E.M.U. 1: Search Party Jan Juc, Victoria, Australia
By Mr Emu on 13-Feb-09. Waypoint GC1K2YN

I was originally planning to "Temporarily Disable" the caches in this series while I reconfigured each of the first four puzzles (E.M.U.s 0, 1, 2 & 3 were confirmed as within the boundaries of the Great Otway National Park) and moved the caches to acceptable nearby locations. As it turns out I've spent (wasted!) the last week of my holidays trying to do just that, but am not at all satisfied with the results. In many cases the point of the cache was a unique viewpoint that I wanted to share - not something that is easily substituted. The puzzle workarounds were starting to look a bit ridiculous, and although E.M.U.s 4, 5 & 6 were in the Anglesea Heath and could have stayed, the series is pretty-much "broken". I don't even want to talk about the cursed E.M.U. 7 !

I am very sorry to disappoint the cachers who had recently convinced me to keep this well-appreciated series alive. I tried, but after the last week's effort I've decided that it's time to retire this specific series. Don't worry, the unique containers will be cleaned and freshened-up. You never know when the "caching muse" will strike!

Thanks to all of the cachers who attempted the puzzles and made the trek to the caches. I really appreciated all of the generous comments in your logs.

*** If there are any cachers who found at least three (3) caches in this series and have not yet claimed their "pathtag bonus", please get in contact with me as soon as possible with your preferred mailing address. (Now that I've got the logbooks in hand, don't worry if you can't find the "verification codes" - I can verify claims.) ***


*One final comment: in the process of collecting all of the containers today I was once again disappointed to see all the signs from our fellow citizens who don't adhere to Parks Victoria rules e.g. multiple well-worn (and illegal) mountain bike single-track created in National Park, people walking German Shepherd dogs off-leash in bushland in National Park (where on-leash is acceptable), rubbish strewn through carparks and bushland etc. My faith-in-humanity meter is lying idle on the "0" mark at the moment...

At least I got some good exercise. Those caches weigh almost 7kg, and I think I covered quite a few km of bush tracks.

07 January 2011 14:29:00

This was my 2nd for the series.

I had worked on this for nearly 12 months.

Had a certain idea but in the end it was the helping hand of º whom helped save the day.

Unfortunately he could'nt make it so it was up to me to get to the end.

I plotted an entry for approaching gz from google maps and parked on the side of the road at the path.

The walk was not to bad, the views spectacular and before I knew it I had spotted the EMU in hiding.

I feel sorry for all those cachers who won't get the chance to experience this series.

TFTC

Cache #145 for us, the 3rd in the series today and 4th overall.

Being a nice warm day, I full expected to encounter a reptile or two between our park on Addiscot Rd and this cache, the next and back to the car. I think the fact that juc_jr #2 is such a chatterbox probably saved us...either that or the plastic snake we had grabbed from EMU 3 earlier warded them off.

We thoroughly enjoyed the walk in, only need to step off the track once to make way for bike riders and encountering no-one else at all.

This was a nice easy find for the diminutive and beady-eyed juc_jr #2 and we had soon signed the log and replaced the now familiar container and it was on our way to EMU 2.

Once again, I have to applaud the effort that has gone into this series and to shake my head in sad confusion at the Parks Vic thought process (if it can be called that).

02/01/2011 10:48 Found: #163 #3/23 Huge (for me) cache day with lochb and PrincessDiala. Fantastic hide! Great paint job on the cache. I enjoyed solving this puzzle with the clues provided. Close to GZ, I double-ed back and approached through the thick foliage from above, and then walked (clambered more like) right past! Thats the trouble with using a car GPS. No arrow PrincessDiala found it immediately. Thank you Mr EMU.

Found today in the company of two others from the Vic puzzle solvers group - PrincessDiala and Landau351, before this series is being archived. I don't know why it took me so long to solve this puzzle. I initially ended up with unrelated letters and numbers, and even a hint did not help. All good in the end!

Found the cache after a short walk, and struggling to get to GZ and admired the cache container! What a great view from here! Thanks for leading us here, and it's said to see this series disappear! TFTC and puzzle, Mr Emu!

We (lochb, landau351 and I) were on a mission.
To find ALL the E.M.U. caches before Mr Emu disables them. Today was the day!
As I had already found E.M.U. 0, this cache was my first E.M.U. of the day.
We debated, from #0, what would be the best approach on this one. We decided driving up the road a bit, then taking the track there would be the best approach.
We got within 10m of GZ and then had problems getting in further.
Damn shrubby trees.
We'd tried a few different approaches before finding the best way in and cache was located not too long after.
Thanks Mr E.M.U for keeping this series around long enough for us to solve and find.

Great location, great hide, great puzzle, GREAT FUN. I had heard about these "containers". Mr EMU please don't shelf this series, it is TOO GOOD. But if you do and you end up with a spare E.M.U. and we are the LTF (Last to Find) we would love to offer one a home. TFTC. Had nothing to leave, but GeoKid 1 wanted the marbles. We will make up the debt at another cache in the series. Again TFTC.

A quick note for anybody who may be interested in attempting the E.M.U. series. I have altered my recent archiving plans (at request) so that all eight of these caches (#'s 0-7) will remain active up to - and including - Saturday 08 January 2011. After that date, I have no option but to archive the caches permanently.

* I am quite happy to provide guidance/hints for those that need help, but you will still need to do some work (and walking!) in the end.

Hi Mr Emu,

This was a bit dissapointing to see as summer is closing and was looking forward to completing these that I and a couple of other caches had finished solving

Thanks for your great effort in putting them together!!

As of December 2009, Parks Victoria do not permit geocaching in the Otway National Park.

Although this puzzle cache has been enjoyed by geocachers for almost 2 years, I have independently considered the environmental impact of it's placement in light of the "Leave No Trace" ethic, and decided that it's due for retirement.

Collection and Archiving of this cache is planned within the next month.

First find of this morning's Mr Emu caches jaunt.
This cache began to mess with the Suscoe brain.
Finally after finding the wrong locations for far too many times, a few words of wisdom from Mr Emu and the use of the right software package came up with a winner.
This was a brilliant hide, a real stunning cache!
Thanks so much for the effort and the challenge.
TNLNSL then off on the trail to the next spot.
TFTC Mr Emu

Took a while to solve this puzzle but with a little hint from Mr.Emu had me find the answer and then on a pleasant Sunday afternoon drive down the coast we were able to find the cache. It is the best presented cache I have found and obviously there was a lot of work put into this one. Thanks Mr.Emu on a great cache.

Thank you Mr Emu for a great day out......The boys found this amazing cache (wow nice work) without any troubles...
Thanks again for creating such an amazing series..Can't wait to find them all..
TNLN SL
TFTC

2010-07-03 09:20 We parked in the suggested parking location heading out for E.M.U 1 and 2. We had received advice from Mr Emu himself that the tracks would be wet and muddy. They were! We came prepared with old shoes however the clay was so slippery. We could have done with crampons! We had to "search" around a little for Search Party as the GPS had us about 6m or so from the hide. Like most of the other finders were impressed with the container. We went and took in the awesome views then headed onto E.M.U. 2. Thanks again Mr Emu.

Found with EuDes and Asume.
Thank-you for the late nights and finally a wonderful day day on the surf-coast and beyonds.
A Fantastic cache series.

Alsume and EuDes got us involved trying to crack these puzzles even while we were distracted with another series (Hooked on Books). Puzzle overload [xx(]. But finally on the trail joined by Joffa1970 and back to a familiar spot with a great view. No problems with fuel reduction burns today. A quick scramble to GZ and the cache was to hand at 10:45am. TNLN Thanks Mr Emu

Can't quite believe how close we were to this one on a bushwalk a while back. Bad luck we hadn't solved the puzzle then! As it was we found this one pretty hard - it took quite a bit of wrestling before Eudes came up with the missing link. We were glad to come back to this great spot for a multi team find at 10:45am. No swaps but took a TB to move it on.
Thanks Mr Emu for a challenging puzzle and bringing us back to this spot.

It turns out that we had walked to within about 20 metres of this one on a bushwalk through this magnificent area back in January. That, and the fact that we started this series before that walk with E.M.U.0, was enough incentive to see if we could knock off the whole series. Alsume did an absolutely sensational job solving the puzzles (I'm still in awe at how they did it ) but this one ended up being the second hardest for us to complete.

We discussed, we deliberated, we cogitated, we Googled but nothing gave us the coordinates we were so desparately seeking until ... an office discussion with a yachtie gave us that little chink of info we needed and bingo, 6 of the 7 were keyed in .

We decided that Anzac Day would be a good chance for a multi team attack on the series and this was first on our list. A wonderful walk through this area therefore yielded our first find of the puzzle part of the series at 10:40 .

TNLNSL. Thanks Mr Emu.

Find # 3138 and 6th of the day at 10:15 am. Accompanied by Feathertop on our Great Ocean Road Trip. Nice little hike, TNLN, left my mark in the log, Thanx MrEmu....

I note that these caches came out a year ago. I printed them all out two days later but it has taken me a year to get down here.
I think it was because this cache gave me so much early trouble and I wasn't coming down until they were all solved.
I found a herring and then another and it was only later , much later collaboration with others that got me over the line here.
Love the artwork on the cache pages, loved the cache containers, it must ahve been quite a production line back in your shed.
I also love a good walk and this was the first of many today.
Thanks Mr Emu

This was cache # 26 of 43 for the day, on our tour of Geelong and the Surf Coast. I have had these ones in the solved pile for some time now, but it is along drive from Warburton so it has taken us some time to get down here, we found an access point about 800m from the cache and proceeded on foot from there, we were amazed at the cache when we found it, so much so that we forgot to grab the access code from the cache, not realizing till we were back at the car. My late mate dak would have loved the container. My thanks to Mr Emu for the cache.

Found while out with Acts2YouthGroup on a good weather day for caching. I remember studying this one some time ago and nearly getting there. Eventualy a hint over a coffee got me what I needed. Finish them by lunchtime? Oh, you mean finish each one by lunchtime that day = 7 mornings! lol

Approaching GZ I had a feeling that I had been on a walk some years ago near here and I remembered it after we had walked in the long way! At GZ we found the hard way in and then our first of those interesting cache containers. Thanks Mr Emu.

Found with bucketeer
TFTC

I've long waited for an opportunity to retrieve the E.M.U.s having solved the puzzles some months ago.
E.M.U. 1 was recovered @ 10:33 after a nice walk in.
I initially thought this would be the easiest puzzle in the series, but I needed a little nudge to get it finished.
Dropped off a Cammo Ammo Cans Geocoin as it seemed a fitting cache.
Great series
Thanks Mr Emu

10:15
It took the initiative of ppras to mobilise the forces of maccamob and Phetlern to launch the offensive. Knowing that is was six months since the demise of the navy vessel; we assumed we would be searching for the fused hard rocky masses of the former robots. Phetlern could not have joined the hunt without the invaluable contribution of CDNB as their brains trust.
We looked at this puzzle from a very nautical perspective and it was interesting to research the signals. Once we noticed another clue the real answer to the puzzle unfolded quickly.
Once at the GZ we found what we had been looking for - a fused hard rocky mass - fantastic work by Mr Emu and a series theme complimented by signboards on the way into the cache GZ. Really well done.

TNLN .. SL .. TFTH Mr Emu.

Rated: for Overall Experience

Found by Mary & David at 1015, in company with pprass and Phetlern. The puzzle was tricky, as there are several places to find the obvious meanings, but we took a while to find one with the more subtle variations we needed. Just amazing camo an GZ! Very impressed with Mr Emu's efforts on what we soon learned was a pattern for the rest of the series. Certainly sets a benchmark for artistic finish. Hints of colour from a few wildflowers. Must be a great place to return to during the height of wildflower season. A lot of rain last night meant a lot of water on the track and a few areas of treacherous yellow clay (which was a portent of drama later in the day). Our thanks once more to Mr Emu.

Found at 10.10am GAFF5 in the company of maccamob and Phetlern.

We tried to find a closer access point to get to this cache, but in the end settled for the Surf Coast Walk and then following the minor trails which were quite sodden after the previous nights rain - quite a few slips and slides were experienced by the group!

A wonderful surprise was found at GZ and we later learned the manufacturing and camo technique from Mr Emu - you taught yourself air brushing just for this series!

A nice walk along the coast and with the company we had the time just slipped by - literally!

Thanks Mr Emu - it was a tough puzzle for us and glad it was a GAFF5 as it covered a multitude of sins.

Found as part of a 4 day caching adventure with O'Cholio. TFTC.

It was a hint from a very helpful Bushfire that helped us along on this one. It's a pity we didn't have more time on our hands to solve the rest of the series, although if this hide is anything to go by we wouldn't have had the time to find the others anyway. A nice leisurely walk, followed by a search made harder by unnecessary bush-bashing, and the very professional cache was found. Awesome work on both the puzzle and the cache. TFTC!

After a breakfast of red herrings I decided to go and find the series....
With paperwork in hand, and Bushfire driving and coming along to give me moral support, I was off! Into the bush and soon had the very elusive EMU 1 in hand. Now for the rest in the series....

RedPaw64 found this cache at 0915. Me being the more traditional and multi cache person and not being the puzzle minded person, Got a slight hint from Bushfire. From there I then could work out the coords so I was off searching. Found the cache after a nice walk on mothers day.
Now back to thinking about solving the others in the series.
TFTC NINO
Happy Caching

Found this one with RSF1010+SGGK and saraci.jaee. At first we were not sure if had the the right spot but after clearing away some of the camo found our first "real" EMU cache.
Thanks for the incredible series of puzzles and caches so far,
Indiana08

Found it with Indiana08 and saraci.jaee. Thank you for showing us our own "back yard" - how often have driven been past this area but never ventured along these tracks!
TNLN TFTC

found today with Indiana08 and RSF1010+SGGK, so far so good, tftc

Passing a TB through

10:12 Found on our Touring Tassie and Beyond 2009 Trip!

A really enjoyed solving this one, and we were determined to collect the whole set whilst we were in the area. This was our 3rd find of the series, and in the end only missed out on one due to the weather conditions.

We attempted to get this one before going to #2, but had to abort due to muggles spreading ashes at GZ. Thankfully after our nice walk to #2 and back, they were gone, and we had the place to ourselves. A little bit of bush bashing, before an easy find. Must have taken some effort to build those containers, and lug them all the way out there!!!

A great series of caches

TNLNSL

10:12 Found on our Touring Tassie and Beyond 2009 Trip!

A really enjoyed solving this one, and we were determined to collect the whole set whilst we were in the area. This was our 3rd find of the series, and in the end only missed out on one due to the weather conditions.

We attempted to get this one before going to #2, but had to abort due to muggles spreading ashes at GZ. Thankfully after our nice walk to #2 and back, they were gone, and we had the place to ourselves. A little bit of bush bashing, before an easy find. Must have taken some effort to build those containers, and lug them all the way out there!!!

A great series of caches

TNLNSL

What a tough nut to crack this one was. After cruising, stumbling and crashing through the other puzzles in the series this one proved the hardest to solve for me. It had so many elements at play, something I hadn't realised until Bushfire and I discussed it later today. It was with a little divine intervention that I got the help I needed.

Now, on to the cache! I had heard glowing reports of the cache containers used in this series and was keen to see them for myself. With bikes banned here I had to resort to walking in through the maze of tracks. Once there the container was spotted pretty quickly - what a beauty!

I signed, returned and marvelled at the work that went into an already impressive series. I wish I had that sort of time and patience!

Great stuff, I really enjoyed every element of it.

R - B

Located missing E.M.U. unit @ 1100 hrs. Assault team of VKC1SR, Bushfire and Suitman was supplemented at this stage with Pteranodon. No other search teams were observed in the area, so our progress went quite well. TNLNSL

Found in the company of Bushfire, VKC1SR and Suitman. I had been very near this location only a couple of days previously but had not solved this one at that stage and in fact, this was the 3rd last of the E.M.U.'s to succumb.

You know how much I enjoy a good puzzle and you have excelled yourself, Mr. Emu. It certainly got me out of my caching retirement.

Left a Shark, took a wombat.

Well a team assault was in order for these tricky puzzle caches. Headed off with Bushfire, Suitman and Pteranodon.
A nice easy find at 1100. Loved the container. Will log thoughts in E.M.U. 7

TNLN

This EMU cache was under attack from Pteranodon, VKC1SR, Bushfire and the Suitman in a combined attack. We found it at 11.00 in a location that Pteranodon spends a lot of time at. Marvelled at the work that had gone into the construction of this cache.NI-NO Thanks Mr Emu for the challenge on these seven caches that will disappear off our unfound list.

Dropping in Bobby coin as this is more than a fair cache Guv!

This one took a tad longer to successfully complete after having a quick word with Mr Emu him self he shed a little light on the situation.
Cache was easily found and what a fantastic view! Really enjoying these caching series!
Thanks Mr. Emu!

Once again another awesome cache ... another beautiful view... we could see foot prints in the sand leading to the cache so we knew we wern't the ftf's once again

TFTC

Another FTF with Geewok. Nice walk in. Enjoyed the views. Amost had muggles from above, but they were a bit to far to see us. T. path tags.
TFTC am enjoying them.

Another FTF with Snakecatcher. Had many ideas about how to solve this one, had to double check that we were on the right track. Thanks for another terribly difficult cache, I think the stars are a little deceiving. TFTC TNLN

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