Manticore's Maiden Trip To Cancun With Success Pics. Really Long Read, Be Prepared.

[Hunterjunk]

A great report with great results ! All of your skills on display .

[matt]

Thanks for all the insight on the new detector Gerry. You did very well. I would like to see a video of your hunting methods in the water. From your pictures it doesn't look like there is much surf action where you were hunting?

[strick]

Yikes you were busy over there...Well done Gerry. Great review as well and nice to hear it can swim without drowning 🙂 

strick

 

[GB_Amateur]

Excellent report, Gerry!  Took me 15-20 minutes to read through it (carefully) but worth every second.  Not surprisingly I have a couple questions:

1) What are the mineralization and ferromagnetic properties of the places you hunted?

2) You do some (not dogmatic) depth comparisons, mentioning CTX3030 and Equinox 800.  You ran the Manticore gain/sensitivity at a modest 15-17 (out of 35 max).  I assume when detecting there with those others you weren't pushing the limits either.  So how do you reach conclusions about relative depth?

I gotta say that nothing you wrote has swayed me from getting a Manticore -- on the contrary.  I almost never go near the water (never saltwater and very seldom freshwater, not even dry beaches) so this particular trip doesn't overlap my hunting grounds.  But as Jason said, this report still is loaded with value for us landlubbers, too.

[okara gold]

Thanks for the detailed report. Being a saltwater hunter myself it is encouraging to hear so many positive things about the machine. If it indeed finds more of the earring backs and such, I better tighten up some of the holes on my scoop.

[Gerry in Idaho]

17 hours ago, PSPR said:

Great report, Gerry.  I have two questions for you.

1.  You mention Semi, Target size Imaging before talking about the 2D Target Identification.  Exactly what are you referring to with Target Size Imaging?  And

2.  All those rings your found look brand new.  Are you sure you didn't visit the Cancun jewelry store and buy a few rings just to get us excited so you could sell more Manticores if they ever show up?   

You answer to question #1.   I probably should not have used the term "Semi Target Size Imaging".  What I was getting at is that on occasion I could tell by the smear (which also falls under the 2D Identification (I think that's where I should have made the comments), the target was larger than a ring size target.

Another manufacture has a detector that shows "Target Size" and even though the Manticore capabilities are not quite as good as the other detector (hence me using the term "semi"), I'm starting to see improvements and yes there is semi size info presented provided you swing over the target a few times.  Just my own term and Minelab never mentioned it at all, so maybe I should have not said so?

Answer to question #2. Usually (not always), the gold coming out of the saltwater is pretty shiny.  What do the gold rings you find in TX water look like? 

Pic below is from a previous Cancun trip and the finds I made with CTX 3030.  Notice the gold or platinum (2 rows on right) is mostly pretty shiny.  That pic was taken from hotel room and I had not even had time to clean them up.

 

The pic below (taken in MX) before got home and cleaned them, shows 9 mostly shiny gold and or platinum rings.  Most need no cleaning.

I can show you more, but I think you get the idea now.  No worries, you're not the only one who wonders.  Remember, I'm a little different than the average detectorist.  Been swinging good 45+ yrs and detecting Cancun for 10+ yrs with most years 2x and on occasion 3x trips a yr. 

 

[PSPR]

45 minutes ago, Gerry in Idaho said:

You answer to question #1.   I probably should not have used the term "Semi Target Size Imaging".  What I was getting at is that on occasion I could tell by the smear (which also falls under the 2D Identification (I think that's where I should have made the comments), the target was larger than a ring size target.

Another manufacture has a detector that shows "Target Size" and even though the Manticore capabilities are not quite as good as the other detector (hence me using the term "semi"), I'm starting to see improvements and yes there is semi size info presented provided you swing over the target a few times.  Just my own term and Minelab never mentioned it at all, so maybe I should have not said so?

Answer to question #2. Usually (not always), the gold coming out of the saltwater is pretty shiny.  What do the gold rings you find in TX water look like? 

Pic below is from a previous Cancun trip and the finds I made with CTX 3030.  Notice the gold or platinum (2 rows on right) is mostly pretty shiny.  That pic was taken from hotel room and I had not even had time to clean them up.

 

The pic below (taken in MX) before got home and cleaned them, shows 9 mostly shiny gold and or platinum rings.  Most need no cleaning.

I can show you more, but I think you get the idea now.  No worries, you're not the only one who wonders.  Remember, I'm a little different than the average detectorist.  Been swinging good 45+ yrs and detecting Cancun for 10+ yrs with most years 2x and on occasion 3x trips a yr. 

 

Thanks, Gerry.  I thought you were just tossing back the gold that didn't come out looking perfect.    I think the sand in the Mexico water must sort of tumble the gold and keep it clean.  Coming out of the ground here the one's I've seen are a bit tarnished although they usually clean up.

Is that the CTX or a White's that seems to have better 'target size' info?  I used to have a Garrett GTI 2500 that gave an approximation of target size.  I liked the features but couldn't get an depth with it.  They still sell that detector but I hope they have improved the depth.

[okara gold]

1 hour ago, Gerry in Idaho said:

Usually (not always), the gold coming out of the saltwater is pretty shiny. 

The gold I find is usually pretty shiny too unless its 10K and been in the saltwater a long time. Here's a before and after of a 1973 HS ring.

[Gerry in Idaho]

On 12/22/2022 at 7:22 PM, midalake said:

Outstanding Gerry!!!  Kind of surprised you can only hunt 15-17 sens with that white sand?  How was the EMI?
Sure, wish I could water hunt where I am at. So much is in that water! 

As mentioned SENS at 17 was most of my hunting unless over rocks then down to 15.  I actually emailed ENGINEERING as I was hoping to get MORE, but it's what it is.  In white sand, I was able to get 17 and even 19 on occasion, but I prefer a pretty smooth machine so I don't start ignoring earrings and small blips.  I did try 20 and 21 SENS and probably could have gotten away with it in a few areas if I was just looking for strong solid mid ring tones.  Each spot varies a little as so many variables.  

EMI was not an issue but I had never had much issue with the CTX or the NOX there previous either.

You said "So much is in that water!"  YES YES YES and I agree 100%.  I actually have a couple beaches in MX and BAHAMAS when I can safely get in water, I do quite well.  My wife despises me hunting in them as she has seen the fury of the ocean on a normal day and it's very risky.  I've saved tourists on 2 occasions on a beach in Bahamas.  It's the same beach one of my Field Staff was with me when a wave crushed him and blew out his knee.  Luckily it was near the end of the trip, but he ended up having surgery.  Water hunting is fun and can just as easily be dangerous.

Another thing most folks don't realize is the critters in the water.  At the end of my trip, both arms and legs are covered in bites, bruises, jellyfish stings and even an infected toe.  

Always try to stay within your comfort zone.

[Gerry in Idaho]

23 hours ago, PSPR said:

 

Is that the CTX or a White's that seems to have better 'target size' info?  I used to have a Garrett GTI 2500 that gave an approximation of target size.  I liked the features but couldn't get an depth with it.  They still sell that detector but I hope they have improved the depth.

Garrett