Fossick #568
Return to the High country yet again ~ #568 !
Usual routine but some concerns regarding the forecast for higher temperatures ~ But the forecast was for low of 18 and high of 27 deg. with a 5 km breeze!
How wrong they were ~ Temp as we rallied to meet up ~ it was 9 deg. Clear skies ~
( We did a Hunt last week in the flat ground rather than the mountain climbing ~ which was a huge change ~ different area ~ but the back pack was till weighed down ! at the end of the day ~)
On same spot park as last week and rigged up with a plan ~ This time with UHF radios in tact.
I had an early win when I dug a 90% intact No 243 fuse ~ We were generally split up but I could track Robert by listening for the ATP.
I actually found several targeted hot spots with a sun baker two pounder and 25 Pdr. frags ~ almost as it the creek had been a specific target ~
We worked to the East this time and then up the hill/s ~
Intriguingly we found numerous gun and Mortar pits ~
This I believe was a 4.2" mortar pit ~ No acess channel and large diameter~
The fact I dug the 112 Fuze guard and retaining ring right next to this and has acess path says this was a 25 Pdr. gun pit!
I then dug a deep target right next to a very detailed gun put which obviously sheltered a 26 Pdr. as the target turned into a 112 Smoke shell fuze guard and retaining ring.
This soil instantly fell apart forming heavy dust when worked with the picks.. We both ended up with lower legs being coated in fine sand dust ~
We pushed on to the hill and I hiked to the very top as it was a gentle sloping incline but all I found was a single .577 Kynoch, a Sun baker in fact ~ which says it was there waiting for me for over 100 years likely more. As Robert said ~"That has been laying there for a very long time !"
I climbed the slope to the very top ~ and found nothing but 303 projectiles and isolated colonial detritus here and there!
Robert suggested that it has been picked clean but not even frags?
The fact that the 25 Pdr. gun pits was facing directly to this same hill ~ can only suggest they were firing over the hill for out of sight or indirect line of fire!?
By the time we re-crossed the river bed and then back onto the opposite plain the temperatures were climbing and the clock ticking.
I called to close proceedings and return to bas e but seems some one had accidently changed his radio setting~ but we both worked our way back to the car simultaneously, so no problems ~ ~
Then had lunch and a cappa before pulling up the stumps ~ with a the mercury hovering around 35 deg and a windless forest .
As always good day ~ great company ~ always up for another hunt in the area ~ always enjoyed the site/s ~ Keeping optimistic about Spring fires and burn offs ~
1,768
Bookmarks