Para Para - Base Camp (Nelson/Marlborough) Puramahoi, South Island, New Zealand
By BigglesNZ on 03-Feb-12. Waypoint GC3C0CN

Found it

Was looking for larger container micro

I was intending to get this one after my main objective up the Para Para track but the rest of the extended family group were at the Mussel Inn and they had ordered a meal for me and it had arrived and was awaiting me.

(# 8132) Day 1 of a caching trip to the Nelson/Golden Bay area for a repeat trip for the four amigos. Tripping with NZ_B, TwigNZ and YetiNZ. A day full of hilarity with nobody being spared being the butt of the jokes. Signed the log with NMTY. No time to venture further up the track.

Thanks BigglesNZ for bringing me here.

Day 1 of “The Wellingtonians are back” tour with TwigNZ, YetiNZ, Mr-Mcgoo. After the last trip, with more caches for us to find, we decided we had to return. And, of course, there will be days of laughter, usually at my expense .

During our time here, all found caches were signed as NMTY (regardless of whether 2, 3 or all 4 of us hadn't found it previously), or with individual names for Challenge Caches according to whomever was claiming the find.

Kia ora rawa atu for the cache BigglesNZ.

Back in June, four Wellingtonians (NZ_B, Mr-Mcgoo, TwigNZ and YetiNZ) came down to visit the Nelson region. We had such a blast that we decided to do it again, and here we are!
During our time here, all found caches were signed as NMTY (regardless of whether 2, 3 or all 4 of us hadn't found it previously), or with individual names for Challenge Caches according to whomever was claiming the find.

Day 1, and we were driving from Nelson up to the most northerly cache on the Mainland, before then making our way back to Takaka for the night.

We were now heading south, and stopping along the way at many interesting caches. I already had quite a few of them thanks to a campervan roadtrip I did back in 2020 but this was one I hadn't stopped at on that trip, so it was good to get it this time around.

Thank you for setting this one up.

Some time ago a group of us from Wellington decided that what we should do is come down to the Nelson region for a long weekend of Geocaching. So we did. We had such a good time that just a few months later we decided to do it again. The same team to the same location, with the same agenda. The only real goal for this four day break is exploring, having fun, and finding more of the unfound geocaches in the area.

Day one of this trip took us all the way out to Cape Farewell and then back to Tākaka. We stopped at many caches along the way, and this was one of them.

There was some indication in past logs that there might be more than one cache hiding here, but the one we found matched the hint perfectly and had three of the four recent names on it.

Most of our find here we signed the log with the collective name of N.M.T.Y to represent the four of us: NZ_B, Mr-Mcgoo, TwigNZ, and YetiNZ.

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Thanks to BigglesNZ for placing and maintaining this cache. I enjoy each and every cache I find, and it is only with Geocachers like this creating them and placing them out in the world that this wonderful game continues.

[DGSc-Bulk] tagging to help me generate a list for GC30AD8 - DGSc Challenge.

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Came for an explore as far as the start of the track, no further today, unfortunately. Some perplexion around the hint, but soon sorted it out. All good in container, tftc!

GPS a bit off but the hint was very helpful!

With a few items potentially complying with the hint, it took us a wee while to identify the correct one - clearly biggest is best. The cache was then a quick find. We removed the sodden log and replaced it with a small waterproof log sheet and some silica gel. TFTC

Good work

Found it, but the log is soaking wet, close to just being paper pulp.
tftc!

Out for a drive this afternoon to make a few finds.
Unfortunately my technology failed so I had no hints or previous logs available.
I made a quick find here but when I opened the log book I discovered that I am third to find.
Cretan Runners, the team that replaced the log and clandhe is the last finder. Knowing that others had found this after clandhe I searched around for a second cache but didn't find it.
Whatever cache the others are signing beats me but it does sound like its the one the ivss_xx picked up at the DOC sign in point and then theroamingreliever shifted into the bush.
I guess stranger things have happened in the caching world.
No time on this visit to the Bay to walk up this track unfortunately so it will remain on the to do list.
TFTC

Nine days to do some caching for the price of four leave days - who could complain about that! I found a quirky place to stay near Motueka, ad decided to base myself there to cache in the wider area. I had a few on my hit list, and ended up finding a great variety of different caches on the trip.
Day three - still some issues with the lights over the hill, but it did not take as long as yesterday to sort, so I was not going to postpone my adventure any longer! The main purpose of the day was to walk up to Parapara Peak, collect caches along the route, and especially the historic one near the top. I have to say that it was an amazing place to spend the day, and I had the place to myself. Definitely worth the 'expert' rating for the track, and not one to underestimate.
This one took longer than need be!! A few options for the hide, and the gps was pointing me much closer to the sign. Located eventually much closer to where I parked. TFTC!!

The start of a (hopefully) big numbers day as I have a day of leisure in the Bay whilst HorseGirlNZ is at a horse camp nearby.

In planning my weekend's activities, I toyed with the idea of spending the day heading up to the Peak but opted for numbers instead.

Pinged around a bit under the trees, but ended up at the first place I looked; just looked again a bit better.

Thanks

#1970

Good spot for a cache.

I tent the night here even though not meant too. Was planning on going up the next day but the rain came down hard over night. So will be back to complete the others in the next few weeks. Found the cache the same day someone else had. But it was at the sheltered log book stand. I replaced it to GZ and hint and covered with sticks. All good to go again. Tftc

8:31
FITW GreenMenace
Oh, yes! A beginning of an epic hike up to an epic cache!
Got back here again some 9 and half hours later, exhausted but satisfied!
Found 5/8 caches in total, walked some 22km distance wise and some 1670m in total ascent vertical wise.
Saw zero view from he top so that was a bit of a bummer but, hey, it's always a lottery with that kind of thing. Got unlucky this time. At least it wasn't too hot because the Sun was not out.

Don't know if the cache was supposed to be (not)hidden here? I came over to sign the DoC book first and then just saw the cache there. GZ pointed a bit further away but as I wasn't too sure where it should be, I left it there. And off to cross the river!

TFTC!
#5684

FITW ivss_xx

The start of the epic hike! So glad we did it even if there were only views of white clouds.
Found 5/8 caches in total, walked some 22km distance wise and some 1670m in total ascent vertical wise.
TFTC

It's 4pm and down in the valley it's getting cool as at this time of year the carpark probably sees little sun. This was a bit of a detour for us to check out the signage for the track in this area and luckily there was a cache here too. A short look around at the possible options and cache was found.

Yeah, there's *many* trees around which might fit that description, and even though I managed to get up to 0.14m close to the coordinates, I still couldn't find it.

If they're all this difficult to find then I'm really, really, *really* glad I didn't attempt the entire track.

The travelling fox is disappointed =u_u=

We saw the previous DNF and did not have much hope for this but we persevered and today it paid off. The cache was well buried and was wet through. We replaced the log book on behalf of the cache owner and returned fit were we found it. TFTC.

I think this one is gone - there is a very obvious hint object with a nice place to put something at head height, but nothing there. Now time to take the boots off - that was a wonderful day out!

I was "in training" for the assault up to Para Para Peak along with kiwi_explorer and Mrs SoBad last year but in the end was preoccupied with organising an important hui when the final date was being set which also resulted in not having any further fitness training after the trial trip up Cowans Spur. As a result I pulled out because my fitness levels were not up to the other two. I was hopeful I still might have made it last year but that wasn't to be. So this year I was determined and thought I was fit enough in February but then the heavens opened and I decided I needed to wait till things dried out again. A casual comment to Mrs SoBad on Saturday that I still wanted to go up Para Para this summer made me relook at this yesterday and the weather forecast was for light rain tonight so I decided to go for it today before the rain and the impending end to this years daylight saving. Coincidentally it would have been a year to the day (if it hadn't been leap year this year) since their successful trip. So here I am at base camp excited and a bit anxious at what is ahead. TFTC #8130

PS: For the interest of those following I took 5.5 hours up because I spent way too much time searching for all the caches on the way up. I took 4.25 on the way down which includes over one hour at 832 searching, replacing the cache and then searching again for my sunglasses.

There was no way Dad and I were going further up this track today - the weather had nothing to do with it... overcast and a bit cold, the first day of that after days of sunshine - just lazy really . Found quickly after spotting the hint thing, cache container smaller than I was expecting... TFTC (2665)

It was drizzling a little when we left Pakawau but the weather forecast said the worst of the weather had passed and the day should become finer. And for once it was correct.
This was the first cache we looked for as we drove towards home and one good outcome of the overnight rain was that the car created very little dust on the gravel road. But of course, the foliage was very wet at GZ. To keep ourselves as dry as possible, we immediately decoded the hint, which lead us to the obvious object and the cache was a quick find StreetWalker.
No big walk up Para Para for us today (it sounds a tad more challenging than I could manage), but there was already a car in the parking area, so someone had gone for a hike. TFTC.

#10292. Looks like the track is a good work out. First problem is to get across the stream, which had a bit of water in it after overnight rain. Still, finding this cache did not require a stream crossing, which was good. TFTC.

Last Para Para cache for today but perhaps not the last I will ever find up here. Unfinished business at 832m so one day I may well be back. An easy find here at the obvious feature. Time now to find a burger and a coke to start the recovery process.
Thanks BigglesNZ for the cache.

#8901

GPSr led me to an empty shell from a giant snail (Powelliphanta) which was an interesting find. No log book found in there though so had to continue the hunt. Finally found after ignoring my GPsr and just going on the hint, the cache was actually some distance away from my indicated GZ.

TFTC

On a geocaching holiday with tmann421. Exploring the area, lots of amazing places, views and caches. Thanks to all the CO's for making this such a memorable holiday.

Found remains of a container. tmann replaced.

TFTC

Container was found smashed and log wet - must have taken quite a bit of effort to destroy it. Wonder why someone would do that and not just take it or leave it alone??

Anyway we replaced the container with a smaller one and new log
TFTC

First of the day at the start of a walk to the top of Parapara Peak. It was 8am so nobody else around which made searching easy. A quick find - signed log, TFTC

No sooner had I got out of the car (with GPS in hand) than Jr Juicy was calling out he'd found it, going just off the clue! Some interesting swag inside, picked up a TB

Thanks for the fun!

Bypassed this on previous visits with the intention of doing at least part of the full track one day. Today we were trying to dodge rain so opted for a park n grab and reconnoiter. A caravan parked nearby, but occupant down by the river so no problems to find the cache with hint. Then a chat to the solo camper before moving on. Sun came out while we were here.... but not for long.
Thanks. The CO may see logs for at least some of the others, but not this trip.

Rather nice in under the trees as the day was turning into a hot one. Explored the little stream nearby before heading back out. TFTC

Hmmm. No intentions of doing the track, but thought we might come along and check out base camp. Doubt we'll ever attempt the ascent - - but admire the fitness of those who do. As with many bush caches, the hint was needed for this one but with that, no problems with the find. Many thanks. Took 3 trackables and left a fresh one.

Took just a weeny while to find. I was looking in the spot where my GPS bottomed out at 1 m when I spotted a likely place about 15m away. Bingo! TFTC

Ok for the first :we started to late second reason ahhhhhh ..... Our horse get a headache and now the truth we are at the moment not fit enough to do the hole track so we decided to quit at the middle and went the way back jumping from stone to stone in the river ( a lot of fun ) maybe return back and grab the last ones TFTC

Another walk i will have to do sooner than later

team b&w been busy elsewhere, so a couple of nights in the bay a welcome break. we decided a walk in country air was the ticket, several options, this track won the debate. worker sussed the cache while bum sussed the stream as to whether dry rock hop was on....success for both of us.

Grabbing a few caches in the area while passing through on our 'how ever long it takes' NZ tour.
Thanks for setting this up.
TFTC
Mud & Kim


TB's Exchanged.....

Just a recce today. Had to resort to hint as GPS had me at 1m 15m away. tpyed with idea to walk to the second one, but a vigorous stream changed my mind. Lovely day in the Bay. Well done on summitting Para. Must have a go myself eventually

Thank you for placing this cache.

Bit of a late start but better late than never TFTC

Eight caches up the hill and back down in 6 hours five minutes.

A quick find as we parked to begin our uphill adventure - found the cache and then a flurry of boots on check we had food etc all in our packs , signed the intentions book and off we headed - a great wee cache to start the day - thanks

An early start for the day as not sure how our fitness will hold out for this track!!! At the time of loading GPS no-one had loggged at all so it was nice to see some-one had been here too. A quick easy find to start the day off. Thanks for placing some caches for us to find in an area we have never visited before

Woo-hoo! FTF which is really rare for us. Didn't take the TB but added Help Save The Kiwi TB for the 2nd-to-find. TFTC

Published

Trackable drop.