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Sniping for Gold - any tips anyone?

gavin		Posted : 14 years ago
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Administrators, Registered Joined: 20/02/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,326 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 736 times Was thanked: 535 time(s) in 287 post(s)		I'm playing with the idea of having a little go at sniping for gold next weekend. Never done it before and was wondering if anyone has any tips they'd like to pass on? I have a couple of wetsuits for surfing - my simple 3,2 summer wettie and my much warmer 4,3 feature packed winter wettie. I'm thinking the 3,2 should be warm enough? Though I guess inland river / stream water could be a lot colder as coming off the mountains. And I guess it depends on the river - depth, speed, etc. What do you guys tend to go with? Do you tend to go with a weight belt so you can hold breath and get down to deeper spots easier, or tend just to float around on top scratching around in shallower areas? Anyone bother with fins, or again is it more of a shallow scratching where booties are probably more useful? What sort of stuff do you look out for to identify a good spot? I'm guessing waterways where decent chunks of bed rock are clearly accessible? Anyone want to join me for a go? Always a bit more fun with some company! Thanks in advance for any tips anyone can pass along! Gav :)
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gingerbreadman		Posted : 14 years ago
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 19/07/2010(UTC) Posts: 473 Location: south of the black stump Thanks: 34 times Was thanked: 96 time(s) in 74 post(s)		Hi gavin i dont really do any sniping but i can tell you the thicker your suit the better also if your,v got a surfi suit you,l need to get a hood especially if you working around farster water after 5-6 hours of flowing water going over you you will start to feel the cold knee pads are a must or that good suit of yours will be wrecked in a day or 2 you can get cheapys from the warehouse there pretty crap but if you get some insulation tape and wrap it around top and bottum to keep them in place they do the job. as for what to look for well that can change from river to river something i look for in my area is iron stone if you find good patches of that you generally find gold.

gavin		Posted : 14 years ago
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Administrators, Registered Joined: 20/02/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,326 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 736 times Was thanked: 535 time(s) in 287 post(s)		Cheers gingerbreadman - I'd be pretty gutted if I killed my wettie so the knee pad tip is handy! On a mission to find a cheap hood before next weekend now!
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starflash		Posted : 14 years ago
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 16/08/2010(UTC) Posts: 192 Location: auckland, tairua Thanks: 18 times Was thanked: 38 time(s) in 30 post(s)		hi gavin the best tip i can give you is you have to be warm otherwise you will give up quickly, being cold is the worst thing. your suit should be at least 5mm for summer 9mm for winter. preferrable a two piece and must have an inbuilt hood. also it has to fit well, dont bother spending any money at the warehouse, a proper diving suit is flexible and warm. you should get a good dive suit for about 400 to 500. I use open cell suits as they are the warmest, lined inner suits are ok for summer but dont hack it on the colder days. gloves and booties are a must. 5mm boots and 3mm goves as this will give you dexterity (sp?). even though it is warm at the moment a cheap suit wont last you more than 1hr to 2hrs then you will be cold and quit. obviously you will need a mask and snorkel. i sell masks so could help you there $35.00. as for where to go, just go and do it and within a fairly short time you will start finding it. remember you must stay warm!!!!!!!!! good luck starflash

gavin		Posted : 14 years ago
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Administrators, Registered Joined: 20/02/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,326 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 736 times Was thanked: 535 time(s) in 287 post(s)		Cheers starfish :) Got a snorkel and mask so no probs there. Might give my winter wettie a go as keeps me super warm in surf winter time, so might be up to the job even though not quite as thick as you recommend. Only one way to find out. Was originally thinking summer wettie would do it, but sounds a little foolish now! :P
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nzgold		Posted : 14 years ago
Rank: Gold Nugget Groups: Registered Joined: 5/08/2010(UTC) Posts: 97 Location: New Zealand Thanks: 23 times Was thanked: 20 time(s) in 19 post(s)		Hi Gavin, you've been given some very good advice - warmth is a must. Also like GBM mentioned, heavy ironstone on or near bedrock is a great indicator, and there should be gold not far away. Basically, I would stick to bedrocky areas where the rock is exposed, then follow the bedrock, out to where there is gravel, move the gravel with a spade, then check the bedrock for slots that may have a piece of gold. The only other thing, when you are buying a wetsuit, get one with an inbuilt hood if possible, and preferably with a zipper at the groin so you can take a leak.. Otherwise you've got to muck around getting your wetsuit off to go to the toilet. Not fun. Good luck, and hope you find some! Cheers :)

gavin		Posted : 14 years ago
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Administrators, Registered Joined: 20/02/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,326 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 736 times Was thanked: 535 time(s) in 287 post(s)		A few of my surfy mates just take a leak in their wettie - could provide a bit of warmth I guess, but a practice I've definitely been avoiding! :P I'm sure it can't be good for the wettie and probably smells a bit after a while!
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roman holiday		Posted : 14 years ago
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 26/04/2010(UTC) Posts: 147 Location: Tauranga Thanks: 18 times Was thanked: 8 time(s) in 7 post(s)		gavin wrote: A few of my surfy mates just take a leak in their wettie - could provide a bit of warmth I guess, but a practice I've definitely been avoiding! :P I'm sure it can't be good for the wettie and probably smells a bit after a while! Wot! Wetting their wettie! lol

kiwijw		Posted : 14 years ago
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 28/03/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,152 Thanks: 92 times Was thanked: 658 time(s) in 324 post(s)		POOOO....Nothing worse than the stink of a pissed in wettie. Not recomended. Happy hunting JW :)

nzgold		Posted : 14 years ago
Rank: Gold Nugget Groups: Registered Joined: 5/08/2010(UTC) Posts: 97 Location: New Zealand Thanks: 23 times Was thanked: 20 time(s) in 19 post(s)		Yeah, the smell of sweat on neoprene in a wetsuit is bad enough as it is. When you're working hard underwater and sweat a bit, it must get absorbed by the neoprene and the suit starts to smell a bit after a while...........

starflash		Posted : 14 years ago
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 16/08/2010(UTC) Posts: 192 Location: auckland, tairua Thanks: 18 times Was thanked: 38 time(s) in 30 post(s)		i wear a two piece with waist high pants so taking a leak is not a prob, mind you when your hands are so knumb it feels like they have been cut off, even undoing the velco is near impossible. rule to live by- never piss in your suit the bacteria never comes out and as nzgold says the smell gets worse and worse then after a while the last thing you want to do is put it back on!. you can get a pee tube sewn in which works really well, mind you generally for a 9mm when its too cold to drop your pants! kiwijw sells some sucker pumps that work well for geting into those crevices, at least i think he still makes them?

gavin		Posted : 14 years ago
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Administrators, Registered Joined: 20/02/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,326 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 736 times Was thanked: 535 time(s) in 287 post(s)		Cheers starflash - much appreciated. Do you wear a weight belt or anything to get down in to deeper spots if you need to, or do you just float around on top? I have one of kiwijw's crevice suckers - come in handy a few time now! ;)
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starflash		Posted : 14 years ago
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 16/08/2010(UTC) Posts: 192 Location: auckland, tairua Thanks: 18 times Was thanked: 38 time(s) in 30 post(s)		yep thats an inportant question, the problem is you can not stay negitive boyant within say ten feet unless you have an enormous amount of lead. actually with a 5mm suit you wont achive nutural boyancy with say a 10kg belt untill your 5metres or 17 feet down, most of the time you will be restricted to just beyond an arms length. if you want to get into the deeper water say beyond four feet you will need a lot of lead, or a mate to hold you down, or force fed air and heaps of lead. if you notice the pro dredgers they have large belts and force fed air(hookah systems) so really sniping is limited to shallow depths im afraid

gavin		Posted : 14 years ago
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Administrators, Registered Joined: 20/02/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,326 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 736 times Was thanked: 535 time(s) in 287 post(s)		Cheers starflash - at least I know I don't need to go looking for some lead then ;)
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nathanial		Posted : 14 years ago
Rank: Gold Flake Groups: Registered Joined: 21/02/2011(UTC) Posts: 14 Location: CHRISTCHURCH Was thanked: 4 time(s) in 4 post(s)		I wouldn't recommend carrying a lead weight belt in, you won't bring it out!! I think kenne Eng makes dredges and such in the states, has a thing called a sand belt, just like a weight belt but with larger pockets, holds about 50lbs, should be easy to make one, just fill it up when you get to where your going. P.S I talked to a guy at crown minerals one time about using a hookah system up moonlight westland, and because it's not mining gear only air supply he seemed to think it would be ok. I haven't tested this yet though.

gavin		Posted : 14 years ago
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Administrators, Registered Joined: 20/02/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,326 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 736 times Was thanked: 535 time(s) in 287 post(s)		Interesting loop-hole in law perhaps - cheers for sharing! I like the sand belt idea. Thanks :)
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starflash		Posted : 14 years ago
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 16/08/2010(UTC) Posts: 192 Location: auckland, tairua Thanks: 18 times Was thanked: 38 time(s) in 30 post(s)		nathanial, doc was right there is nothing ilegal about snorkling in a stream even with a hookah system, it is considered a past time, they cannot say that sniping is mining as there is no proof of what you are doing underwater. you could say you are doing a personal trout survey. butttt the battery hookah system is a heavy and expensive unit, and if your going in any distance you will want to take more than one battery. 1 battery =abouts 2hrs. if you can get the car close you take several batteries to last the day. sand belt is a good idea, i have tramped a lead belt in before and wil never never never do it again so help me god!!!

madsonicboating		Posted : 14 years ago
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 21/03/2011(UTC) Posts: 674 Thanks: 187 times Was thanked: 157 time(s) in 127 post(s)		This sounds like fun Gavin did you ever give it a go? I took my wetsuit and snorkel to arrowtown in the weekend but didn't brave the water without my waders on lol...but hell I get a kick just from snorkeling for salmon lures in the rangatata so gold in any river would be awesome!!
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gavin		Posted : 14 years ago
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Administrators, Registered Joined: 20/02/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,326 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 736 times Was thanked: 535 time(s) in 287 post(s)		Haven't had a go yet - did plan to as noticed a deep pool in spring when exploring a gorge. Went back late summer with wetsuits to try it out and found the river had completely filled the pool in with gravel so could now walk over it! Was good though as wetsuits let me and a buddy push up the gorge a long way and find some nice colour anyway ;) Just didn't need to use the snorkels. Didn't have a hood though so reckon I'd be suffering an ice cream headache in no time!
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ronincolin		Posted : 14 years ago
Rank: Gold Dust Groups: Registered Joined: 21/04/2011(UTC) Posts: 2 Location: Northern California Thanks: 2 times Was thanked: 3 time(s) in 3 post(s)		I use a drysuit for year-around sniping. Three layers of fleece in a snow storm and I'm good to go. Summer-time I use one layer and can stay in the river 8 hrs. Also for deep sniping I made a rock belt. Use a normal quick-release weight belt, cut a large inner-tube and fish it through. Be creative and close one end off by threading rope or clamping. When you get to your honey-hole fill the inner-tube with river rock and tie the other end so the rocks stay inside.

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