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05-04-2008, 5:42 PM C-17A Joined on 01-30-2006 Posts 388 Massachusetts Gold Trip # 3 -- 2 May 08 Greetings GoldGrubbers, I had a day off this past Friday and decided to blast up to Northern Massachusetts for a 3rd trip. Was planning to take several friends and show them the "prospecting ropes" of panning, sluicing and dredging. Unfortunately, things came up, as they often do, and everyone that was a prospective prospector had to pass... So, up at 0445L, just couldn't sleep for some reason. Got on the road at 0500L and on Couch Brook about 0745L. It rained lightly on the drive up and looked to be a wet, cool day...and so it was. Highs about 56 degrees. As long at it didn't just rain outright I'd be O.K., and thankfully it stopped sprinkling just about the time I was carrying all my equipment and dredge to the brook.... I chose a totally different spot this time down stream, where a large plunge pool emptied below the bridge where Couch Brook Road crosses. Last trip, the water was flowing way too fast and furious to even try dredgeing in this big hole. This trip the water, despite the rain, was much lower and slower. Worth a try this time.... I fired up my 2 1/2 inch Proline highbanker/dredge in the dredge mode, and proceeded to work at the back of the pool in a large coarse gravel bar. 2 hours later I'd moved into the pool trying to suck all the gravel around some very large rocks in the bottom of the pool aft of the white water. A quick clean up showed some small specks and a little flake, so I wasn't skunked. :) Filled with gas, my motor/pump returned to life and I endeavored to work a different part of the pool, trying to wade out as far as I could and try to pull rocks off the bottom and get to the gravels below. Well, in no time I'd filled up my shoulder length gloves and basically got water inside my waders too from small leakes. I had a "cheap wet suit" from then on......and another 2 hours of stooping over and my lower back was starting to remind me I was not 19 years old, not even close. Did a quick clean up and again was rewarded with some small fine gold. Into my collection bucket and I was off again. Fill up # 3......how I tell time on the brook.......and I tried on the north side of the pool around two very large rocks. My goal was to vacuum up all the sand/gravel around them and get as deep as possible. Well, 2 hours later I had a nice pile of rocks lining the stream bank and a lower back that was getting stiff and basically exhausted. Being by myself, I had to hop out every so often to clean the rocks out of the sluice and beat on rock jams in the suction hose with my hard rubber mallet. Team dredging is sure easier! Again, some fine gold showing up. Fourth fill up, and this time I was trying to work the large gravel bar at the back of the pool. This was fun and easy........as the small aggregate vacuumed up like nobody's business and no jams! Had no idea if I'd find gold, but I expected maybe some very fine gold. After an hour I switched up to the south side near the front of the pool and tried to reach as deep into the water as I could. Pulling rock up with my finger tips was all I could do. Could see nothing, and so got lots of rock jams. The clean up showed some fine gold too. So, after about 7 hours of dredging and a short lunch break, I decided to call it a day. A long and tiring day to be sure, by any standard, hunched over most of the ime. I planned to maybe spend the night in Greenfield, and try my new wet suit on Saturday, and see if I could get deeper on some of my holes started, but it started to rain again, and I was sure I'd be so stiff and sore I just decided to load up and head home. Seven hours of bending over, throwing rocks and climbing in/out of the pool can sure take it out of you! I was on the road a 5:30PM and got home at 8:10PM. I have since screened out my bucket of cons with a 1/8 inch screen and removed all the magnitite with my rare earth magnet. Just starting to pan out the cons. So far I have a nice flake and some smaller pieces and specks...glacial gold is a labor of love to be sure. What an adventure. Even had a local policeman stop by and ask "what the heck are you doing?" I gladly stopped and explained all my equipment and my gold prospecting hobby. He was really interested and said he "never knew" gold was "in these parts". Strange he was so far off the beaten path, on a mountain dirt road, but he was very friendly and gave me no hassle, just a "good luck!" upon departing. Next trip up I will take my wet suit for sure and try to get under water for sure, one to see better, two to lay down (save my back)and not spend all day bent over holding a suction nozzle. It was pretty cold water, but hopefully may warm up some soon. I posted several pics of my spot on the brook, my gold from one quick clean up and my own modification to my dredge inlet screen. I saw the water was flushing in so fast it wasn't spending much time in the hopper area, so I took a shelf brace and cut it down and screwed it onto the front screen. This seemed to really work well to split the inflow, slow the water flow and make the sluice work much better. Funny, during my clean ups I never saw any gold on the black v-groove mat. Will post a final clean up pic of all the gold I got this 1 day trip when I get the cons panned out......hopefully soon. Happy prospecting. Now, get out there and find some gold and let's hear about it!! Randy    Report

05-04-2008, 7:05 PM GasCan/SW-GA Joined on 01-25-2006 Summerville, Ga Posts 656 Re: Massachusetts Gold Trip # 3 -- 2 May 08 Again, a nice write up, thanks for taking us alone. I know, half, no make that most of the folks on here would love to go with you and watch your back! Oh, you don't need watching, well help with some of the rock chunking, LOL. WTG GasCan/NW-GA, Formerly SW-GA    Report

05-05-2008, 2:30 PM C-17A Joined on 01-30-2006 Posts 388 Re: Massachusetts Gold Trip # 3 -- 2 May 08 GasCan, Team prospecting sure offers fun in the conversation, tag-team work and sharing of knowledge you just can't get by yourself..... Thanks for the compliment on the post. Will try to post the final gold take soon. Randy    Report

05-05-2008, 5:47 PM twig/al Joined on 01-24-2006 Gadsden, Alabama Posts 4,629 Re: Massachusetts Gold Trip # 3 -- 2 May 08 C-17A, Another good trip and story... Hope you get to make more.... twig/al Alabama Prospecting Supply www.alabamaprospectingsupply.com Email: tom@alabamaprospectingsupply.com Southeast Treasure Hunters Forum www.southeasttreasurehunters.com    Report

05-05-2008, 6:20 PM C-17A Joined on 01-30-2006 Posts 388 Re: Massachusetts Gold Trip # 3 -- 2 May 08 Twig/al, I will try for at least 1 more (or maybe 2 more) day trips up before I move, to try out my "new" used wet suit set up and if it works in with a snorkel and mask. Also, to introduce some new prospectors to the hobby too...... I also have a trip scheduled to visit Colorado from 21-29 June 08, and will be sluicing my behind off, in the thin mountain air at 9,300 feet, when I can those days..........in between flyfishing and working on my rental house! Will post as I can. :) Randy    Report

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