danger danger danger

[splante]

Any stories about the dangers of digging and finding...I was at a dump area the other day that I have been to many times, as I was climbing the embankment a good size rock gave way I went head over heels a few times (didnt know I could still do a back flip). Once I landed I did a quick inventory, noting broken or blood.....laughed it off and looked to see if any witnesses around..none......Ok but have been sore as hell since then....Got me wondering if any other stories or advice to diggers and finders out there...Iam sure ,snakes ,bees,rodents come into play

 

[MIdigger]

Glad you didnt get hurt. Ive been dealing with a lot of garter snakes but nothing poisonous. I did a frontal slide down a steep hill the other week, small cut and bruise on the leg but nothing to worry about.
Main thing im very cautious about is sharp objects/metals youd have to be nuts doing this hobby with no gloves. Thats one item I would never go cheap on.

 

[swizzle]

I've had several small cave ins from undermining a bank a bit too far. The last one was about 2 wheelbarrows full of dirt all at once. Just as I was pulling a bottle out of the hole as far in as I could reach. Packed the left lens of my glasses full of dirt and I got a dirty head and shoulder out of the deal. Luckily there was no sharp metal at the time. I've pulled out pieces that are like darts. Last year I had 3 shards of glass in my eyes from a less then a shovelful that fell on my head. Better to be safe and tear off that overburden. Its more work but well worth it.

A walking stick of any sort would be nice when walking down steep banks as well. I almost took a tumble with a backpack full a few weeks ago. Be safe everyone. Swiz

 

[CWBookAuthor]

I well remember many years ago when the 3 of us were digging a patch of woods when we heard a rattle from the overburden. We backed off and very carefully poked at the overburden and found a rattle snake. The snake didn't last very long, but the memory still does! Good luck digging!

Mike

 

[RICKJJ59W]

We were digging a huge 6x8 wood liner and we cheated a little,we left a lot of fill and clay on a wall.(thats a no no) I was in the hole when bottom was hit.I knelt down to pull one last bottle out of the corner,as I was standing up,WooosssHHHhhhhh! a wall of clay cap and fill knocked me against the opposite wall and buried me up to my waist,if I was still in the kneeling position I would have been smothered for a slick.[] We learned our lesson.
" DIG OUT EVERYTHING "THEY" PUT IN" to the original clay walls.

 

[digger don]

I've had the same thing happen Rick. We even took all the fill out of a 12 ft hole and I kept having dirt trickle down on me witch I know is a bad sign . I alway have an excape rout like a rope or ladder when we get in over our heads. Any how I no sooner got up out of the hole and the 1 whole wall fell into the hole. It was the back fill behind the wood wall. Pretty scary chit.

 

[myersdiggers1998]

I was in a dump a few years back and there was a thick layer of shoes ,about 4 inches ,that ran about 25 feet ,I had a couple good deep holes dug and was taking a lunch break by the water when I heard a lg. crack.The whole bank from the shoes and above ,about 10 feet of dirt gave way and slid about 6 feet .It buried everthing i just spent half the day digging. If I would have been in the hole ,lights out. Beware of lg. ash dump banks...[]

 

[808 50th State]

No bottle is worth taking a chance...This area in Waipahu on the island of Oahu by the old plantation sugar mill was producing turn of the century bottles, the whole area was under construction and the excavators exposed the dump, some really rare Hawaiian sodas bottles where found, once the word got out everyone was hitting the dump hard including me...I was digging there about a week before the tragic accident, after that I never went back...I did not know the person well but met him on one occasion...

http://archives.starbulletin.com/2002/09/29/news/story8.html

 

[robert murray]

i had a similar incident a couple months ago digging,i was in a dump i have been digging for years and tripped on a root and went head first into a log bent my glasses and thought i broke my nose,at least on the way down i tossed my pick so i didnt stab my self,i was the anyone in the woods but still looked to see if i was being watched.

 

[splante]

Earl thats pretty Sad they the guy died while searching for bottles, didnt expect any stories that tragic, but it should remind everyone to expect the unexpected and always have an "out" if something should happen.... as stated before gloves, firstaid kits ect ect are a must and don't forget your cell phone especially if alone...use caution everyone ,good luck and good hunting