In season one of BBC’s The Detectorists (spoiler alert), Andy and Lance end up in quite the dispute when Andy decides to dig with Sophie. A big no-no! While I haven’t been detecting as long as many others, I completely related to this moment. (My husband often tells me I laugh way more than anyone should during that show, but that’s neither here nor there.) The point is, once you have a dig partner, a.k.a. my husband, it’s almost imperative that you dig with them and only them. This may not be true of every digging partnership, but there’s almost something sacred and special about it. You question bringing in an outsider, and god forbid that you would venture out with some other detector and find the Holy Grail (piece of gold, silver, large cent, maybe even clad …)!
It’s important to be loyal to your dig partners. I truly believe that the partners who dig together will stay together. Of course we’ve only been digging together since August 🙂 , so maybe that’s just wishful thinking. However, when I think of all the fun we’ve had so far and all of the “treasures” we’ve unearthed, I can’t imagine “digging it” with anyone else. (Except maybe my father-in-law he has like 30 years experience on us! But don’t tell my dig partner that. He’s definitely the only one.)
When I think of some of my favorite digging shows, Stealth Diggers, Hoover Boys, Dig Fellas, and others, I can’t help but see the camaraderie that has developed between these friends. Then you join online digging groups and forums, there is an entire world out there full of potential dig partners and they share their finds with each other. It’s something that perhaps few could understand, but I think that’s what makes Dig Partners so special.
We’re unique. We don’t mind getting dirty, smelling like sweat, dirt and rust, spending time differentiating between signals on our detector and sifting through nails and foil. We appreciate what we do find. We love to learn about our finds, our history, and to get a little fresh air at the same time. Nothing beats it, and when you’re lucky enough to find that partner who’ll go out and spend hours finding tabs and broken glass with you, well, you know you’ve found a best friend.
Would I dig alone? Yes. Have I? Of course, diggers gotta dig! But, when you look outside and see warm weather coming, you know your partner is thinking about that dig site too and you wouldn’t want to spoil out on the fun you’ll have together. You partner may be your significant other, a best friend, pet or child, but whomever you are lucky enough to share your finds with, ultimately has a place in your heart, and perhaps that’s why it’s so important not to betray that bond. My cousin hosts this blog, and I hope we get to be dig partners one day! I think it’s awesome that two people, related but having spent most of our lives in completely different places, could have such a “special” 😉 hobby in common! Can’t wait to see what we’ll dig up someday soon!
Happy Digging!
Yours,