"I BRING HOME THE GOLD!"

When our metal detecting club president and detector dealer, Gerry McMullen with Gerry's Detectors in Boise, Idaho announced that he had a few openings left for his trip to Ganes Creek Alaska I decided then and there that I was going.

I'd never taken a trip like this without my husband or children but I needed an adventure. I was nervous and excited about the trip. I had the fortune of buying my White's MXT from Gerry. What sets him apart is that he knows his detectors and personally trains his customers on their machines. I have been swinging the White's MXT for two years and after Gerry's gold training session, I felt confident that with hard work, the right detector, and the perfect location I could find gold.

I can't say enough good things about Doug Clark and his family at the Clark-Wiltz Mine on Ganes Creek Alaska. It truly is the trip of a lifetime and if you go you will have an adventure! Gerry organizes everything so all you have to do is grab your gear and go (don't forget to reread your detector manual on the flight up!).

I do not want you to think that detecting Ganes is easy or that the nuggets jump out of the ground and into your hand. They do not. The old timers left behind a lot of junk. The iron trash is everywhere. I did not find my first nugget until day 4. Thats 3 hard days of watching others find their nuggets. I had my training, my White's MXT, and the perfect location and I did not lose confidence. On the afternoon of day 4 I was swinging my detector over the soft dark brown dirt of the newly pushed tailing pile. I got that wonderful sweet signal in the VDI range of the mid 30's. I held my breath as I gently scraped away 4 inches of earth. My beautiful nugget was sitting there just glowing in the afternoon sun. I did a gold dance and shared my find with the others in our group. All anxiety about whether I could actually find gold passed away.

I started day 5 with renewed confidence and this pleased the gold gods. I found two more nuggets. The largest was .66 ounces. It was, however, the smallest nugget that made me happiest to find. There were boot prints all around the area where I found it. I was using the prospecting mode of the MXT when I heard a high tone amid the low iron tone. In a dirt pile of rusted pieces of old cable wire, I was able to pull out a nugget that others had missed.

I had the nuggets made into necklace pendants for my husband and I. I told my husband "You bring home the bacon but I bring home the gold!" I will be going back to Ganes Creek in 3 weeks and will be swinging White's new 12" Super coil. I've got my training, got a fantastic location, and thanks to White's the best detector out there for finding gold at Ganes Creek.

Kay G.