St. Lucie County shallow canal hunt for lost object?

[billdz]

Hello,

I'm not a diver, my hobby is model rocketry. I launched a rocket that is 7' high and 5" in diameter and it landed in a canal, about a mile from the launch site at the St. Lucie County Fairgrounds. The canal is about 30' wide. It's only about 4' deep but the bottom is soft mud. The water is so cloudy I can't see the bottom. There's also a pretty big drop from the bank to the water, so I was not able to cover much ground trying to drag the bottom with a long rake, and I've not been able to find it.

I've received various suggestions, from going into the canal with a kayak and using a sonar fish finder to hiring a professional diver or snorkeler. One idea was to post in this forum. Does anyone out there know anyone who might be able to dive into the canal with a strong flashlight and search the bottom of the murky water? The rocket is not really worth that much money but it has great sentimental value, since my 10-year-old son and I built it together and he's crying about it. Substantial reward for recovery.

Thanks for any suggestions,
Bill

 

[Ghetto Diver]

I wish you luck on its recovery.

I have been offered a bit of coin to retrieve a rc boat in a pond by a canal in sl county.
Nope. I know of one gator to inhabit it...not my thing. I dive with sharks no problem btw.
You could try a local dive company to help you out. There are 2 that I an think of.

Msg me if you help finding them.

 

[falcon125]

It sounds like you will be building another rocket. Always a fun endevour.
Sorry for your loss. I have lost a few and always went on to build bigger rockets.
Great hobby to teach kids so many things.

 

[johndiver999]

Recovery should be easy. Locating it is the challenge. If you want a project, get a canoe or kayak, string some ropes across the canal and do a systematic search with a metal grapling hook. You might be able to put a mask on and look down if the water is only 4 feet if you want to examine a snag.

 

[billdz]

Thanks for the replies. The rocket is probably gone for good but hard to give up, as we know approximately where it landed and the water is only 4' deep and 30' wide. Not like it landed in the ocean. Attached are a few pics.

 

[Kharon]

Cool rocket. If I was nearby I'd help you out. I've a lot of experience in no-viz water, but living in upstate NY it's too long a drive and too expensive a flight. Hope someone down there can help you out.

One thought is that you wouldn't need a diver. Someone snorkeling with a leaf rake dragged on the bottom could swim back and forth between shores, moving just a little each pass - 3 feet or so - in one direction. Like mowing the lawn.

Actually, if it's only 4 feet deep and the bottom has any support at all. you could put on a swim suit and sneakers and walk shore to shore shuffling your feet till you bumped into it.

 

[Barnaby'sDad]

Just a thought...do you have or know anyone that has a casting/bait net? If you've got some time on your hands and a rough idea where it landed...you might be able to snag it with one of these.

 

[billdz]

Thanks for the replies. Might try to find that casting net. The bottom of the canal is really soft mud, I'm afraid to try walking on it.

 

[ReefGuy]

I would not try walking on it. I have recovered a drowning victim who did just that and drowned in 3' 7" of water. If I were closer, I'd be happy to help. Nasty water, though, doesn't look like it gets much movement. I'd wear a drysuit. And be careful of snakes. And have a tender.

You might contact your local sheriff's office or fire department and see if there's a volunteer recovery team in the area. A volunteer team may even be persuaded to use this for a training day. It would make an excellent one that I would have a hard time turning down.

 

[Steve_C]

Who knows what trash, bacteria, critters live there. If the rocket came straight down, it could well be buried in the silt on the bottom. Maybe a full face mask on top of that drysuit.