Was going to hit the beach this morning, unfortunately our international guest picked up some industrial-grade plague on their flight over.
Everyone in the house has been shying away from the walking dead over the last week, muttering in hushed tones “Oh God, I just know I’m going to catch it…” before eventually retreating to bed hacking and snotting with the rest of us already moaning and weakly calling out if there’s another box of tissues anywhere.
You’ve probably caught it merely by reading these infected words.
So, as a placeholder for my forays this year, I present some midnight fireworks.
Hopefully it’s not an omen for my hunts this year.
**
My sympathies on the plague virus mudwiggle we have a Xmas guest who is currently moaning like the ghost of Xmas past as well - last thing anyone needs when the weather is so good for getting out and swinging the coil!!
Was down in Auckland this morning briefly, but accidentally packed the ATP in the confusion at 5am.
So on the way back up north, the car was mysteriously guided to some showgrounds. Quick jog up to the office, permission granted “Although you should know one of our committee has a detector and does the grounds regularly”…
There’s always a committee member who detects (buy me a beer one day and I’ll spin a tale of how I had a permission revoked because ‘a committee member’ wanted the place to himself. Snakey barsteward )
Whoever it is has obviously lost the will to retrieve pull tabs and screwcaps - You know the ones, good golden signal in unusually loose soil which turns out to be a tab. So I decided as I only had about 30min before Mrs. Wiggle finished her book in the shade, I’d go a shootin’
Still very quiet but meant I could swing hard and fast and in 30min I’d made enough to shout us both lunch.
Can’t argue with that.
Still recovering from whatever weapons-grade germ attached itself to our guest (They’ve gone back to Germany to further spread the good cheer!) but can now complete whole sentences without doing it one word/breath, so when I got a call from Tony at NZ Ringfinders I found some energy to get out of the house and make someone elses life a bit better
Tough ring recovery yesterday.
My ‘informant’ who was to show me my start point was a very red-eyed and teary 7 yo (been subjected to many grumblings since she lost the family ring in the sea 3 days ago).
First off, we were at the wrong beach (heeeere we go ) so everyone piled into the cars to hop around to the next bay.
As Mum, Auntie, Sniffling Ms. 7 and I headed down onto the beach it quickly became apparent there was no start point other than “somewhere…” the quivering pointy finger indicating about 200m of highly mobile surf beach - Followed by another torrent of tears.
I ran a few questions past the elders, “where does the family normally go when at the beach? At the ends, or in the middle?”, “Is she a water-baby, or does she prefer to play in the sand” that sort of thing. The fact that she is a water-baby who also loves being anywhere on a beach didn’t really firm up a start point. So, I drew some Guidelines in the sand and waded out to what would have been just over waist height for a 7yo and proceeded to sweep…and sweep…and sweep…
Lots of seaweed, ali and shells suggesting the beach was building didn’t bode well, but stuck to the pattern. 3Hours later with nothing more than a half dozen crown caps and can tabs I waded in to give the bad news.
As soon as I started with, “I’m sorry…” Ms. 7 started the water features again. I explained to Mum that due to no effective start point and the time delay it was probably not worth continuing at this time, but I would add it to my Black Book for any future visits… And quietly suggested that Ms. 7 get an ice block for being so helpful.
Tell me about it…Spend all winter clearing it out, then in the space of 4 weeks, the party crowd replace it all. Not too bad though, I found a chocolate egg today, left behind from yesterdays kiddy treasure hunt on the beach.
International ring recovery this time - Contacted by UK bloke, lost his ring in a swimming hole at Christmas.
Bit of a drive, but an ideal way to escape the 30-something heat we’ve been getting recently.
Dropped into the aforementioned forested pool, beautiful spot, only to find the bottom littered with boulders and trees - At least no fencing wire like my local river - And NO ALI or crown caps ! oh joy
No ring either this time round. Back there next weekend.
Maybe I have my priorities about face - preferring to waste my bottle on bits of metal than these delicate morsels of deliciousness…
Apparently Mr. slippery finger is due to be a first-time Dad in about 8 weeks…Will be doing my darndest to give him the opportunity to give him a “happy pre-birth” present for his wife. Happy I lashed out for a Scubatector for the cause!
Half hour before work this morning in a quiet little bay by the light of the silvery moon.
Went down half a metre chasing that damned measure, but been meaning to buy one for a while.
Ring is a stainless wonder, lifted the spirits early on and I hoped it was yellow stuff as it had a bit of heft to it but I don’t count my winnings at the table and was a tad disappointed back at the car. Still, a ring makes it a good hunt.
Three transition shillings were the oldest find, others are twos and fives
Visit two for the UK ring was a bust.
One silver filigree ear ring fragment, Painted rock and a plate off a stolen trailer.
All up, spent 4 hours blowing bubbles, so calling it a lost cause - if it’s actually in there.
Was just taking the fins off after todays marathon of battling ferocious eels (I forgot how much the vibrate on the PP attracts them!), and excited shouts from some young kids every time I broke surface to get my bearings. Hauling myself out onto the rocks in a fashion that made Elephant seals look graceful, when a woman comes up and asks if I would I mind having a look for her ring, lost 5 minutes ago. “but you won’t find it as the water is too cloudy” - Hope and surprise lit up her face when I told her what the little orange toy shovel was for. Totally knackered, I slid off the rock again…
Unfortunately out of gas, but gave it as much as I could before the gauge started getting grumpy. Will go back with the Excal tomorrow as it’s in the ‘shallows’.
Great fun and really enjoying this aspect of detecting - No-one asking “Found any gold?” for starters
And I’m going back to check this out… Just noticed it captured on a couple of frames as I swung my head around, before it’s obscured by bubbles.
Heh, had those - Even had a fellow swinger state that “there’s no rings left here” because he’d cleaned them all out. “I’ll keep going, might be lucky”…knowing full well I had two in the pouch already.
Needless to say, I’ve hammered that spot hard for another 8-10 golds and maybe double that in silver
There’s no rings left there now, I’ve cleaned them all out!
Drawn back to the swimming hole for the UK wedding ring (obsessed? me?) and another 6Hrs over the week - for a handful of loose change and a cellphone. Damned gravel!
The resident Taniwha has it in its lair for all eternity. Maybe…
Knackered and sore from lugging the kit backwards and forwards every other day, going to do some nice relaxing beach hunting, I think.
)
) so everyone piled into the cars to hop around to the next bay.
