I’d just finished a shift working at the restaurant, It was nearing close to 1am. Yet I was feeling awake and keen for a night detect at a local spot with my new EQUINOX 800, so I went home to get my EQUINOX and shovel and threw them in the boot of my car. I got to a spot on the beach at low tide. This area had seemed to be showing a few targets over the past week, and I was not the only guy who knew about it! In the limited light, i saw a bunch of freshly dug holes right there, “drat!” I thought, “someone was here barely 2 hours before me and has obviously hit the place pretty darn hard.” There were fresh shovel holes everywhere. “Can’t have found everything!” I thought. I had my unit set to beach 2 multi IQ at the time running about a 22 sensitivity, I always use the wireless headphones as it helps me to focus on what I’m hearing and keeps my ears warmer at night too! After a few digs here and there, 40mins in and a couple of coins with some sinkers in my pocket, I rung up a clear stable ‘17’ just near the waterline. “Could be 20cents maybe?” In went the scoop and out came a target, on went my torch, (I strap it to the detector) And there I saw a glimmer of yellow gold in the sand. “Is it just my tired eyes, or is that…Ah yes it is! Hallelujah!! Oh wait, gems too!?? Wow! I give it a wash in the water and see a nice 18ct ring with a Sapphire surrounded by 10 small diamonds in superb condition, and only inches away from ol’ mates previous dig holes?! He must have missed it! Haha!! I love this machine. I went home, hung up my Minelab detector, and was pretty happy about the best ring I’ve found yet. This machine has redeemed from the depths a few gold and silver rings now, (one of which was at amazing depth, up to my knees!) And I’ve only been in the hobby 3 months. Not to mention finding a thankful drunk guys wallet and helping find a dudes lost car keys. I’m sure it’s going to find many more good things yet. I won’t be letting this machine go anytime soon. Cheers Minelab!
Phil - Queensland, Australia