Patrick, a Swiss German guy my age told me about a "gem" beach between here and Akorara on the Banks

peninsula that is a good place to find jade and jasper, and hardly anyone is on the beach, and at low tide, near sunset, the gems gleam near the waterline. After polishing, and setting, they are suitable jewelry. I returned to Lyttelton, after collecting more agates at Birdlings Flat. There I had an expert help me cull my collection so I only keep the good stuff. The next day I drove into Christchurch to get another opinion from a "rock shop". I've got a good selection of agates, crystallites, petrified wood, and jasper. He gave me the recipe for polishing them. Then he advised where to find more - just south of Kaikoura, and in the Coramandel . He - advised checking the Mining Museum in Thames Thought I'd give it a rest - so I didn't sail or paraglide today, but did some beachcombing for more rocks - found a few pieces of petrified wood just south of Kaikoura. I've got some nice samples of all those, including agate, jasper, etc. Makes a good outdoor hobby where the only danger is dodging surf. I've discovered quite a few amateur rock collectors - some specialize in pretty stones, others fossils, others petrified wood. The drive north from Thames to Coramandal City was on a narrow, curvy road that followed the seashore with steep cliffs on one side, and a direct drop to the sea on the other.There were lots of streams feeding the sea. I stopped often to look for interesting rocks, found Kauri gum, Jasper, and lots of quartz crystals.

While stopping for gas in Coramandal City, the lady proprietor told me of several good locations near Colville. It was a fun, but unproductive search around the bay, somewhat like fishing sometimes you find 'em - sometimes you don't. The Mineral Museum in Thames is open only on Sundays now, so I had to do a little detective work to find the local geologists/gemologist. I went to the tourist Gold mine, and the guide gave me the name and directions to, a local enthusiast. He is a spry little man, a bit eccentric, but very knowledgeable. After assessing my collection, he gave me directions to a rugged path near a stream, where I could prospect for gold. He suggested a list of tools and supplies, to be found at the local hardware store, then with a twinkle in his eye he said, "Then, of course, you'll need a pack horse to carry your tools and the ore you'll find!" Ha! He's been helpful to amateur tourists before, I'd bet. Asked if there really were gold veins in "them thar hills", he said, with another twinkled eye, "If you see it, it's without question, there." So off to the hardware store, and bookstore. Bought a small pick hammer, a magnifying glass, and "Phillips Guide to Gems" an illustrated guide to the identification of gemstones describing the geology, chemistry and property of gems, with a color key, and illustrations of the crystal (raw rock), the gem, and common cuts. Derek Freedman, the wizened enthusiast, had a rather thick paperback of geological terms and word descriptions, that I referenced heavily as he was assessing my collection. It was a Berlitz course in geology; I drove the one-lane road into the mountains, crossing several fords, seeing

several "tunnels" (gold mines) and to the path Derek described. It was a rough path, with the cliffside heavily vegetated, alongside a boulder-filled stream. I crawled into several of the mines to chip crystals off the sides, putting them into a zip-lock for later assessment. The path crossed the stream several times and then became quite steep. I noticed a lot of slag, and potential panning areas in the stream. By this time it was late afternoon, so I returned with my collection for further expert evaluation, and resumption of my geological education. "Nice quartz crystals, but rather too clear, gold is found in heavily mineralized quartz, veined in the rock. Let me show you a mine where we are following such a vein." So with torches (flashlights) I followed the guide into a mine shaft into the cliff about 200 feet where I saw what he described. Back to the almost vacant Backpackers to reassess and to study my Gem book. Then I brought all my "gems" up to a balcony table to examine them with magnifying glass, putting the LED flashlight behind them, and comparing illustrations of raw gems in the book. I have a nice collection of agates and jasper, and non-gold bearing quartz. As I drove southward toward Thames, Saturday morning, I stopped to fossick, and pan in streams, stopping at the Coromandal City Mineral Museum to compare their labeled rock and ore collection, with my speculative finds. Then on to the Thames Mining Museum for an opinion from the proprietor (with 40 years of rock collecting, cutting and polishing experience), thus reducing my questionable stones to a

minimum, and confirming my agates, jasper, quartz, and calcinite as of sufficient potential to keep. re: Gold and Diamond prospecting in Indiana - a website, and a book available with those key words. There are 2 named 5-caret diamonds found in Indiana. Where, and when unknown without further research. Per my Gem book, most diamond gems are found downstream of the source, lesser diamonds don't survive the gravelly trip. Drove north to Kaikoura, stopping near Goose Bay to look for fossils and petrified wood. Chatted with a Australian Backpacker who was quite knowledgeable (he was also a bit eccentric) and he told me where to look Forgot to mention than Napier has a long pebble beach that is beautifully landscaped and maintained - like Waikiki. Enroute back from yesterday's flight, during a brief lull in the rain, I stopped at the beach to look for more agates, or jasper. Found several, I think. The experts say that you really can't tell until the rocks collected dry, because the water gives them an artificial shine. I drove through Napier Town Centre to shop for groceries for the Easter holiday, because many stores close. Saw college graduates in their cap and gowns exiting the commencement ceremony, with the Maori grads wearing fur, feather and stone pendants in various configurations over their gowns. re: collected stones: I am constantly culling my collection so I don't exceed the baggage weight allowance. No problem exporting, but not sure if import to USA is without custom fees. Also discovered that international airlines have a free sport equipment allowance -

so I'll pack my paraglider harness and wing over my other stuff, and hopefully the 2 checked bags are in addition to the allowance.