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Greetings from Gold Country!! - A quick introduction....
Merlin  
Posted : Thursday, 3 October 2013 12:18:31 AM(UTC)
Merlin

Rank: Gold Dust

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Man
New Zealand
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Hello to you all,

Just want to say great work on this forum and website from everyone, such a great resource and knowledge base for a forum newbie such as me.

Well, about me... Been living down here in Otago for the last 4 years and have decided to take up some less 'extreme' hobbies after managing to shatter both my wrists over the last two years (snowboarding and skating) and being surrounded by such beautiful backcountry and gold heritage here fossiking naturally has taken my interest.
What started off as nothing more than a bit of fun panning in the Arrow one sunny afternoon, has slowly escalated into a quiet obsession to find some colour after my initial great disappointment of not finding the big shiny nuggets that I expected to see in my pan that fateful afternoon (turns out I was 150 years too late!). Little did I know it would take me a further two more years of scratching around on my hands and knees in the dirt to find even just a few specs which happened to be under a rock by the river last weekend.... To say I was overjoyed is an understatement; you couldn't wipe the smile off my face all week! I don't know if everyone else’s experiences of finding their first flake are the same? it was a moment I won't forget for a long time. My friends keep saying I have the fever! Ha-ha
The more I learn about fossiking, its techniques, locations and history the more in fascinates me and clearly the more striking similarities I see it has with fishing (another favourite hobby of mine). Such a game of perseverance, knowledge, technique and skill with a bit of luck thrown in for good measure to get any kind of results, but when you get them much like catching a good fish, the excitement and reward is well worth the wait.

If there's anyone in the Queenstown area that’s keen to meet up and head out on some missions panning, sluicing, detecting or even a spot of fishing or exploring send me a email or pm. I'm about most weekends and would love to meet up with some like minded people to share some good times with.

Cheers!
Merlin
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JohnA  
Posted : Thursday, 3 October 2013 3:31:56 PM(UTC)
JohnA

Rank: Gold Flake

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New Zealand
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Hi Merlin

I too have some aches and pains from snowboarding trying to keep up with my kids!
And I enjoy flyfishing and just being in the backcountry.
I am from CHCH.
I would be keen to look you up if I head down your way for some company.
I have not found any yellow stuff (yet) and have only panned in rivers that didn't hold gold (just for practice)
Keen to give it a go though!

see you
John
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nzpoohbear40  
Posted : Thursday, 3 October 2013 9:57:50 PM(UTC)
nzpoohbear40

Rank: Gold Ingot

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hi merlin..im in invercargill..not to far from queenstown...lol...might look at joing up some time in lawrence or some place like that for a scratch...still gold in gabreales gully....just small stuff but gold all the same.
Chris - Fisher Dealer http://www.puiakisupply.co.nz/
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Merlin  
Posted : Saturday, 5 October 2013 12:05:15 AM(UTC)
Merlin

Rank: Gold Dust

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Joined: 2/10/2013(UTC)
Posts: 4
Man
New Zealand
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Hi John and Chris,

Good to meet you both.

John - I used to live in Chch for a few years working in the CBD, I loved it up there living right by the beach in southshore, I'll always have fond memories of kitesurfing on the estuary and the time i spent up there. Never tried fly fishing but would like to give it a go, yea if your ever down this way drop me an email would be good to meet up for some fossiking.

Chris - Yea would definatley be keen to meet up and try out some different places, maybe gabriels gully? Looking at the history of the place I'd imagine it's been hit hard but so has the Arrow and there's still a few specks to be found there. :-) Eitherway, it would still be cool to see the place as I've never been down that way. Also I noticed the link on your signature - I believe the Fisher Gold bug 2 I bought from trade me a while ago was purchased by the previous owner from yourself. It's a sweet machine but I've yet to find any gold with it. To be honest I'm a total novice at detecting but have a swung it around a few times here and there and found a few bullet casings and a lot of iron scraps, bottle caps and a few lead shots / air rifle pellets. I'm sure I've been looking in the wrong places, still all good practice!
Let me know if your ever heading out.

Thanks,
Merlin
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