So Im moving to Ecuador and......

[dtom]

So I'm moving to Ecuador and......

So as you can see, this is my first post and this should get the MD Gods on here heads spinning.

I've been lurking here for awhile and absorbing a lot of good info on MD's and now it's time to run the question by the pros.

I'm a beginner/ intermediate and the only machine I've owned is a GPX4500. I did well and have ran it from AZ to AK but I've dug so much trash Waste Management offered me a job.

Anyway, I'll be moving to Ecuador in 6 months and now that I've sold the 4500 I have some $ to spend.

So basically Ecuador has beaches that have had very few MD's on them so I'll be attacking those. Also, the jungle in the Amazon has probably never seen an MD and there is a LOT of gold in the Amazon!

So the question is:
If you could take 2-3 MD's with you what would they be?

I want an underwater MD for salt/fresh.
I want a beach MD.
And I want a gold/underwater+gold MD for fresh water and land.

Stay in the $4k range for all.

Thanks

DTOM

 

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[BadM0nkey]

Underwater: Ininium LS
Beach: AT Pro
Gold: Goldbug 2

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Were you using that gpx4500 for prospecting (nugget) purposes? Because that's its purpose (not a coin or relic or jewelry hunter). If you were just using it in nugget regions, what kind of sites were you at, that were giving up so much amounts of trash? Or did you think you were going to try to use it for coin hunting ?

For $4k, you can get multiple detectors For the land option (and even the beach, as long as you don't go underwater), I'd get the Minelab Explorer II.

 

[cudamark]

You had one of the best gold machines but getting another would kill your $4k budget. My vote would be to get a CTX3030 If you don't plan to dive or go deeper than 10'. Add a gold detector like the Gold Bug and you have it pretty well covered. If you're going to dive, I'd get the Excalibur instead and a good land machine like the V3i or E-Trac. Get a sand scoop and a good pin pointer also.

 

[vpnavy]

dtom - you might consider jumping over to Prospector from Ecuador (Aug 29, 2011) and seeing what that member is using...

 

[Mackaydon]

dtom,
Welcome to Treasure Net !!
If you get in the area, I recommend you stay or visit, the Farallon Dillon Hotel, on the Peninsula de Santa Elena (Ballanita). The owners are Yolanda and (Captain) Alberto. Part of their hotel is a maritime museum I'm sure you find it interesting. We used that hotel for our onshore quarters while salvaging the "Capitana" galleon, lost one mile off that coast in 1654. Some of the artifacts from that wreck are in the museum.
Don....

 

[Lady Pirate]

I'd go with the Infinium LS, it goes into/under salt water and is good for gold hunting also. That's why I got mine, and the AT Pro is great for fresh water up to 10 feet and I love it on the beaches also. I have both and are extremely happy with both!

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

Hi Pirate mam, sir, er gal, or broad, a bit of wine in the quarterdeck??

I doubt that you can beat the Infinium for all around work. There are specialized ones that may beat it for certain things, but frankly if I were returning to that type of an area, your reccomendation is what I would unhesitatingly take.

Remember, you are entering an area that is extremely hard on any machine, with no repairs available within any jungle drum cummunication system, so get a rugged, trouble free one, even if it means giving up some detecting ability.

Now about that wine session -----??

Don Jose de la Mancha

 

[dtom]

As Don Jose states, the machines that will be accompanying us must be as rugged as an MD is capable of being as service on them will be quite challenging.

I will definitely look them up mackaydon and thanks for the contact. Can never have enough.

Tom, the 4500 was exclusively a nugget hunter.....its just that there is so many pieces of cans, boot tacks, and shotgun pellets in a lot of the locations I like in the lower 48 that I figured I can have 3 MD's instead of one.

I'm currently leaning towards your choices badmonkey. The CTX is on my list also but it starts to pressure my budget.

Anyway, thanks guys......hate to leave the land of the free but there's blue water, brown ladies and gold down there. Retirement never looked so good.

DTOM

 

[BadM0nkey]

Anyway, thanks guys......hate to leave the land of the free but there's blue water, brown ladies and gold down there. Retirement never looked so good. DTOM

WARNING!!!! Those 'brown ladies' from Ecuador are all nuts. My X was from there and I know a lot of them. Oh, and they eat guinea pigs which freaks me out.



* I think this was my Mother-In-Law

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

As the bad monkey on your back says, remember your heart.

Don Jose de La Mancha

p.s. Ifn your going to live and prospect in the jungle, get a good skeeter & snake proof net. I can fill you in on that having 'lived off' of the jungle in Quintana Roo for 6 months with my partner, looking for Mayan ruins..

p.p.s. After your remark of brown ladies, forget the invitation to drink wine on the Quarterdeck sheesh rum ?

 

[dtom]

LMAO! My last girlfriend was a Navajo Indian who drank too much wine. NOW THATS CRAZY! Its all easy sailing now.

Anyway, I'll be MD'n most of the time with the occasional adventure into the Andes and Amazon.

As for snakes and skeeters, nothing scares me after CrazyWineWoman.

Ya, I'll be investing in some good gear prior to departure i.e. jungle hammock, machete etc.

As for MD's, I'm going with the MTX for beach and AT Gold for back country nugget shooting. Still up in the air on a deep water machine.

Saludos!

DTOM

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

Hi rummy gold nugget seeker/and apparantly broads, a 'hint', regarding mosquto nets, many times, even in Jungle areas, there is nothing to hang a standard jungle hammock on, so get a universal one, or modify the gi type for ground use also.

You are gonna get wet when it rains anyay, so relax. after three or four days of constantly being wet you sorta get used to it, but remember, leather foot wear won't. You will have to shave the mold off every morning. So we used ankle high Tennis shoes with our pants cut off about 1/2 way to the knees < insect control. humgry Bugs.

Regarding machetes, get the full length one with the double edged spade point. The fine long side cutting edge is for cutting green growth, the broad spade point is useful for digging post holes, and the coarse back side of the point is for cutting growth next to the ground. In other words forget the pointed cutlass type personified in Pirate pictures.


It will be an interesting, learning experience, but in the end you will learn to respect yourself. Have fun, and it can be, despite the problems.

Don Jose de La Mancha

 

[davinci]

I would buy 20-30 bounty hunter detectors for $100 each then train and hire the local natives to detect in a large line almost like the British marched. Pay them $2-$3/hr. Then retire!





See?! I did it.

 

[dtom]

Thanks Don Jose on the gear recommendations especially the machete.
You say there's bugs there? Well as long as there's no spiders or snakes we'll be good
As for hiring the locals, that sounds promising except my employees will be from Medellin and a lot prettier. That is some excellent financial advise though. Lol.
So it looks like a CTX and a GB2 to start.
Should be good, hunting beaches that have rarely if ever see an MD, plus they use the $1 coin instead of the $1 bill. Paradise!

 

[cudamark]

Good choices! Have fun!