JAKE KOEHLER is in Helen, Georgia, clad in full scuba gear, dead-man floating in a shallow section of the Chattahoochee River. He’s hoping to strike gold, preferably in the form of a wedding band. But the host of the popular YouTube treasure-hunting channel, DALLMYD—pronounced D-Almighty—would settle for just about anything. Even a lost cellphone would suffice.
In warmer seasons, this stretch of the Chattahoochee is crowded with tubers. But today, Koehler hasn’t seen many people on the water aside from his cameramen, Beau Darkens and Joseph Talerico. With their camouflage wetsuits, bug-eyed cameras, and metal detectors, they look like a band of misfit superheroes.
Just when it seems like the morning might be a bust, Koehler emerges, victorious. “You’re never going to believe what I just found!” he says, pausing to heighten anticipation. “A penny!”
Koehler might be playing up this mock find, but his enthusiasm over even the tiniest discoveries is contagious. During his waterborne expeditions—which are as likely to take place in drainage ditches as actual rivers—he’s discovered gold, human remains, diamonds, tombstones, a Rolex, knives, megalodon teeth, laptops, and drones. “You never know what you’re going to find,” he says. “It’s the not knowing that pulls me.”
Dispatches: Exploring the Hidden Mexican Gem of Espiritu Santo
Read article
Koehler, 27, began posting videos to YouTube in 2011, mostly about gaming. But one day as he was paddling down the Chattahoochee on his surf board, he took a pair of goggles along and found himself amazed at the universe of detritus he saw below the river’s surface. Soon after, he found a working GoPro in the river and began filming his adventures, changing the focus of his channel. In 2016, he came across a pistol and called the police to report a potential murder weapon; later the cops informed him that the weapon’s serial number had been scratched off, furthering his suspicions that it might have been involved in a crime. The related video—featuring meditative underwater sequences and fist-pumping moments of discovery—went viral, transforming DALLMYD into one of the top-ranked sports channels on YouTube. Koehler now boasts a library of more than 500 videos and nearly 10 million subscribers.
Dispatches: Exploring the Hidden Mexican Gem of Espiritu Santo
Read article
Dispatches: Exploring the Hidden Mexican Gem of Espiritu Santo
Back on the river, time passes slowly. A few feet from where Koehler is floating, the two cameramen have hunkered down in a wooded area, waiting for him to emerge with something, anything.
Suddenly, Koehler hollers: “I did it!”
The cameramen hop to attention, trotting up the river toward Koehler, who is holding up a wedding band. He turns enthusiastically toward Talerico’s camera, saying: “I braved the cold, and I got a ring!”
The Must-Read Men’s Journal Stories of the Decade
Read article
He runs a finger along the band’s smooth interior. Be it nickel, steel, or gold, it’s obviously an item that, at some point, the owner intended to keep forever. That alone makes it a banger, enough to anchor an entire nine-minute video. Koehler slips the ring into a bag secured to his waist. “OK,” he says. “Let’s get back down there.”
The Must-Read Men’s Journal Stories of the Decade
Read article
The Must-Read Men’s Journal Stories of the Decade
THE CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER flows through the center of Helen, a tourist town in the Chattahoochee National Forest, about 90 miles northeast of Atlanta. As the crew approaches a public river access leading to their next search, a man flags them down in front of a hotel. “Hey, wait a minute!” he shouts, pointing at Koehler. “I recognize your face! You find guns and stuff in the water!”
On hotel balconies above, people begin to emerge from their rooms to hang over rails. A small crowd soon forms along the riverbank. “Everything’s personal with Jake,” Darkens says, as Koehler presses small finds—lures and coins—into children’s palms. “He’s all about positivity in a world where negativity and drama tend to rule.”
Koehler spends the afternoon facedown in the water with oxygen tanks on his back. Onlookers cheer as he periodically surfaces with scratched sunglasses and other detritus. It’s only later, in fading light, that Koehler decides to call it a day. As the trio begins the walk back to their hotel, the driver of a pickup truck stops and motions for them to jump in. A mile down the road, in the parking lot of Koehler’s hotel, the driver jumps out and says, “We thought that was you. Can we get a picture?”
Despite the incessant recognition—whether on riverbanks or roadways—it’s still striking when, later that night, the 15-year-old cashier of a restaurant practically tears up when Koehler walks through the front door. “I’ve been watching you since I was 10,” the kid says. “I can’t believe you’re here!”
Emergency Helicopter Crews Risk Their Lives Daily, But the Most Dangerous Part o…
Read article
As a new breed of YouTube celebrity, Koehler has no studio, no label, no team. If fans run into him, they know there’s a chance they’ll become part of his recorded narrative. “It can get a little weird sometimes when people I’ve just met start talking like they think we’re family,” Koehler says. Then again, that’s how he tends to treat them.
Emergency Helicopter Crews Risk Their Lives Daily, But the Most Dangerous Part o…
Read article
Emergency Helicopter Crews Risk Their Lives Daily, But the Most Dangerous Part o…
Back outside, the night has cooled. Koehler says, “I think I’m going to go back and give that kid something. I mean, he was crying.” In the cab of his truck, he sorts through the finds of the day, but he’s already given away most of the items he found. Unsatisfied with what’s left, he starts going through his equipment bags. “I think I’m going to give him my vest,” Koehler says, holding up a black life jacket with his name embroidered on it.
“Your vest?” Talerico says, incredulous. “I can always get another vest,” Koehler says. “I think it’d really mean something to him.” Ten minutes later, they’re back in the restaurant, cameras rolling.
To those who are unfamiliar with DALLMYD, the gift Koehler is carrying wouldn’t be worth much. But to a YouTube-loving kid like the one manning a cash register on Main Street in Helen, Georgia, it’s a true treasure. The superfan seems particularly delighted that the vest, featured in some of his favorite videos, is still soaked with river water.
4 International Kayaking Destinations to Add to Your Bucket List
Read article
For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!
4 International Kayaking Destinations to Add to Your Bucket List
Read article
4 International Kayaking Destinations to Add to Your Bucket List
More News
Famed Yosemite Climber Zach Milligan Dies After Ice Climbing Fall
Skiing in Japan Is Back Again—and the Powder Was Worth the Wait
10 Winter Hikes to Keep You Trailblazing All Year Round
The North Face Introduces Athlete Development Program
Ocean Rower Fiann Paul Completes Most Grueling Expedition
Snowmobile-accessed Ski Touring in Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana
All Stories
More Videos
The MJ5: Tony Hawk on His Favorite Gear, Why He Always Carries His Board, and More
Here's the Difference Between Bourbon and Whiskey
Young Guns and a Supercharged Catamaran: U.S. SailGP Team Takes on New York City
More News
Famed Yosemite Climber Zach Milligan Dies After Ice Climbing Fall
Skiing in Japan Is Back Again—and the Powder Was Worth the Wait
10 Winter Hikes to Keep You Trailblazing All Year Round
The North Face Introduces Athlete Development Program
Ocean Rower Fiann Paul Completes Most Grueling Expedition
Snowmobile-accessed Ski Touring in Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana
All Stories
More Videos
The MJ5: Tony Hawk on His Favorite Gear, Why He Always Carries His Board, and More
Here's the Difference Between Bourbon and Whiskey
Young Guns and a Supercharged Catamaran: U.S. SailGP Team Takes on New York City
More News
Famed Yosemite Climber Zach Milligan Dies After Ice Climbing Fall
Skiing in Japan Is Back Again—and the Powder Was Worth the Wait
10 Winter Hikes to Keep You Trailblazing All Year Round
The North Face Introduces Athlete Development Program
Ocean Rower Fiann Paul Completes Most Grueling Expedition
Snowmobile-accessed Ski Touring in Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana
All Stories
More Videos
The MJ5: Tony Hawk on His Favorite Gear, Why He Always Carries His Board, and More
Here's the Difference Between Bourbon and Whiskey
Young Guns and a Supercharged Catamaran: U.S. SailGP Team Takes on New York City
More Videos
The MJ5: Tony Hawk on His Favorite Gear, Why He Always Carries His Board, and More
Here's the Difference Between Bourbon and Whiskey
Young Guns and a Supercharged Catamaran: U.S. SailGP Team Takes on New York City
More Videos
The MJ5: Tony Hawk on His Favorite Gear, Why He Always Carries His Board, and More
Here's the Difference Between Bourbon and Whiskey
Young Guns and a Supercharged Catamaran: U.S. SailGP Team Takes on New York City
