mn90403

There are more pictures here ... now you can see 75 lbs of pearl! http://www.rappler.com/science-nature/environment/144029-puerto-princesa-giant-pearl

That is a real keeper! (The Beach) Mitchel

I have a 3030 and many times I dig everything with that. I'm sure I would dig 'most everything' in an area where I was finding gold. It would be too hard to trust the detector to be accurate on odd shaped, oddly composed nuggets and specimens.

I found an MIT ring tonight and have already located the owner! I messaged him but his tweets let me know it has to be him because his name is inside. This ring was down about 9" and I was using the 11 because I can swing it without a hip stick. I had an SE Pro for a couple of years and had no problem and also the 3030 without a harness. When I got the 17 it was just a couple of months before I got tennis elbow. Using the 17 does increase jewelry production as Rob said. The 'problem' sometimes can be that the targets are very deep. I've had to give up on several because I've had the wrong digging tool at the time. Mitchel

But ... you need to know what you are going to do when you get there!

RDD, I would like to share your experience on a regular basis. This area I am going has not produced anything more than a 5 grammer in years! Yesterday I got to the field at 3 AM for some cool night swinging. I got 3 little nuggets before dawn and 4 more before 10 AM for a total of 7 for 1.14g. I was ready for a new record and then it ended. For the next 9 hours I was without a find of any size. The heat and sun gave me a bad attitude. It's time to go to ... AUSTRALIA! Mitchel

Good going Rob.

Excellent!

When I say 'sold to the Russians' I mean the mining company there in Nome was bought by a Russian company and they are enforcing their rights differently than the old company. I was told that many people had regrets that the deal ever happened but it is too late now.

I have gotten a new scale and wow ... smaller than I expected. When I measure the smallest one in the picture it wobbled between .02~.03g. The 10 smallest nuggets about total to only .8g. I found even less gold than what I thought (2.14g total 12 nuggets) for the trip. I've gotta go other places now. Mitchel

We can read your survival story ... I just hope that we don't read ABOUT you. You can slip and fall 10 feet and hit your head. The local animals will get you before we could find you. Gold is not worth that. Be more careful out there. Mitchel

We were up there last summer and the houses north/west of the harbor had been burned and removed. I understand that part of the beach is off limits to recovery now because the gold company that owned it was sold to the Russians. Further out you get to Cripple Creek where the GPAA camp is. Out there were many beach sluices but they had not been used in some time. The tide there is not much but anything out past the low tide mark is subject to the leases they talk about on Bering Sea Gold. Mitchel

What Fred said ... that is some big trash so I don't care how many units have been over it ... you'll still find gold until you find nothing.

A second can save you a lot of money. A second with a warranty is a good option if available. I don't really know of any gold detectors that break and can't be fixed and they don't seem to break that often.

I went out in southern California and was not rewarded with many meteors. We were out in the 1-3AM time after the moon was down. I've seen much better. We'll try to see a few stragglers tonight.

The Zed can find small gold. The large nugget in the center is 1g and the small one about 9:00 on the dial is about .05g. I'll have to get a scale to measure. I'm told that a Tanita is good. What is better?

Steve, Yes, I know you are a great guy to hunt with. You don't want anyone to go home without a find. But over the years you have grown up there and again for the most recent hunts ... YOU KNOW YOUR STUFF ... was my point. Now you're pushing the limits of the machine and doing even more. All respect to you. Mitchel

I have been out there and you have to know where to hunt. It is not luck Steve. Mitchel

Steve, Maybe the secret is to only hunt 1-2 hours a day? WTG ... Mitchel

Foolish? Has the plan worked out for you? Save time digging or find better gold? Mitchel

Nice nugget ... You can go to a shoe repair and have them 'changed' for you rather than no eyelet. I think the different swing style will make the most difference since you have other, bigger metal there. I have a pair of water boots (I can use on the beach) that are great but they have metal. I have to swing away from them also. Mitchel

That is an interesting video. What can I say? I have a 3030, Explorer SE Pro and the E-Trac (French) we are about to start using. We go to the beach. I do think there are times when my old SE Pro (being used by my wife) finds some things better than I can with the 3030. She has found some nice gold chains with it while I have had some good days and other days no chains. Our coil tags have broken on the SE Pro and I have glued them but if they break again we'll bring out the new E-Trac and I'll have more knowledge of its beach finds. The controls and adjustments seem similar looking through the manual but the field is the place to go next. Mitchel

Steve, I saw the 110 plus around your area and now I see your posting. Good story for the nuggets. Mitchel

Thanks for posting! It is a good one to look at.

Ok Merton ... let's see YOURS!