were invented for trout fishermen to stop you from slipping over on slippery rocks.
They are good for getting out on slippery banks and they are like having another set of probes on the bottom of each foot, however I have learned that if you are not careful when you hit a bottle with them you can scratch them badly.

Chris
 

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