PBBP2 - Waiohine (Wairarapa) Dalefield, North Island, New Zealand
By GSEL on 20-Jan-18. Waypoint GC7HF5Y

Found with Dali87 within our amazing trip around New Zealand. Thanks for nice cache ....................................................................... TB Koumesovo geopivo DDEV7M

I don't routinely look the hint before arriving at a cache site but in the forest with not a lot of time to "waste" on searching I did that here. And that was super helpful in homing in on the cache immediately. It was pretty well hidden though so I'm pretty sure I would have ended up needing the hint if I did things in the usual order. Thanks for adding more caches to this trail. It's in good shape still.

*Catching up on some loooooong overdue logs*

A call was put out in our puzzling group that there was going to be a hike into Totara Flats to hunt down T-2, as it is one of the oldest caches in the North Island, therefore required for the challenge cache GC325CX Old School Challenge. The group of willing participants are myself, Itchyfeet2020, Matagouri, TwigNZ, and The Seagnoid, so we are signing logs as LIMiTS.

A great time had by all, and some great caching along the way.
Thanks for the cache.

Okay time to work out what a PBBP is. A Primary Basic Bubble Puzzle? People's Back to Basics Problem? Potential Bloody Bones and Pus? Ooh - I like that one! Problems Blaming Blonde People? Potatoes, Bananas, Beans and Pineapple?

At last - I have been wanting to do this trip since... since... well, since I was in nappies, probably. I have been up Holdsworth a number of times, and down to Totara Flats once, but never out the Waiohine gorge. So armed with the intent of finding T2, one of New Zealand's oldest caches, I set of with a bunch of geocaching friends after having dropped a car off at the Waiohine road end. It was grey and overcast, perfect tramping weather apart from a little drizzle, but we only really needed the raincoats once. Everything looks all fresh and new. Shiny and clean.

Log signed as Limits for LL113, Itchyfeet2020, Matagouri, TwigNZ and the Seagnoid. And yes, there were limits to our caching today. Today we decided to limit it to New Zealand!
Fourteen caches between Holdsworth road end to Totara Flats hut, and another fifteen tomorrow, between Totara Flats and the Waiohine road end.

The time has finally come for our much talked about T2 adventure - a very worthy objective. The plan was in from Holdsworth and out at Waiohine with Totara Flats Hut and all the lovely caches inbetween. Day 2 today and feeling a bit rough from the leg jarring ups and downs from yesterday. Left Totara Flats with renewed energy and optimism for a river walk. For the first bit we got what we expected and had a very pleasant walk alongside the river caching and then the track upped the effort level. Luvin every cache from here on in for giving the leg muscles a rest and this one was no different - bank to be hauled up before cache reward TFTC All logs signed as LIMITS for LL113, Itchyfeet2020, matagouri, TwigNZ and the Seagnoid.

T2 (GC137) is currently the second oldest extant cache in the North Island, and as such is on the list of 10 oldest NI caches required to be found in order to qualify for GC325CX Old School Challenge - North Island. This means that I've wanted to do a tramp to find T2 for yonks, and this weekend it finally happened.

A group of 5 of us set off early on Saturday, leaving one car at the end of Waiohine Gorge Campsite and then driving to Holdsworth Campsite in the other car, to make our way from there to Totara Flats Hut for 1 night and then back out via the Waiohine Gorge. Those 5 are LL113, Itchyfeet2020, Matagouri, TwigNZ and the Seagnoid, and so we have signed all logs as LIMiTS.

After the heavy going of yesterday, I must admit that I was expecting a far gentler descent back to the Waiohine Campsite carpark. Little did I know that it would still be a decent amount of effort required to do it, but at the end we would all feel that we richly deserved to eat dinner in a pub to celebrate our efforts.

Walking towards GZ we passed a large slip. It's been here for a while, but even so I was glad we didn't have to climb around it. However, we did have to do some climbing for this cache. I There was a Hint object right there, which I searched thoroughly before hearing that tS had found the cache by another such object a bit further up.

Thanks for setting this one up.

A group weekend in the eastern Tararuas, going from Holdsworth Lodge to the Waiohine campground via Gentle Annie Saddle and Totara Flats hut, with T-2 as our major target. The group includes LL113, Itchyfeet2020, myself, TwigNZ, and The Seagnoid, so we are signing logs as LIMiTS.
Heading out from Totara Flats hut. Yesterday's punishing downhill section, plus multiple short climbs along this section, means that some of the group are starting to struggle, and we need to pause often to keep everybody together. Good thing we have caches to search for! Spent some time searching in the wrong spot for this cache, but found eventually. All good in container, tftc!

Found yesterday on route to Totara Flats Hut for the night. TFTC!

With gorby on our way to the hut

As to finding the cache, with such a big marker it was thankfully not a problem for us to sign. And on our return the next day, we used this cache to navigate ourselves off the river bank, and back into the bush.

A fun find, thanks for the hide GSEL

So we had a decision to make, it was an easy one, the sign is no longer in the ground but resting against foliage, so for us it was down another descent to the river and we started walking along the bank, I even enjoyed this section, made a change from the gnarly roots. Not much water going on here, and we walked past the large landslide on our left.

"Mama always told me, start as you mean to go on". As we roll into a new year, what better way to start than a wee trek into the Tararua Ranges. Todays goal was all about the T2 cache, although I went a little further for another couple. The walk (in and out) was just over 25km and took me 8 hours and 16 minutes. 13 caches found, about half on the way in and the rest on the return, and now my legs don't work.

Got this one on the return trip, which meant I was initially searching by the wrong hint object. Once I sorted that out, all good. TFTC.

My November the 20th finds needed a bit of a boost so I scoured my map for clusters of unfound caches. With the weather looking great, I decided it was time to re-visit this area although I was astonished to learn over five years had lapsed since my last visit. This cache did not exist then.

This was my first stop of the day and it took pretty much zero search time which is not always the experience I have with this cache owner's hides. Having previously found three other PBBP caches (all in great locations to visit), it was no surprise to see the PB and BP combination at work here. Having read the previous found log, I was expecting I may need to perform some maintenance. However, a huge thumbs up to Kiscardi for not just replacing the logbook - it's a high quality one in a very robust plastic bag that should last a very long time.

It was definitely a day for the river route from here.

Thanks so much to Kiscardi for replacing the wet logbook in this cache.

Cheers

GSEL

On a road trip with NZ Bozzy , Heading back down to Wellington with a couple more stops to make.

Main reason was to grab the North Island TMTG caches and some oldies. And also to celebrate a birthday with a 0

Main reason for a walk here today is the T2 cache but always enjoy a walk in the NZ bush. I was unaware of how pretty this area is
thanks for the cache and bringing us here today. Placed a new log book in the container
Sorry for all the copy and pastes

It was good that Kiscardi had read that there were wet log books on our planned walk today and brought a supply. She managed to use them in three separate cache. I know it must be hard sometimes for cache owners to get into some of these places where they have placed cache for us all to find.
I should make it a habit of mine to carry some spare log books with me when I am out running as I usually have my pack on anyway.

As mentioned log saturated. We have photo of it as proof we found it (if required). Great track up to Totara Flats. TFTC

This geocacher reported that there is a problem with this cache.

Easy find. Logbook sodden but managed to etch my name on the list. Down to the river I go! TFTC!

Log saturated. Sorry I didn't have a replacement on me.

#11,849. Signed this log when it was placed by the cache owner, while on an enjoyable walk in the Tararua Forest Park together with barefootguru, CartertoniC, GSEL and wb1116. It was now time, while staying at home in the COVID-19 Alert Level 4 lock-down period, to log this online.

Keep safe everyone.

Thanks for the placement, and for the company, and …

.T h a n k s. .f o r. .t h e. .c a c h e.
.M a u r u u r u. .k o e. .n u i. .a t u. .h o k i. .t e. .k e t e r o k i.

Found on a pleasant day trop to Totara Flat with fozzmiester. It's 10 years since I last made to trip to Totara Flat to find T-2 (and replace the original damaged container for the original CO). Just as with the previous trip, it took about 8 hours for the round trip, although quite a few more caches to find this time, and a side trip to Sayers Hut.
TFTC.

Found while out for a day walk to Totara Flat and back with -gonefishing-. This was a very enjoyable trip that I have had on my to do list for more than a few years. After an early morning departure from home and a second breakfast at Greytown we left the carpark at 0815hrs. We made good time and picking up caches along the way got as far as T2000 before heading back to Sayers hut for a lunch break. From there it was back to the carpark where we arrived at 1615hrs. A longish and tiring day in the heat but well worth the effort.
A nice quick find then down to the river for third breakfast. TFTC

Found on the way to Totara Flats hut on a family tramp (a group of 13 members). Had a fun but tiring trip, including celebrating a 10th birthday. The cache was a quick find and in good condition. Picked up the trackable, and then chose the low road (river option). TFTC

Exactly as described ! Thanks

Another straight forward find on wander up the river. Cache in good order. Tftc

It would be hard to miss the orange triangle!
A nice and easy find. Dropped a TB. TFTC

We leave Castle point in the morning for Featherston. Objective of the day: Hiking in Waiohine valleya with the old geocache GC137 as the final.
What an adventure, what a weather and what a happiness!

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Thanks GSEL for the geocache [^]
Greetings from Belgium,
Frank et Muriel travelling in New Zealand

Happy geocaching

Found quickly. TFTC.

Quick find where all good at GZ. Even though I was with CO when placed I couldn’t recall which hint object - however a quick find nevertheless one year and one day later.

Thanks for another smilie and my third find today.

Quick find before taking the high route which we later regretted. The river route was much easier on the way back. A small slip here has meant the signpost has gone down the bank. tftc

Quick find with mumandme on our tramp to Totara Flats.

Quick find... quite a few caches on this track now (might affect the doc walk time)... anyway fanfan-77 had to explain the name of this cache. TFTC

Sveppi and I are on an overnight mission to Totara Flats Hut, or camping if it gets busy (we brought the tent!). Caches are becoming a bit too close together for our liking, breaking our rhythm. The track is also a bit more tricky to walk on, it was so much easier before the creek bridge... looking forward to the flats, as I like the scenery of that sort of walking. Anyways, cache found easily with the hint, great marker can't be missed.
6 caches today from 6 different hiders, T2 compelling some of its finders to sow a seed of their own...

Tftc, log in dry condition.

Left this one for the return trip from Sayer's Hut. Easily found, TFTC.

On our way back from T-2 so we had to scramble back up from the river to the terrace at this point. Mrs D spotted the hint object! and searched... and searched... and ... then Mr D coughed loudly and pointed out the other hint object and a certain something behind it in a much easier place. Phew!

Doing a walk to Totara Flats hut for the night and pick up GC137 T - 2 the 7th oldest active cache in New Zealand on the way. I had to check 3 times for this one. The second was at the wrong hint item. Got there in the end. Now down to the river and along the flat for awhile. Thank you for the placement.

Doing a walk to Totara Flats hut for the night and pick up GC137 T - 2 the 7th oldest active cache in New Zealand on the way. I had to check 3 times for this one. The second was at the wrong hint item. Got there in the end. Now down to the river and along the flat for awhile. Thank you for the placement.

Mrs Rattll and Mrs Watcache decided on a weekend away without the boys, so a plan was hatched to do this track since Mrs Rattll had had the T-2 cache on her list of must get geocaches for quite some time.
However the predicted weather forecast wasn't very good so it had seemed unlikely that the trip would go ahead. But, as the week progressed, the forecast got better and better and a last minute decision was made on Friday to go for it, so a mad scramble to get everything together followed.
Mr Rattll drove us to the Waiohine Gorge entrance Saturday morning, and we set off about 10 a.m, with the weather proving to be only a little over cast all day, which was perfect for walking.
The hint made this one a very straight forward find as we spotted the excessively large hint item from quite some distance back.
I left a pet rock - a crab.
Thanks for setting up this cacheGSEL

When Mrs Rattll asked if I wanted to do the walk to T2 cache I didn't know where she meant but once I investated it it was an area I had tramped before so I was keen to go as I wasn't caching back then so of course ya have to again with caches to get especially when a FTF could be up for grabbed further down the track. Mr Rattll drove us to the start. The weather was not looking good for us at the beginning of the week but as the week progressed it was improving, I rang Doc and he said to go for it its going to be fine weather for tramping the rivers are low so no worries about the slip you'll be able to walk the river. We headed off for the first cache at about 10am crossed our first swing bridge got the first cache of the day then headed onto cache number 2 it was a bit of a walk down the track, then cache number 3 was in our sites wondering what we were looking for due to the name, but once we got closer it was obvious we had reached ground zero. then it was onto cache number 4. this was cache number 5 for us I dont know why but I thought this one was on the slip but no we were lucky enough to get it, now onto cache number 6 for the day another good find. then a pleasant walk further along to find this cache number 7 it was a very quick find yay some havnt been so fast, time ticks on when it takes a while to find a cache. we signed the log and placed it back exactly where we found it what a lovely area to walk along thank you for placing a cache here.

Decided to go somewhere special for the weekend so a trip to Totara Flats to get T-2 was planned. Another cache closer to the ultimate goal. TFTC

Went for a pleasant day tramp with CartertoniC to Totara Flats Hut and back. A very quick find here before heading out to walk along the river bed. Signed log, TFTC

Back on track, this time with agcnz, tempted last week by the 4 FTFs published a month ago and still going begging. Perhaps unfortunately (for us anyway), the FTFs were snapped up just 2 days ago by Hinemoana although even knowing that, it wasn't enough to divert us from making the journey up the Gorge Track today.
Although I was in the 'Party of 5' on 20 January when this was placed, I didn't sign the log sheet at that time (pre-publication), and tried to avoid seeing the actual hide, preferring to leave that for a discrete search-and-log expedition, which was today, a 4 hour walk to Totara Flats hut with about 10 rest stops (to sign caches) along the way in.
This cache makes a good resting place on the return journey after the slog up the slope from the riverbank deviation below the big slip. This is one end of one of my favourite parts of the track - the river and valley views along here are just magic. TFTC.

I knew I had to revisit the area, and cheap flights came up - so I was off for the weekend! The timing meant that I would need to stay at the hut rather than do it as a day trip at the last occasion, so even better. And another FTF yay!! A good spot to get a quick glucose shot before continuing on the track!! TFTC!!

Published

Not FTF… on a mission to T-2 with CartertoniC, GSEL, huhugrub, & wb1116 this was one of the new caches we placed. Hi again GSEL