Mudwiggling through 2016 - Show, Tell and Identify - Old Forum Archive - New Zealand Gold Prospecting & Fossicking for the story to date.
Hunt 2016.31
Quick visit to town.
Was in Whangarei on business and took advantage of the big tides to have a sniff around a couple of bays.
Spent a pleasant couple of hours mooching around the oyster-covered rocks and sticky mud. Nothing of note: $4 in goldies, half a dozen old decimals, handful of lead and assorted chips and chunks of Ali and Copper. Whilst I think the sand depth was working against me, it was nice to visit new scenery and try to figure out where the best spots could be.
Some hunts seem to exist just to introduce you to something new, in this case a handful of Royal Spoonbills wading in the shallows, looking very much at home.
4 Likes
Hey Mudwiggle, here we are on a new site. Look forward to hunting again with you soon.
Happy Hunting all round.
Shane
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Hunt 2016.32
Beach hunt on big tides
3 Hours for nada, nothing, zilch.
Not even a pull tab. Kept checking detector against scoop to make sure it was actually working!
Hunt 2016.33
Another beach hunt after the blow
After getting totally skunked on last hunt, decided to revisit the coin hole from Hunt #27. Some erosion at head of beach, cairn was still there, but the cobbles were under 40+cm of fresh sand. Ah well, itâs not going anywhere.
Wandered the storm line where coins get flipped around with the shells and pebbles, pulled $4 in goldies, CuNi sixpence and shilling, and a dozen or so old decimals. Low tide didnât expose anything worth hunting so called it quits. Hit a tot lot on way back for a Caltex promotional tow truck diecast for the collection and another $2.
The last 12 months has been hopeless for moving sand here, with rare and shortlived exceptions, every storm has built sand. 
3 Likes
Gees your a patient man, I would have bailed after an hour of radio silence. But I guess having patience and persistence pays off to those with determination!
A big old 
will hit someday 
Thats for sure. Beaches are hard work at the moment with only ali ring pulls sitting on the surface - which is a sign of high sand. Also had to work hard to find the odd coin.
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[quote=mudwiggle]3 Hours for nada, nothing, zilch.
Not even a pull tab. Kept checking detector against scoop to make sure it was actually working![/quote]
I know that feeling, targets all over the show, then silence and at first itâs a nice change, very peaceful. Then your brain has too much free time to worry if something is broke and yah almost wish you could listen to some music 
Hunt 2016.34
Spur of the Moment
Intention was to see if the currents from the East Cape quake had stirred anything up - unlikely based on the lack of tidal disturbance on the local webcam. Ended up second-guessing and found myself back at a permission that has yielded very well in the past. All 1930âs to 1950âs stuff, but interesting hunts. Lot of trash to targets now, although picked up another silver 6d in a patch that has given up over 15 silver 3d and 6d - along with a few .223 blanks. Iâm guessing there was a stall here during some fair. Something happened, the table got knocked over and all the takings ended up in the grass. Also re-found the silver spoon I lost a few hunts ago, already snuggling back under the kikuyu. Turns out itâs only plated, (Christopher Johnson, cutlerers up until 1955).
The rest was the usual fare for here: '58 CuNi 3d, '49 halfpenny and a pair of '52 & '53 pennies. Fun hour or so.
2 Likes
Very cool in keeping backdrop. I like
Hunt 2016.35
With 30 minutes until low tide, shot out to yesterdays intended spot.
The local electric fence was off, so could get up into the dry sand. Bagged a couple of $1 coins, but not much else happening
Headed back to the main beach and spotted some largish cobbles in the middle which could indicate some sand movement, spent maybe 10 minutes there before the rain moved in. Pulled a junker copper ring, or so I thought, as it was stained brown. Wasnât until I got it home and started cleaning for copper that I noticed it wasnât having any effect.
Closer look showed a hint of silver, so into the cloudy ammonia. 15min later, out came a nice big sterling ring. Thatâll do nicely. Bedrock very shallow (<5cm) under the sand in several places.
2 Likes
That is a massive ring! 
great score the silver stackers forecast silver to reach $40 dollars an ounce this year.
Hunt 2016.36
Quick hunt for a 10c piece for the comp - popped up an Aussie imposterâŚ
Hunt 2016.37
Another tactical hit to find a 10cent for the comp.
Was a little better this morning. Tucked down out of the wind somewhere closer to home, just me and a couple doing yoga.
Managed to lift a reasonable handful of coppers, a 1958 thruppence and four 10cents, not entering the comp though and will sit this one out to hopefully tempt some more newer members into having a crack.
2 Likes
Nice gesture indeed, I think future comps might have two elements to them to avoid an early win so to speak and to ensure it keeps going for the ten days.
Nice picturesque hunting spot.
1 Like
hi mudwiggle,beautiful spot you have there,good haul of coins,well done.
Cool old spot. Thought there might be plenty of beer lids/ringpulls there.
Skuba gear, bound to be booty (and eels) at the bottom of that water hole.
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[quote=âShadyShane, post:18, topic:616, full:trueâ]
Cool old spot. Thought there might be plenty of beer lids/ringpulls there.Skuba gear, bound to be booty (and eels) at the bottom of that water hole.[/quote]
Charles Darwin actually visited this spot in his travels in 1835. Apparently wasnât that impressed.
Bugger all trash really, all the Ali washes downstream with the floods, leaving the goodies. Been in the water with the bottle already, floor carpeted with trees, branches and entire lengths of post and wire fencing! - way too dicey. The âotherâ swimming hole is a different story, tabs and foil for Africa there.
Hunt 2016.38
Chilly dawn at the beachfront for two pieces of silver and $6 in golds
The Pandora was a lucky save, I chucked it into the trash pocket thinking it was a grubby striker off a Bic lighter! Was only during the double check at home when I emptied the pouch that I realised. Moral: Assume nothing, check everything, hide bling from daughter.
Another couple of non-competition 10cents, 1x 1969 transition and a no-date.
4 Likes
Yes, now that you mention it that sounds right. A graveyard of all sorts. Probly bones there as well from the nutters jumpin off the topâŚ
Choice.
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