Nav's Nightmare (Auckland) Beach Haven, North Island, New Zealand
By glyn(the only one) & KiwiGary on 18-Dec-07. Waypoint GC17JYP

Myself, rustynz, Rebel98 and 3 muggle ladies (or is that 3 lady muggles) stayed a weekend on Rangitoto, our second day involved us all travelling to Wreck Bay or Boulder Bay, depending on what term you use. Quite a walk to get here, especially over some knarly lava-scoria. I cached along the way and rusty helped me find ‘Rangitoto Ship's Graveyard’ at Wreck Bay then took some fotos of the actual wreck.

The others had departed, so before me and rusty left this beach, we spotted a large container of plastic rubbish that had been collected but not removed yet. I’m always on the lookout for possible cache hides and scored myself an old butchers knife pouch or possible old cellphone pouch. THEN rusty spotted a berocca tube and it was camoed, cache…. it has to be a cache!! So we opened it up and sure enough we found a plastic bag with a saturated log book, we managed to open a page and I took a foto, and soon realised it belonged to this C.O. But how on earth did this cache end up here? A real mystery.

Rusty said she’d take it home and dry it out to see if she could gather more information. I went with the info I had on my foto, couldn’t find anything related to it and after letting the C.O know he was clueless too.

Well… a few days later Inspector rusty was on the case and she came up with the cache name, this one. I see it was archived a long time ago, 4 years. So after an easy solve (well familiar with this type of hide) we’re logging this with permission.

Its a weekend of fun on Rangitoto, where we are staying in one of the original baches. Lots of walking is planned, and a couple of caches to be found too.

So here we are: rustynz, rebel98 and gorby (plus some muggles) making the trek to Shipwreck (Boulder) Bay.

A few years ago I had found the cache "Rangitoto Ship's Graveyard" GC1K0VB (Found it 28/12/09) so was a little rusty about the hide

Luckily I had a vague idea as to where the cache was hidden, and the log was retrieved and being signed. Photos where taken, and just before we left the bay we could see a container of jetsam and flotsam (ok someone has been collecting rubbish from the shoreline).

Well what is a good cacher to do, but have a look to see if there is anything that could be used to create a cache? so what is this? a berocca tube with a bit of wood stuck to the side? could it be, it has to be, and yes it is - a cache

The inside was wet, and had some black slime. A plan was made to leave the log alone, let it dry out, and hopefully then the pages could be separated.

Leaving everything at the back door in the sunlight, I thought it would be safe. Sadly this was not meant to be. The base is gone, and will not be able to be returned to the CO, as one of the muggle kids must have thrown the container into the recycle bin (no one has owned up!) so long gone

But I do have the lid and log book which was not thrown away. I have taken pictures which I have included with this found it log.

How this cache ended up on Rangitoto Island from Greenhithe (straight line 16 km +) will remain a secret, we can only imagine the epic tale of adventure the cache had, like a message in a bottle

Thanks glyn(the only one) & KiwiGary for the puzzle and the hide (and for allowing us to log the find)

So I am into numbers:

For this log book the last to sign was YuGeo4 who signed it 6/2/08
This is the original cache that has been missing for 3791 days (Years, Months, Days 10, 4, 18)

The last cacher to find the Puzzle before being archived was evilno9 who found it on 2/6/13, so its been 1943 days (Years, Months, Days 5, 3, 27) since a found it log.

Had its day

Figured the puzzle out quick but have searched high, low and everything in between on three separate visits and still had no success. Either it is hidden ridiculously well or is absent.

Last one of the day and the best of the day too. Had solved the puzzle a while back and with teotocchi in tow we were able to swing by and try our luck. Enjoyed the view from the water first before heading up and around to have a look for the cache itself. Nice quick find and all in good order inside.

Great spot - TFTC

Found it. Saw puppies. Great day!

It's been over a year since the last time this cache was found but it's definitely still there . Solved the mystery long time ago using advises from Yugeo's mystery solving course. Nice hide at GZ, TFTC

Out with the Future finder this afternoon signing off on a few solved puzzle caches. No problems with the puzzle--a straight foward solve from memory. A nice quick find of the cache. Nice spot for a cache. Cheers for the puzzle cache!

Solved this one ages ago but have not been out this way for a while. Was a little nervous when approaching GZ but no worries here. Quick easy find. Thanks for the puzzle.

Well, what a mess, over thought this one... De ja Vu re Oruamo of Obfuscation!??? Quick visit earlier this week to get possible GZ WP, should have looked more closely only a feet or two away. After a nudge form Ugtme and the owner, solved the puzzle and now the stash.
Cheers Glyn for the puzzle and the cache!
TNLN sl Time for Mr Gull 2 get 1 back?

3rd search. Found with Helefant and UGTME. TFTC!

Took us FOREVER to find this what a work out both body and mind, thanks for the hint Darby & Joan...and thanks glyn for the confusing cache!!

Had actually worked out where it was before working out how to find the co-ords (Had spied the spot from a nearby cache of Nav's). Had looked a couple of times without the co-ords but was fooled by the camo - funny how this sort of camo has got me a few times while others of Glynn's i see straight off. We were going to do a few caches around One tree hill after Tramper teds Christmas event, but the kids (Alianne of Tortall & UGTME) had a clue and wanted to come back over the shore and have a hunt before it got to dark. It was Mr UGTME who spotted it first, we wouldn't let him show us as we all wanted to see for ourselves. TFTC

#663 This one has been in the unsolved pile since we started caching nearly 3 yrs ago. Even with a tip it still took ages to solve. Now finally solved and maybe should have waited a bit longer and listed this one as a milestone cache. Never mind, at GZ quick find. Nice spot. Thanks for 3 yrs of head scratching!! and scribblings. SL. TFTC.

Wow! solved this over three years ago, first time in the neighborhood since then so was able to 'complete the formalities'.
TFTC

Glyn, there's been a slip at GZ, not sure if cache till ok or assessable. I think I need to recover a bit more since recent illness before I'll feel up to this one, also with the slip, and it was dusk I didn't attemp a good hunt.

This was my first go with other web based loacting equipment and I really enjoyed the challenge. I took me a while to figure out how to use program but after a few minutes I finally managed to locate the position. I couldn't get the right result through the geotracker but decided to take a chance anyway as I was pretty sure I was right on the money. Hunted around for about 10 minutes before reading the hint more closely which eventually led to the cache. Neat spot and never would have ventured here otherwise. TFTC

This cache has featured prominently on our closest unfound list since we started caching. It took us months to come up with the solution, then weeks to get around to making the find. Decided to make it our 2100 milestone cache, so planned a day caching on the Shore. Nice views from GZ, and we found the cache after a short search .

# 2100

This puzzle had been pointed out to me a couple of times but it wasn't until I received a gentle nudge from the owner that I was able to unlock the code. Found the cache nicely tucked away. Thanks!

Not sure just how this one worked but many thanks to our special tour guide for the helping hand in getting the puzzle solved!

Yes, we solved it, yes we found it. Very well hidden co-ords and cache but we do admit we needed a nudge with the puzzle, thanks for the help, the puzzle and the cache.

Solved this when it was first published and have been awaiting the opportunity to sign it off. The sun, moon, tides and travel all coincided this morning. Nice to reduce my North Island unfound total by one (down to about 3451 now ). Thanks for the cache.

Yay! Cache #600

Solved the puazzle a while back and was in the area today with KiwiLeon, OG Phatazz, & the Wonderstuf.

Despite being distracted by a good sized eel and a very large red herring we found the cache.

T4TC - cool puzzle.

Out with GB, OGP and TWS. Took a bit of search on the muddy slippery slopes, but we found it in the end.
TFTC

Pleased to be part of group.

Joint find with the eastern crew and TWS

OK its about time I got this one solved, had no trouble with the other picture caches that have been popping up so why this one. However all was not wasted as my various attempts at this proved to be the answer for the others.

TFTC

Yay! Finally!
Well, we'd actually solved it ages ago, it was just on our 'when we're in the neighbourhood' list. Tonight we had the opportunity to do some child free caching, so we decided to do a couple of tricky ones while we had the chance.
Found the cache after a few minutes poking around, not too bad!
Very glad to have crossed this one off....!
TFTC

Nice one glad to see this one is back up and running. Quick find at GZ. Great spot. TFTC

Out: Runenring GC

Glad to tick this one off at last. I was still working off the old clues though - Tufty put me right, and it was a straight forward find.
Cheers - M@

+ Runenring geocoin

Solved this one quite a few months ago but with the ghastly weather we have had for the last three months I finally decided to get it off my books.
Searched for about 25 minutes before reverting to PAF (thanks, Glyn) who steered me in the right direction.
In: Geocoin.
Cheers for the cache.

Well, got the thumbs up, eventually. Tempted to write more, but don't want to give things away. Needless to say, despite being sure what was involved, it's still a matter of trial and error, for some reason. An issue we seem to have on these caches. Another in the solved list, not sure if we'll get to sign the log.

Saw this interesting one a couple of weeks ago, but there is only so long I can sit staring at a picture waiting to miraculously see numbers appearing or something! My wife is getting suspicious. Hopefully I will see the light some time.

new cache in a slightly changed place, not enough to change co-ords.

Cache is awol, will replace

Second attempt at GZ and still had to walk away with nothing, I hate that.

Argh! - no luck for me. Even with some help from Navigull, when I popped in for a visit. Sad to see the cache-mobile gone. Better luck next time, hopefully!
Cheers glyn - M@

(1184)
Took us a wee while, but we managed to extract both the final co-ordinates and the cache without any help. Nice hide and clever puzzle, which had us straining our eyes to see if we could find it.
TNLNSL, TFTC

Yippie !!!!!!
Have been working on this one for a while but with no luck.
Called in on way back from northern caches to scout GZ.

Cache in hand within 30sec of arriving. Took longer to sign than find - Just lucky today I guess.

Great Puzzle Glyn (now TT will want to solve it) and a cool idea. Super camo as expected.

You will need to keep an eye on your back fence.

Thanks for the challenge - it lingers.

Cheers TT

This is the last outstanding cache in Auckland. Only 3# on the 80km list - 1 Event, 1 Earth cache at Awhitu, 1 Island cache

14:23 What a great day to do this cache. The tide was in and the sun was out. Luckily no seagulls attacking unwary cachers today . Great hide Glyn and an great puzzle (Whose evil mind thought that up ). The photography on the cache page is also amazing. Thanks for the cache and bringing me back to this great spot.

[This entry was edited by KiwiGary on Saturday, January 19, 2008 at 3:52:54 AM.]

A tricky one to get at, the tide was high and required some cliff clinging. Very sneaky. TFTC. Nice spot to be on a hot summer afternoon!

Pulled up, spotted Nav, gave him a wave, thought he would come rushing out for a autograph after the Herald article, but this was not to be.

Mrs Wonder got up and found it after I nearly fell! Dont try it in the rain folks.

I can see a possible "Nav's Nightmare #2" in the pipeline.

Thanks for the cache, oh by the way, neat puzzle!!

TFTC!

Finally, needed a little help with this one as I spent far too long looking in the wronge direction.

Thanks for the cache.

Sometimes a fresh set of eyes works wonders. Had been watching the notes on this cache and decided to have a crack when we got to Auckland. Spotted after just 5 minutes searching. Nice camo! Very pretty spot. Pity I missed the FTF by one day. TFTC!

Solved the puzzle part of the cache very easily. I knew the finding part of the cache would be a nightmare; I dithered about bothering to go and look for it.
In the end, I was too curious and had to go and have a quick look. Spent a while beavering around ground zero which was indeed a nightmare to search. The tide was fully in, and this added some difficulty. After a short while, I decided to flag it away.

I have semi retired from geocaching while I complete a project but I still search out the odd "special". This cache qualified as a "special" I guess.

OK Nav's Nightmare sutch as it was is over.

We spent Xmas in Wellington so there was no point in worrying about this cache while there.
Well we were home today and one of our cats had been chased by a dog in the general direction of GZ, whose correct position was established after some help by ags Thanks ags.

So I grabbed the GPSr and my stick and we set off.

It turns out that my first attempt to search had concentrated on the correct position even without solving the cunning crafty puzzle.

We soon found the cat who was delighted to join the search team and we set about revisiting all the nooks and crannies I had checked before, but after 20 minutes there was nil result. I announced I was giving up but went back and took one last look at my initial hunch area and Whoa!

I had spotted that tiny inconsistency that gives most cache hides away, even Glyn's extra well cammoed ones.. I had the cache in hand when we were muggled by some kids who arrived on the run but stopped to pet the cat. I sat down on the cache to hide it, but meanwhile my wife was saying
"I thought we were giving up?"
"I have got the darn thing " I muttered under my breath.
Eventually the kids moved on and we logged the FTF.

I had watched funkymunkyzone's team search around this spot and had checked it out twice before myself, so the cammo was pretty darn good but on the the third pass something just clicked.

TNLNSL TFTC Glyn.







[This entry was edited by Navigull on Wednesday, December 26, 2007 at 9:06:37 PM.]

Congrats to Navi !!!!!--please dont ask him for a clue, for a while at least! Well done, just shows you how good he is,& a good sport, hope he doesnt put one round my place!

Spent about another 3 hours today hunting around the area once more. Had an idea about some coordinates, but no luck there. This has to rate as the most soul destroying caching attempt.

Armed with new coordinates, this time confirmed by geochecker, headed off with renewed confidence. Confidence transformed into frustration and disappointment after about another 2 hours of searching. Defeat conceded. [B)]

Just to assure all those questioning Glyn(the only one)'s parentage, I can assure you all that the guidelines were adhered to, and use of a GPS is still an essential part of this hunt. Remember, it's a p u z z l e cache, so go easy on the foliage.

Cheers,
Zero Gravitas
Geocaching.com Volunteer reviewer

Published

Well we can say that we were first to locate the area, but given that there appears to be no means to calculate coordinates it's just a needle in a haystack search (a small camouflaged needle in a giant haystack). We searched for about 2.5 hours before giving up. If there are no co-ordinates then is it really a geocache?

Well I guess this was aimed at me. And yes I strolled along to take a look and found funkymunkyzone had already had a good look but I spent an hour or so poking about but it is just like he said.

At least "Don't Pussyfooot with Puzzles III" narrowed the search area to maybe between 50 and 100 square metres. Excluding the mud there is is still about half a hectare in the frame with this one!

When I ran this cache past ZG his first comment was " cant do this, its too vague", but,when I explained how it was solved he said "cool" & published.There are cryptic clues in the body of the text.---Glyn. (sorry Nav, it was Gary's camera & idea, he forced me to do it).---BTW, When I last checked I had an EPE of 4 mtres.