Stayin' warm when your wet can get be a little difficult at times...

We are fortunate here in Georgia in that we can dredge year round if you have a brave heart and wetsuit heater.  It does get cold here, but not like up north.  I prefer to go when it is at least 40 degrees outside although I have gone when it was 28 degrees and the water was 36.  It depends on how much you are into finding gold.  Besides it has been said that cold water makes the gold float to the top of the streambed so it is easier to find.  Who said that?  Must of been a prospector. On a positive note there are no snakes or bugs in the winter. 

These are some things you should have to stay warm in the water.

• 6.5 mm Wetsuit or thicker is a good start.  A dry suit if you can afford one.
• 5 mm zip-up Kayaking boots.  They have a sole like a sneaker
• Wetsuit Heater - this apparatus pumps warm water into your wetsuit.

Wetsuit Heater hose hooked up like this works real well.  Be sure to make the arms and legs long enough to fit down into your gloves and boots.

Do take the time to make sure your feet have the heater line fed into the inside of your ankle down to your arch.  (so it feeds to your toes,  else you will be sorry, mostly all the time, especially if you kick something.  :-)

Ah yes, a wetsuit heater works wonders in cold water.  I can remember those frozen fingers and toes when I first started.   Now I stay nice and warm when I am set up right.  Well worth the investment?  I can't say... depends.

• Diving Hood
• Ice Cap - you can get this from Alaska Mining.com  --Only tried it once and is too tight for me and about pops my eyes out.  I am going to try it over my hood next time.
• 3mm gloves for summer and 5 mm gloves for winter.  The thicker the gloves the harder it is to pull rocks. See  Put a thin layer of wetsuit repair glue on your gloves to make them last.

In the winter when you get out of the water for a few minutes like for lunch or if you just get cold, try this.

• Takes an old paint can and fill it with sand.  
• Be careful here,  but pour a little gas in it.  Stir it up a little.
• Light the sand on fire.
• This will put off some good heat and will burn for a good while.  

When the flame goes down:

• Stir the sand and it will burn some more. Thanks RR

Another way to stay warm is to stay at home in the winter and read about all of your gold I found during the winter here on my web page.  :-)