Metal Detector Challenge Week 4 (Day 2)

This morning I met Rick for a second attempt at finding his lost wedding ring in Sydney harbour. This time I did not have my dive partner Matt, so I was going under alone. Rick felt this time round he could get me closer to the GPS position where the ring was lost. After many twists and turns in the boat, Rick dropped the anchor in the spot he believed the ring to be. I geared up, prepared the Dive Flag and my ropes with lead weights on each end. I dived down to the anchor and secured the Dive Flag. It was then time to setup the ropes as an underwater guidance system. I felt this time round I did a lot better in terms of covering more area. I was more aware this time to never let go of the rope, as visibility is so poor that once you let go it could take 5 minutes of feeling around just to find it again. I felt I was making good progress, and got my first solid signal. My thoughts are that in the middle of the harbour, there cannot be too much rubbish. Not like that thrown off a wharf...so my first solid signal got me excited, I was praying it was Ricks Wedding ring. After plunging the pinpointing device into the muddy bottom, I finally track down the signal...it was an old Aluminium can. After an other hour of covering the murky bottom of the harbour, I had hit about 6 solid signals, all Aluminium cans :( I had been defeated yet again. What went wrong with this search?? Firstly, finding something as small as a ring that has fallen into 12/14 meters of murky water is always going to be a very slim chance of recovery. Relying on GPS co-ordinates are not entirely accurate. And last of all I am finding I am yet to successfully recover a ring or jewellery that has dropped into a soft mud bottom. I mentioned to Rick on the first day we unsuccessfully searched for the ring I would come back again for no charge. Yet if I am able to find the ring I am happy for him to reward me as much as he wants. But today I had failed, so I did not accept any money from Rick. My plan was to go beach hunting during the night to make up for today's failed search. Just as I was ready to go, it started hammering down with rain. So at Day 2 of Week 4, I am sitting at $0 :(