The #1 question I get from fans of Bering Sea Gold is ”can I come dive for you?” Well the answer to that is ”no,” unfortunately, because I can’t hire everyone and I already have experienced guys like Jeff Orzechowski to work with who are in Nome and know how to produce gold. But for anyone who has ever thought about getting a job as a gold diver in Nome, we put together this interview with Jeff to tell you how to get your start in the business.
Jeff is the real deal – he’s worked for 8 years in the business and has personally pulled thousands of ounces of gold out of the Bering Sea – and I can personally verify his skills as a diver. Enjoy!
0:00 Introduction
2:07 Jeff’s start in the business
9:01 Getting bent
12:31 What’s the difference between diving on a 6”, 8”, 10” and 14” hose
14:12 What kind of dive experience did you have before coming to Nome to dive for gold?
15:14 What dive equipment do divers provide and which equipment does the dredge owner provide? (and how Jeff almost drowned without comms)
17:17 How does Jeff deal with the dangers of the job? (he gets to know the equipment and focuses on performance of air compressor)
20:07 How do divers get paid?
23:54 What is the work schedule like for a diver?
26:38 Why do new divers wash out of the business?
29:32 Jeff’s worst summer – article:
32:17 How much gold different dredge sizes tend to make in a season
33:48 Why new divers and operations don’t thrive
37:38 The most important skills needed to work on a dredge
40:06 If you have no connections – the best way to get a job as a diver
44:46 How much money can divers make?
47:16 Why Jeff is a gold diver: freedom
