While we were visiting Tony's parents (Grandma and Grandpa), we all went to nearby Bridal Cave. We had about a half-hour wait before our cave tour began, and conveniently there was a sluicing activity set up outside. Both older boys wanted to try it out, so we did. For $6 you could buy a bag of dirt that contained an unknown number of gems. (Also, there was a larger bag for $8, but Joseph said, "Mom. We should get the small bag. The bigger one costs $8." We have trained him well.) Honestly, I was thinking there were probably 2 gems in the whole bag.
Step 1: Daddy pours a portion of the dirt in one boy's screen-bottomed box thingy. Daddy is a careful pourer, so each boy gets multiple sluicing opportunities.
Step 2: Boy carefully lowers dirt-filled screen box thingy into trough of running water. Based on my extensive internet research (skimming one article), I believe the trough is called a sluice box, even though that's what I want to call the screen box thingy.
Step 3. Water enters screen box thingy and startes washing away the dirt.
Step 4: Boy carefully lifts screen box thingy out of the water, revealing gems left behind.
Step 5: Boy proudly displays rare and expensive (or not) gem.
Step 6: Boy puts gems into baggie conveniently provided by Bridal Cave.
Step 7: (At Grammy and Granddad's house a few days later). Boy categorizes gems using identification card conveniently provided by Bridal Cave.
The pictures taken inside the cave didn't turn out great, but the tour guide took one that wasn't bad.
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