Natural beauties like this are worth
the work
Photo by Sam Gitchel
Photo by Sam Gitchel
Last day––no one wants to leave, but
pack up they must. The helicopter arrives and makes many trips carrying out
stones and gear. Gitchel says the group is very fortunate to have a helicopter
pilot with a long and illustrious global resume. His polished skills are
evident in his experienced handling of his Robinson-44 which he describes as
the Honda of helicopters––well built, fuel efficient and extremely
maneuverable. The stones, which have been carefully selected earlier and packed
in protective material, are loaded into cargo nets for airlifting to the
waiting truck.
Via the winding mountain road, the
crew travels the five-hour drive back to headquarters in Mendocino County where
jade is sorted and cut, beginning the long process of transformation from rough
stone to finished product. Everyone is already anticipating spring and a return
to the Giant Gem––the one that got away––for now.
To be continued
