Birthday dive with pictures (of the stuff)

[blobbottlebob]

Thanks Bottlehead. Wish I could find more of that enamel advertising. Its cool, iconic and interesting to see how people sold their wares years ago. Somebody had the idea that two kids talking about how they wish their moma used wool soap would sell more of their product. And it probably did!

 

[Dansalata]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND VERY COOL FINDS WTG!!!

 

[cyberdigger]

Cool post Bob, very interesting stuff indeed! I still find it hard to imagine what it's like to go diiving at all, let alone hunt for goodies down there.. it must be very exciting!

 

[blobbottlebob]

Thanks Dansalata!
I really can't complain. I've had a great year diving.

 

[tfredrich]

Hey Bob,
Do I feel like an ass! I was diving with you when all this stuff came out and I didn't have an inkling that it was your birthday! Had I known I would have snuck in next to you and planted something really GOOD on the riverbed just up from where you were!Well Happy Birthday aned I am glad you found all the better stuff on this day! I had a blast and am ready for another go when you are! Love the sign, maybe I will post something just to add to the attention of this thread!
Tom

 

[blobbottlebob]

I still find it hard to imagine what it's like to go diiving at all, let alone hunt for goodies down there.. it must be very exciting!

Chuck,
You don't have to imagine. Its all there for you (after you get certified).

I'm telling you, the diving is fun. I'll never forget that first time breathing underwater in a swimming pool. I just stopped what I was doing and looked around in the relative silence that the water creates. It was awesome. Hard to say that I am still awestruck just being underwater, but I love to get out and I'm trying to cram as much as I can into the end of the season here.

In terms of hunting for goodies, it really is a blast. Especially when you land something decent. I found that milk glass bottle early on in my tank on Tuesday and I figured anything else is just gravy. I already got something really cool. But there are days when nothing you do seems to work, or your gear is giving you heck . . . You just try to put yourself in position to find something and hope for a little luck from there.

One neat thing about my last dive (but not every time out) is that the visibility was zero. So, you feel something on the bottom. Try to get a mental picture and then make a decision, "Do I ascend to the surface to check this out - or do I chuck it?" Sometimes, you're just curious. What is this weird metal thing? Others, you're adding things in your mind's eye with wishful thinking, "Maybe it's colored or pontilled?" Often, despite the fact that fingers don't lie, what you pull up is different than you expected. Many times, though, its exactly what you thought it was. One time, for example, I was in an area where I was finding all medicines and beers. I was lucky enough to find a hutch but I wasn't thinking hutch at all. My mind's eye had it as some kind of shorty weird amber squat beer that was crazy weird, crazy rare, crazy valuable. The instant I saw a glint of aqua, I realized it was a hutch.

Twice now, in the last couple of weeks, I have been pleasantly surprised by colored medicines. This Milk glass one took me by total surprise. I feel pretty lucky to have landed them.

 

[tfredrich]

Here is a favorite shot of stuff that I was going to give to Bob for his birthday! I guess it will have to wait till next year!

 

[blobbottlebob]

Tom! Thanks for chiming in. It wasn't actually the day of my birth. It was just the day I hoped to find myself a glassy undersea present. My birthday was on Sunday. AND I"m the one who should feel bad for missing yours last week ('cause I knew it was right around mine). Oh well. Maybe we'll remember better next year?[]

Thanks for going out. It really was pretty fun. And thanks for posting the iceburg pic. That has to be the coolest (well at least the coldest) live action dive gear picture that was ever taken of me. For those who have never seen this, Tom came out on a January dive to watch from the toasty shoreline while we dove in a river with ice chunks floating in it. My gear failed after about ten seconds and since I was already in the water, I stayed and palyed for awhile. When a thick mini iceburg flaoted by, I climbed aboard and Tom took this pic . . . It is a neat shot but I'm not sure I want to climb back into water that cold anymore.

 

[blobbottlebob]

Had I known I would have snuck in next to you and planted something really GOOD on the riverbed just up from where you were

Its a good thing you didn't because this probably would have scared me senseless.

 

[blobbottlebob]

Here is a favorite shot of stuff that I was going to give to Bob for his birthday!

That is exceptionally generous of you Tom. I would have a nice little stoneware collection if you gave me 19 clays (not to mention four rare glass bottles). I bet your picture has over fifty dollars worth of stuff in it![]