New Zealand Gold Prospecting & Metal Detecting Forums Archive

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Free diving and detecting.

Stealth		Posted : Friday, 3 February 2012 1:07:10 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Dust Groups: Registered Joined: 1/02/2012(UTC) Posts: 7 Location: East Auckland		So I do a fair amount of spear fishing around the north island, mainly east coast. Was wondering if anyone has tried freediving with a detector, again I have some pretty neat spots that would open up if it was a good idea. I prefer freediving to scuba, if I pace my self I can usually get 4 hours in the water quite easily. So yeah has anyone tried it, or do people just stick to scuba when they do it? Would look at places around the eastern side of Coro, around Tairua and up.

chrischch		Posted : Friday, 3 February 2012 2:27:10 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 28/08/2011(UTC) Posts: 811 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 192 times Was thanked: 105 time(s) in 104 post(s)		How long can you stay under water holding your breath with experience? I couldnt do it very long I imagine. You could also go down and suction up paydirt from deep holes with a crevice sucker. Good idea, I havnt read about anyone doing that but i'm sure its been done somewhere.
		Fisher Goldbug Pro, Fisher F2, Garrett Propointer.

Stealth		Posted : Friday, 3 February 2012 2:40:23 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Dust Groups: Registered Joined: 1/02/2012(UTC) Posts: 7 Location: East Auckland		around the 2 min mark at 15 meters once I'm warmed up. I'm still smoking so that will start improving soon. My dive buddy can do around the 3 min mark, I can carry gear in my plat (which is a like a fish bin you tow around) really easily. I've had 30 odd kilo's of fish in it so suctioning paydirt and dumping it in there for processing later is also an idea. Hhrrrrmmmmmm, time to start some research :D

chrischch		Posted : Friday, 3 February 2012 6:23:49 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 28/08/2011(UTC) Posts: 811 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 192 times Was thanked: 105 time(s) in 104 post(s)		Yeah I reckon it would work for sure.
		Fisher Goldbug Pro, Fisher F2, Garrett Propointer.

madsonicboating		Posted : Saturday, 4 February 2012 9:36:04 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 21/03/2011(UTC) Posts: 674 Thanks: 187 times Was thanked: 157 time(s) in 127 post(s)		Originally Posted by: Stealth around the 2 min mark at 15 meters once I'm warmed up. I'm still smoking so that will start improving soon. My dive buddy can do around the 3 min mark, I can carry gear in my plat (which is a like a fish bin you tow around) really easily. I've had 30 odd kilo's of fish in it so suctioning paydirt and dumping it in there for processing later is also an idea. Hhrrrrmmmmmm, time to start some research :D firkin hell ya's must be part fish lol!! Ya hould wear a underwater cam and film that shit for youtube I'd love to see some under water fish or detcting hunts!!
		WWW

Lammerlaw		Posted : Saturday, 4 February 2012 11:56:25 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 24/05/2011(UTC) Posts: 1,721 Thanks: 72 times Was thanked: 579 time(s) in 396 post(s)		Originally Posted by: Stealth around the 2 min mark at 15 meters once I'm warmed up. I'm still smoking so that will start improving soon. My dive buddy can do around the 3 min mark, I can carry gear in my plat (which is a like a fish bin you tow around) really easily. I've had 30 odd kilo's of fish in it so suctioning paydirt and dumping it in there for processing later is also an idea. Hhrrrrmmmmmm, time to start some research :D Interesting as I have never heard of anyone suctioning paydirt for processing later but we have always suctioned the gravel and so on through an underwater or floating rifle box, that is an underwater dredge or a surface dredge. This means that the paydirt is processed as you are sucking it. In both cases the only task is to pan up the material on the mats or to take the concentrates home to process or pan up. If you are only going to be concerned with 30 odd kgs then you would merely use hand methods to clear it to one side and then use a snifter to collect the gold in.