snorkeling exeter river saturdays finds

[hunter2000]

I tried snorkeling saturday lots of work constant current. These soda botles had a black substance thats very hard to clean. They are pepsi and coke bottles and a frog a couple different sodas there not very old one older All the old stuf is under the sand and rocks . Any one have suggestions on cleaning these and what the residue is. It was on the bottom also its kinda like the concreations we dig its very hard and black.

 

[hunter2000]

RE:marbles coins and old bottle snorkelingfinds

Met a man who told me when the suns just right you can see marbles every where in the river near the old foundation. Ihad to go back there. Unfortunately what was found inst old.
sample swamp root cure bottle and a few marbles coins are not old 70s.

 

[nostalgia]

RE: RE:marbles coins and old bottle snorkelingfinds

One magic trick I found last year to clean underwater found bottles is to soak them in a 5 gallon plastic bucket in which I have emptied a bottle of liquid plumber/Drano.

It literally dissolves the algae (I think that this is what is on your bottles). But do it outdoors and wear rubber gloves!

Let me know how it goes....

And thanks again for the post!

PS: Went shore walking on an island near here last week and found an embossed 1920's milk bottle and a 1960 6oz Coke bottle ;-)

'Tis the season!!!!!!

 

[green dragon]

RE: RE:marbles coins and old bottle snorkelingfinds

Love the swamp root sample - that's local to me here in NY .

let me know if you want to sell it, might have to have that, lol.

looks like a good haul even if 'newer'.

~ AL

 

[crabbergirl]

RE: RE:marbles coins and old bottle snorkelingfinds

You can also use things such as "the works" or CLR. Really cheap at dollar stores.
Love hunting rivers.

 

[riverdiver]

RE: RE:marbles coins and old bottle snorkelingfinds

Hi Hunter2000,

The stuff on your bottles is an invasive algae called river "Ick" it is very heavy up in the northern end of the Connecticut river and coats the bottom of a river and stops oxygenation of native plants and organisms therefore killing off the local fishery. I have been scuba diving in this nastiness for 22 years and the best for me has been to clean them while I am still in the water. I use a simple scouring pad to clean the "ick" off while it is alive and still soft. Otherwise I leave them in the hot sun where some bottles will dry and peel while others get even harder to clean. Either way they have to be soaked in order to clean them. Any chemicals that you use will be of your choice. On bottles that I have not cleaned underwater first I have found that dawn dishwashing liquid and a scour pad on the outside and comet powder with a bottle brush on the inside with lukewarm water so as not to crack your finds. Any bottle of high value I would pay to have tumbled.

Hope this helps.

 

[hunter2000]

RE: RE:marbles coins and old bottle snorkelingfinds

Will let you know would probably sell. There are 2 chips in the top i could take a close up of the chips if you like. Its the first on I have found Its pretty cool.