Logs for Manta 

TNLN 

Found with GeoMuffler and EFal 

Cute hide. 

Sorry folks - last minute changes to the holiday plans means we'll most likely be interstate at that time. I'm sure you'll all have a fantastic time; Papa Bear runs a great trip. 

Stage One of this cache will be replaced over the Christmas period. Until then, kindly contact the owner for assistance, as many have already done. 

Stage One of this cache will be replaced over the Christmas period. Until then, kindly contact the owner for assistance, as many have already done. 

And out of the darkness comes a vaguely familiar shape...could that possibly be Manta??

Just when you thought he'd disappeared off the face of the planet, he smells the wood smoke and the Bundy and can't resist the call. He'll certainly be trying to make this one.

(Slips quietly back into the gloom...) 

Part One of this cache appears to have gone missing. Until I can get out and fix it, please email me for assistance. As the main cache is still active, I won't disable this one just yet.. 

Dak - I edited the listing recently, assuming you were correct in saying the clue wasn't there. I jumped too soon as I checked it again yesterday and can verify absolutely that it is in great shape and still in its original location. It's not in the middle section and it is written somewhere prominently. You don't have to walk on water to find it but you'd be close.
Sadly, the tourist map has been torn down so I've amended the clue for D1.
Enjoy... 

Will replace the first part of this soon. Missing in action... 

Just a short note to let people know I hadn't forgotten about this.... (Okay....yes I had!)

I'll fix it when I fix IQ2, the pfirst part of which has also gone missing.[:(!] 

I'll take this one off until I can replace it. However, I won't be travelling to the last location to put it back! It'll pop up somewhere else. 

Checked on this one this evening and Part One of the cache has definitely gone missing. I'll replace shortly and, if necessary, alter the co-ordinates as I think it's unlikely I'll be able to put it back in the same spot due to the work that's gone on in the area. 

Finally got around to doing this one after ... how many years?

The plan was for Citria and I to do either this one or the new one on Mt Beerwah. I've climbed all the Glasshouse Mountains in the past but hadn't located the original Beerwah one (probably muggled) or Gorilla on Tibrogargan so it was nice to post a find at last. The track up through the forest to Mt Ngun Ngun is much more thigh-friendly than it was ten years or more ago when I last came up this way.

Great company, a pleasant climb, a humid but nice day and a good cache location. Despite the flying ants (which I'm still picking out of my ears), it's whetted my previously waning appetite for geocaching.

Thanks John.
TNLNSL. 

Great location - brought back memories of dive trips to Cook Island many years ago.

Very well camouflaged stash. TNLNSLTFTC.

Simon. 

In the area as part of a photography group trip. Had the GPS with me but fell victim to outdated waypoints and other hassles with the few caches I tried up this way - except this one. Thanks guys for the cache and the views. TNLN. 

I didn't have the updated co-ords with me for this - serves me right for not doing my research. Didn't find the cache but got some nice shots at sunset and later, once the stars came out. 

Well done Garners and thank you for your positive comments. I've almost forgotten that "thrill of the chase" feeling but it's good to relive it through the eyes of "practising" cachers like yourselves. 

Xixau, Four Bears and Mt Mee. Recipe for fun and frivolity. If the last time I was up there with you guys is anything to go by, I'll be there. Still a little far out to confirm absolutely but it's in the diary. 

Team Manta won't be able to attend. With two other events that day we're already stretched - a milestone birthday for my mother plus the annual Quarantine vs Customs vs Customs Brokers Cricket Carnival. Now if only I can convince Mum to be Twelfth Man we'll save a lot of running around.... 

Although it lasted longer than expected, this cache is now extinct. However, evolution has taught us that the demise of one species usually results in the rise of another. Nature always finds a way..... 

Any minute now.......

Time is almost up for this cache. 

For what it's worth..

I checked on this cache recently (after Citria's visit) and all was well. The cache was easy to reach but hidden from view. It was only covered by leaf litter.

S. 

Maintenance check today. All well. 

My take on the Kingfisher debate(Four Bear's photo):

Checking my source*, I reckon this little guy is definitely a male of the Eastern race (subspecies) of the Forest Kingfisher. The small white patch above the beak is shorter than the white lores of the Collared Kingfisher, the Collared has an olive green head cap that extends into a black face mask and he's more green than blue along the back and wings. The Forest Kingfisher's habitat does include mangroves so it wouldn't be unusual to find it here.

I therefore concur with Citria's identification.

I couldn't find a Kingfisher when I went back to the area recently but I did get a nice Great Egret (Ardea Alba)in breeding plumage.

(*Field Guide to Australian Birds - Complete Compact Edition; Morcombe, Michael; Steve Parish Publishing; 2004; pp 228-229) 

Let us be the first to welcome Michael, our newest cacher, and congratulate Paul and Robyn on having the best excuse for missing a geo-picnic.
From all the Team here at Manta Central. 

I'm very concerned about your sanity Sniper...! 

With the dreaded 'flu now on its last legs and the mercury dropping ever so slightly, it was time I got myself and and about once more.
I had eyed this spot for a potential cache placement several years ago but had forgotten all about it until it popped up recently. Well done, Deco.
The hide is...well..interesting. A little out of the ordinary despite a popular container being used. Not many go to these "lengths" and, as previously noted, it's well-stocked. I didn't even get to the bottom of it for fear of not being able to return the contents.
As it was, I didn't swap anything but it's a cache worth doing. Please heed Deco's warning about keeping a close eye on little ones here - the terrain and the prominent feature represent significant hazards to unsupervised geo-kids.
TNLNSLTFTC.
Simon, Ashleigh & Emily 

In the absence of anything being stated here on the description page; this cache IS being maintained by a local.

[This entry was edited by Manta on Sunday, January 09, 2005 at 10:42:46 PM.] 

 

Found by Emily despite her strong anti-reptilian views. On reading the description page, she had intitially decided that there would be fewer lizards inside the car so that would be where she would stay. Changed her mind and ended up finding all the clues and pointing the old man in the right direction.
Thanks for a really nice cache guys. I LOVE the fact that ther are still places like this around.
TNLNSL.

Simon. 

My current roster puts me at work that day. Won't be able to make it. 

A large group effort here but Rogainer was first to the source of the info and first, in person, to deliver it to Four Bears so 'Well Done'. Must get myself a pair of Dunlop Volleys...
Thanks for the cache Bears, though no-one really needs much of an excuse to take in one of Queensland's best vistas. 

Grabbed this one on the way up the beach for the 4WD Bash.
Another cache that's a bit dodgy and I don't know how long it's going to last.

Not sure I'm that keen on scrounging around the ground in areas where the toilet ditches of thousands of campers may be located but I suppose a good cacher carries on undeterred. Excuse the pun but the cache owner's name IS Pooey!![xx(]
TNLN. 

We were able to come up to the 4WD Bash with the advance team so got to a couple of caches before the main group. Didn't mean we got any hints though!

The birds were kind to us and this one was located in very quick time. Basically the first place I looked.

Great spot bears. So good, we may even come back tomorrow...
TNLNSLTFTC. 

Great weekend! Starting early and heading up with Four Bears and Xixau&Shenzi had its advantages - we were able to grab a couple of caches on the way and see a little more of the territory surrounding the event location.

Excellent job organising this one, Bears. Special thanks to Mrs Bear for being our unofficial security detail, minding camp while were were off throwing our vehicles (and bodies) around. Thanks Robyn.

Happy to take on the organisational role for the 2005 event and although I've got plenty of ideas for locations would love to hear from others with theirs. I envisage a similar time of year, though end of November/early December will hopefully get us out of trouble with last minute Christmas commitments. The late date couldn't be helped this year but with more lead-in time we should be able to lock something in that guarantees a big roll-up and doesn't interfere with other arrangements.

Thanks everyone for a great weekend. What I think was particularly noteworthy was the international flavour - we had Aussies, Brits, Americans and our new German friends. Geocaching is truly a global phenomenon that unites people across so many borders. It's great to be part of such a game.

Simon, Stephanie, Ashleigh and Emily.
PS: Sorry about the horn Paul... my hand slipped.

[This entry was edited by Manta on Sunday, December 19, 2004 at 11:11:00 PM.]

[This entry was edited by Manta on Monday, December 20, 2004 at 12:01:25 AM.] 

For those joining the convoy and who may not be familiar with the territory...
Co-ords for the "Big BP" at Burpengary are:
S 27deg 07.458
E 152deg 58.626

See you there.
Simon, Stephanie, Ashleigh & Emily. 

A real team effort from Team Manta. Mr Manta and the two MiniMantas headed out to GZ with Mrs Manta waiting in work cyberspace to snap the photos.
Thanks for the cache Rogainer... not too many of these around our neck of the woods. 

 

Thanks Citria. I also got support from Lt Sniper on this.
Yeah..I dunno. It's a bit hard to fathom why it's a problem for them. The approver said they didn't want archived caches clogging up the web space but I wasn't planning a massive invasion of the things!
Still, I suspect some of these guys have long memories and while one Exctinctum cache might skip through, I may not get another one approved if they suspect it's only going out there to be 'killed off'.
I'm far from being the most prolific placer of caches but I certainly don't want to incur the wrath of the approvers for those I do put out!
S.

[This entry was edited by Manta on Sunday, December 12, 2004 at 1:08:04 AM.] 

A quick explanation of what is going on here.

My plan with this series of caches is to leave them in the wild for varying lengths of time. Some would be active for months, others weeks and the ones I really wanted to place would only remain active for days or even hours, making the hunt to nab them that much more intense.

Unfortunately, the powers that be would not approve caches that were potentially going to last short periods of time. The GC.com guidelines stipulate that caches that last less than 3 months "may not be approved". The approver who worked on this one interpreted that statement to read "will not be approved" and canned my idea for short-term rapid-fire caches. The minimum period must be at least 3 months.

Subsequently, I amended the description page to reflect the approver's views and it now stands as you see it. Sure, I could have just changed it back again after approval and then gone and archived the cache within a day, week, month or so according to my original secret schedule but that's not how I play the game. I'm disappointed that the decision was not in my favour as I think the series would have been a lot of fun but I won't go against an approver's express instructions.

I still intend to 'mix it up a bit' with this series but you'll all have at least 3 months to log them before they go 'poof' and disappear.[xx(]

Happy to hear your opinions on this via a note here or gc.com email if you wish.

Simon.

[This entry was edited by Manta on Sunday, December 12, 2004 at 1:07:33 AM.] 

Nice one Bears but I know you and I think the toad would have gotten just as much of a fright!!

Sorry to hear you didn't crack it straight away Lieutenant; all will be revealed in the fullness of time. (That's not a hint!) 

Congratulations to The Four Bears for being the first to complete the IQ series. I must apologise for being so tardy in getting the final caches out - it seems at least a couple of players were eagerly awaiting their arrival.

Four Bears got through without any assistance from me so they can rightfully claim the First Finders Prize which will be sent to them in due course.

I hope that others continue with the series despite the FTF and the prize being already awarded.

Cheers,
Simon. 

Well done Lt Sniper.

For some reason that area, while it doesn't look it, is a shocker for satellite reception. I couldn't get better than 11m accuracy even after 30 minutes. I hope to get down there again this week and do some proper averaging but, in the meantime, potential hunters can use an average of yours and mine.
I've upped the difficulty rating.

Simon.

[This entry was edited by Manta on Sunday, December 12, 2004 at 1:05:01 AM.] 

Team Manta will be in attendance and will be camping. Anti-rain dance being done in earnest and we hope we've got the steps right.
 

 

Congratulations on your 50th Citria. Glad it was one of mine. I thought only mad buggers like me go caching in the rain! We had enough trouble negotiating the water on the track in daylight, let alone at night. Sterling effort. 

Okay - ready to go again. Hopefully this time it will survive any fires or the vandals that cause them.
Dragged "My Nuts" through a lot of puddles to get to the GZ. (The My Nuts Travel Bug that is..) 

"My Nuts" TB visited. Briefly. 

After dragging them up the hill, I dropped "My Nuts" into this cache. Could someone please come and grab "My Nuts" before they go all mildewy. (Travel Bug of course! What were you thinking?)