Sat, 29th June, 2019 Bush camp near Mosquito Creek to Bush camp near Upper Mosquito Creek Mining Centre, east of Nullagine, WA

7.30am 13.7 degrees, clear sky and a strong wind which has been blowing all night.

Packed up camp – not the best time to roll in your awning with such a strong wind blowing but we got it in.

Ray and Carol will move over closer to Dave and Sue as they will overnight in Newman to get their tyres done and feel safer if the van is closer to them.

We headed down to Kerry and Brian. Set up camp. 

Steve spotted a dingo in the creek on the other side of Kerry and Brian’s truck. He slowly walked away from us. Maybe the other people had fed him.

Kerry was out detecting nearby. Brian helped Steve collect firewood and they got some tin and star pickets, to make a windshield, from the rubbish near the big dry blower which is on the other side of the hill. It is very windy so we aren’t putting the awning out of course.

Kerry has found a few bits of reef gold. She had walked the slopes and was heading back feeling dejected having not found anything when she had to choose to go a long way around a pile of spinifex or step over a few clumps to head back to camp. She stepped over some clumps then got a signal, then another, then another, so she has had a lovely morning.

After lunch Steve and I drove back to where we had found gold 3 years ago as Kerry and Brian were busy with their little patch. The track has been recently graded and as we had got gold off the track last time I went back over it. I got a few bits which was great. I went back to my slope where we had found heaps of quartz specimens full of gold that had been pushed aside by a dozer. Our rock cairns were still there where we had marked the spots we found gold. I got one bit straight off but then nothing. Sad not to find more but I was congratulating myself on doing such a good job when I got a target half way down the slope. I reckon I must have been tired when I did this bit as I had missed a fair few – oh well I have them now. I got a couple of specimens too which Steve will have to crush.

Steve found a few bits. One was very flat sided it must have been squashed between flat rocks.

Back home for weigh in and drinks. Kerry and Brian are very happy with their little haul which is reef gold, very prickly rather than smooth.

The wind settled at 6pm but it is certainly cooler than the previous night.

I had connected the phone to the van’s aerial and received a text from Margaret and Bob. They are heading to us on Monday from Port Hedland.

10pm down to 15 degrees with the van closed up.