Metal Detecting Challenge Summary

After adding up all the figures for the past 30 days, it would seem I ended the Challenge $36.64 in front after subtracting living expenses. There are a few things I should note. Without revenue generated from my recovery service Metal Detector Hire I would not have survived. This added an extra $1300 to the total. In fact, without this I would have barely been able to cover rent alone. Secondly, except for the very first week I did not take the challenge as seriously as I could of. The first week I was just living bare minimum, not going out and living off food only in the pantry. I was also putting in lots of effort with 7-8 hour shifts. But in reality, I could not sustain living this way and quickly went back to my old habits by Week 2. Could I have cut my expenses? Definitely! Could I have worked longer hours, yes! I guess knowing in the back of my mind that I still have money coming in from my other business made me a little slack. In the course of the Challenge I have learned a lot, and feel I have become even more in tune with my metal detectors. Obviously spending 5 days a week for a month detecting will sharpen your skills. I also met some great people on this adventure, and overall I would consider it a positive experience. I would like to thank Tony from Jewllery Rescue for joining me on some of the hunts. Was good to have the company and feeling of safety in numbers at night. I would also like to thank my companion and best friend Wilson (my dog). He was with me for most of the Challenge, and his loyalty towards me is just truly amazing. He barely left my side for the entire month, keeping an eye on things while I had my head down. Also thanks to everyone who has contacted me with words of encouragement. It is very much appreciated. Things I would do different if I was to do another Challenge? Firstly I would do it in the middle of summer. The beaches are packed out meaning more depositors. I would also take the spending side of things more seriously. Meaning no going out on weekends for drinks/dinners etc. And lastly I would put more hours into each nights hunt. I may try a second Challenge in February 2010. I hope you all enjoyed my adventure.

Metal Detecting Challenge (Final Day)

Today was my last day of the Metal Detecting Challenge. I spent this time doing two searches. One at an old park with my friend Tony from Jewellery Rescue, and second search was helping some former students of Haberfield Primary School locate a Time Capsule they buried in 1974! The park search was reasonably non eventful, yielding $33.50 in modern currency in about 2 hours work. Both Tony and I we're feeling unmotivated and decided to call it a night. Then this morning I received a phone call from Melissa, who is a former student of Haberfield Primary school. Melissa and some former students have been searching for a Time Capsule they buried over 35 years ago! I mentioned I would be happy to come out and help. The problem with locating the buried Time Capsule was everything had changed at the school in that 35 years. New trees, new basketball court, even an entry road into the school had since disappeared! The students we're only 8 years old when they buried the Capsule, so they we're not exactly sure of the location. They recall inserting a Coke Can in the Capsule, which would be the only way I could find it with the metal detector. I began to scan the area they felt it might be, only to find out that the area was scattered with junk. Every swing of the detector would send off 3 or more signals. And to make matters worse there was a huge Electricity box near by which was interfering with both my detectors. While the former students tried to recall the burial position, I continued poking around the area...listening for deep targets. After more discussions we decided it was impossible to locate using a metal detector. Melissa is going to contact the ABC and go through the old video archives. Apparently where was video footage at the time the school originally buried the capsule. Hopefully this footage will help identify the area the capsule was buried. So total for the final day of the challenge, $33.50 Coins, and $50 search fee totalling $83.50.

Metal Detecting Challenge Week 4 (Night 4 Part 2)

Since my previous hunt for treasure was interrupted by rain and gangsters, I decided to head back to the markets and continue with Night 4 again. I went over some terrain I managed to cover first time round. I found some new drops, and also decided since the surface was mainly wood chips (easy to dig) I would dig most targets that sound decent. This definitely paid off. Now not to offend the ladies, but basically these markets sell junk. But for some odd reason, (my girlfriend included), women love these places. I managed to dig up 25 pieces of Jewellery/Trinkets?. Most of it rubbish, but there is some silver and gold amongst it all. Yes I finally found a gold ring to show you all! Finally! Although it is white gold, it is still GOLD none the less! I have added the photos of two rings I found, the silver jewellery and the currency. In total I found 5 grams of 9 CT White Gold (wedding ring) with Bullion Value of $71.70 AUD. 50 Grams of Silver! Bullion Value $28.03 AUD. And finally $31.30 in modern currency. Not a bad haul for the night. I will definitely keeping a look out for Market Days from now on. Total for Night 4 Part 2, $131.03. Only 1 day left of the Challenge :(

Metal Detector Challenge Week 4 (Night 4)

Hi all, sorry I have been slow with Night 4's update. I have been away for the last 3 days without my laptop. Anyway, enough of the excuses and on with the Challenge. Night 4 was an interesting night to say the least. I went to a park not far from where I live. Every Sunday they have a market day on, which is very popular. My plan was to hunt this park around 9pm, but the rain ruined this plan. I was looking out the window deciding if I should even bother going out tonight, and then the rain seemed to almost stop. So I grabbed Wilson and my Whites DFX Metal Detector and drove to the park. By the time I arrived it would have been around 10pm, and the area was still busy with near by restaurants/bars. Thankfully this park is kind of fenced off, so there is no reason for anyone to take a short cut walking though it (in other words no annoying drunks), and I figured the very light rain would keep the idiots indoors. About an hour into my hunt, something very strange happened. I heard someone yelling out to me. I looked up and saw a guy on the other side of the wire fence. He was yelling out "whats with the red light??" I wear a head lamp at night, which has a choice of a bright LED light, or the softer red light. I switch on the red light when recovering targets in hope of not attracting too much attention to myself. Well this had the opposite effect this night. I took my earphones off and walked toward the guy..and asked him whats up? At closer glance, this guy looked like a gangster...tattoos everywhere and a chunky ring on every finger. His eyes kept darting towards my Lesche digging tool, which basically looks like a massive Rambo knife. Not wanting to seem like a weak target, I said 'yeah what about the red light?' ...I looked across the road and saw another 4 guys hop out of the car. Anyway after explaining to the guy I use the red light to see in the dark (trying not to sound like a wise guy), he ran back over to the 4 other guys. I saw them looking over at me and Wilson. They jumped back in the car and did a few drive by's. I grabbed Wilson and put him in the car, and got the hell out of there. This is the only time I have ever felt uncomfortable while metal detecting. I have no idea what these guys wanted, or what they we're intending to do...but it wasn't worth sticking around to find out. Anyway, in my hour and a half of hunting, I did manage to do OK. I found $15.55 in coins, and $6.74 (12 Grams of 925 Silver)... total for the nights brief hunt $22.29. I intend on going back to that park for the final night of this challenge.

Metal Detector Challenge Week 4 (Night 3)

No residual recovery jobs left over for Day 3, so I had the night to hunt for coins. I was chatting to my friend Tony from Jewellery Rescue who wanted to try some new hunting grounds. I met him at a harbour side park close to the city. Apparently this is quite an old park, so there was a good chance of finding some old predecimal coins. But unfortunately old coins are not going to help me in this challenge, unless I dig up a gold sovereign or 1930 penny. (the chances of this are very slim)..so I was back to targeting $1 and $2 coins. The area turned out to be a good spot. I arrived at 11pm and clocked off at 3am, and managed to find $62.50 in modern currency. I also found a couple of foreign coins, and 2 silver threepence's. I could have kept hunting for longer, but was feeling pretty tired and had to keep hiding from a park ranger because I didn't have Wilson on a leash. Not sure what the fine is for having a dog off a lead, but I am sure it would have wiped out what I had found for the night. So total for Week 4. Night 3 is $62.50.

Metal Detector Challenge Week 4 (Day 2)

This morning I met Rick for a second attempt at finding his lost wedding ring in Sydney harbour. This time I did not have my dive partner Matt, so I was going under alone. Rick felt this time round he could get me closer to the GPS position where the ring was lost. After many twists and turns in the boat, Rick dropped the anchor in the spot he believed the ring to be. I geared up, prepared the Dive Flag and my ropes with lead weights on each end. I dived down to the anchor and secured the Dive Flag. It was then time to setup the ropes as an underwater guidance system. I felt this time round I did a lot better in terms of covering more area. I was more aware this time to never let go of the rope, as visibility is so poor that once you let go it could take 5 minutes of feeling around just to find it again. I felt I was making good progress, and got my first solid signal. My thoughts are that in the middle of the harbour, there cannot be too much rubbish. Not like that thrown off a wharf...so my first solid signal got me excited, I was praying it was Ricks Wedding ring. After plunging the pinpointing device into the muddy bottom, I finally track down the signal...it was an old Aluminium can. After an other hour of covering the murky bottom of the harbour, I had hit about 6 solid signals, all Aluminium cans :( I had been defeated yet again. What went wrong with this search?? Firstly, finding something as small as a ring that has fallen into 12/14 meters of murky water is always going to be a very slim chance of recovery. Relying on GPS co-ordinates are not entirely accurate. And last of all I am finding I am yet to successfully recover a ring or jewellery that has dropped into a soft mud bottom. I mentioned to Rick on the first day we unsuccessfully searched for the ring I would come back again for no charge. Yet if I am able to find the ring I am happy for him to reward me as much as he wants. But today I had failed, so I did not accept any money from Rick. My plan was to go beach hunting during the night to make up for today's failed search. Just as I was ready to go, it started hammering down with rain. So at Day 2 of Week 4, I am sitting at $0 :(

Metal Detector Challenge Week 4 (Day 1)

Ugh, first day of the last week of this Challenge, and I am off to an unproductive start. Being the stubborn person I am, I drove back up to Brisbane Waters to do a second search for Clayton's lost wedding ring from Week 2 of the challenge. This turned out to be a frustrating search. Firstly, the boat was moared in a stationary position. Clayton and his friend saw the exact spot the ring dropped, and the water was only 1.5/2meters deep. This time round I had Clayton move the boat so I could complete a better search. After another 5 hours plus in the water, still no wedding ring! I am totally baffled by this search. My theory is the heavy gold ring had sunk into the soft muddy bottom to a depth my metal detector cannot reach. I mentioned to Clayton that I did not want any money for the second search as he already over paid me the first time. But being the gentleman he is, Clayton bought me a case of cold beer which was needed after this unsuccessful search. So Day 1, $0 but lots of beer :)