In November when I was waiting for my detector to be sent out, I spent the time researching for places to hunt. One of the most promising is a school building built in 1882 and dismantled in the 1930's when the roll dropped because of the population drifting to the other side of the island. This school had a resident teacher and was used for dances and community meetings etc so I had high hopes of some old coins or similar.
So when I got the detector and learnt how to use it I decided to check the site out. To start with the only clue I had of its location was that all that remains of it is "a chimney in the bush" A bit of research led me to believe it was at the side of a harbour called Awaawaroa, but after tramping all over the hills there I couldn't work out where it would be and further research pointed out that the Awaawaroa school was a room in a pioneer's house before the school was actually built.
After some more computer research and talking to some old locals I found out that it was near the old cemetery. This is at the head of another harbour so after studying google earth I figured it must be between some old stockyards and the cemetery. 3 hours searching this area through thick undergrowth and I was back at the jeep empty handed.
Another week and more research. This time I went to the library and found they had a couple of books on local history. One had a photo of the school and from the view shown in it I could tell that it was on top of a ridge. It also had a not very accurate hand drawn map of the island which put the school on the opposite side of the road to what I was searching. So I dismantled the detector, shoved it into a day pack and headed back up there.
The area is regenerating native bush (public reserve) but doesn't have any tracks or paths in it. After crossing over the fence I picked up a rat control bait trail. This was marked out with small pieces of pink ribbon or further up by blotches of paint on the trees. Since the trail seemed to be heading in the right direction I decided to follow it. An hour later and I realised that I was well and truly past where the school could be but I was enjoying the tramp with some mature Kauri trees and bird life so decided to head up to the top of a ridge then retrace my steps. Bad move. The rat bait trail had pettered out by now and when I tried to find my way back I ended up in a different valley which was impassable. Back up to the top of the ridge then I followed the ridgeline hoping to find a way back to the road. By now the bush had turned into thick scrub consisting of Manuka and gorse which was hard going trying to bash my way through. The day was extremely hot and my 1 litre of water was just about gone.
Luckily I found another fence line which had some clearing done on the other side. Following it I eventually came to a bulldozed track which snaked its way down to the road 4km from where I had left the jeep. 4 hours in the bush and 3 of those "lost". The detector didn't even get to come out of the pack!
Once I got home and thought about things I realised I must have walked right over the school site within the first quarter of an hour of the search. So today I headed back there determined to grid an area next to the road without getting sidetracked. 20 minutes in and I saw a Wood Pigeon feather on the ground. When picking it up I saw that the drain / depression it was in was too straight to be natural so followed it up. Within minutes I spotted some old roofing iron half buried by leaf litter, then a bit further on some small fragments of window glass. Circling around this area produced a pile of old bricks which is all that now remains of the chimney.
I put the detector together (mounting the feather on it for luck) and started hunting around randomly. Heaps of targets but the majority was either pieces of roofing iron or lead head nails. 3 coins found in the same small area gave me a bit of excitement but they were from the 1980's. Also found a couple of window latches. After a muesli bar and drink I decided to grid the area and soon found a 4' patch of soil that was black compared to the yellow clay of the rest of the site. Pulled a shotgun shell and 2 spoons (not silver) out of here. There were plenty more interesting tones coming from this area but the roots where so thick and interwoven that despite my garden trowel being sharpened and having saw edges it couldn't get through them. Looks like a Lesche is on the shopping list.
Will pack lunch and a thermos of coffee then hit the site again in the next couple of weekends, I didn't find much, but by persevering I know something good will pop out of the area. Even if it doesn't produce I have had an interesting time find the place!
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