Prospector lost in Kalgoorlie area.

On the news this afternoon, older man 70+ lightly dressed lost
40k from Kalgoorlie. The rain hasn’t hit here big time yet but
it seems likely tonight or tomorrow it will.
Lets hope he gets spotted in quick time.

So what do you blokes do to ensure you get back to the truck or camp?
I was in some pretty close country the other day and it was solid overcast
so getting a fix on the sun was hard ,no high features to lock into the mental compass.
Yep i had to get the garmin out just 870 mtrs from the truck.

A few years ago i made it rule number one to fix the start point into the gps even if
i know the country and it has saved me a bit of embarrassment a couple of times.
Carrying a spare battery a mirror and a compass in the survival pouch is also wise.

cheers gr.

Hi GR,

We always first up set our GPS's mostly don't need it meself but every now and then you go should be over there or or maybe!!, that's when I get out me GPS

The missus can't walk 50 paces from the van and not be lost, maybe she should carry our spare GPS just in case, although she will mostly work in sight of the van or close to, 600m is a biggin!!

What have you got your cat drunk on!!!!!!?

Ron,Sherri and Yoda

Been found

That's some good news for a change, this seem to happen too often these days....

Now my feature idea to add to Minelabs next machines;
an internal gps feature to mark points or just to be able to select "home" on the digital menu, the machine remembers where it was turned on and gives a directional homing beep to to that point that sounds like a Garret or Minelab Pinpointer (ie beep intervals get closer together the closer you get to your original starting point).

Better yet, go detecting with your mates instead.

Better yet, go detecting with your mates instead.

yep have to agree with the above.
the fella ended up being Gillian O'Shaughnessy (abc radio 720 wa) father, she wasn't happy tonight on the radio.

glad hes ok, I always take a good compass and 2 gps units both with camp and car locations in case one fails or gets dropped down a shaft or something. i also have a Epirb just in case. also take plenty of batteries as I have come across a wandering prospector with no idea where camp was and flat batteries in his GPS with no spares.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-05-07/prospector-missing-in-wa-goldfields/5435916

Good news for sure, its pissing down around here right now. You blokes further up must
just about rained in.
The spare battery message is at the top of the list, out with a mate one time in new country
and his batteries went flat in one of those old bricks we used to carry, lucky we had radios
but it took a lot of car horn blowing and coo eees to get him in. A compass is a good backup
even if it just keeps you walking in a straight line till you cross a track.

Ron ,the cat is a two can screamer , 2 cans of sea hag and its finished, been led astray by Roberts cat.
Buggers a heavy smoker to.

cheers gr.

Like Martin i carry two gps these days,some of the places around fields find you can get lost taking a leak and thats before you have had a few-dragon

Sometimes we tend to get way too confident in our abilities or it could possibly be a bit too slack in our attitude to the dangers of the bush, either way its not a case of if you will get lost its a case of when you will get lost.

You can cover all the bases and still get into difficulties, the real lesson was that carrying the extra bits and pieces for years and not using them was necessary after all, it definitely pays to be prepared so if and when it does occur you have the best chance of being able to live through it and to then be alive to tell the tale.

Don't take chances and don't say "it will never happen to me" as those words will haunt you if and when it does, better to have the attitude that if it does happen to me then I have everything I need on me to give me the best chance of getting back home alive, be prepared and spare your family the grief of not knowing what happened to you.

au-fever

 always pack your full kit irrelevant of the distance you intend to cover. those muesli bars you pack and that 1 lt of water could be the only thing you have to eat for a few days. just not worth being complacent out there. always have a good sharp knife on you not a cheap Chinese steel copy and I have a magnesium fire striker just in. an epirb rule should be imposed same as the boaties have. and learn some bush skills, even just making fire and shelter could save your lifa. oh and currently take a rubber dingy lol