A Spark - After All This Time? (Otago) Hoopers Inlet, South Island, New Zealand
By gibler on 19-Jan-08. Waypoint GC18PD6

Can't remember when exactly I solved this but I had hoped to head up and grab it a month or so ago, but of course.. wrong timing! Up I went today, cringed slightly when I got to GZ as there were a lot of possible hidey holes. Strangely enough, I found the cache relatively quickly.. with a number of sheep watching on intently! Thanks for the puzzle and cache, a nice spot here.

It took a wee while to locate the final, well hidden, and still in good condition. Thanks for placing your cache. Ms_KR and I are heading to Invercargill for a tramping club 75th jubilee, so we left a bit early in hope that the weather would be fine, so we could get a bit of caching in. So far it has been good, fingers crossed for the rest of the time away.Thanks to all CO's for publishing and maintaining their caches.

Gosh, a hard to solve mystery puzzle and a hard to find cache. Very satisfying to finally locate it. TFTC

This one had been sitting in the pile for a while. Luckily managed to grab the spark before the window of opportunity had closed. Kia ora for the cache.

Time for another CJ-Curry solo adventure. Feels like it's been too long! I have exactly no idea how long this cache has been on my "solved" list for - it's amazing just how my puzzle-solving mind has evolved. I no longer want prizes or victories - just solving the puzzle is enough. I've gone so far as to solving puzzles and deliberately not entering their associated contests. Geocaching has done some strange things to me.

But today I was after the victory of finding geocaches, so I booted up the cache and made the walk after finishing as much of the Bacon series as I could. No trouble getting to the spot, but I couldn't find the cache even upon a thorough search. I re-solved the puzzle with some difficulty on my phone, which confirmed I was in the right place. So I tried again, and after a little while, I searched the one exact place I overlooked in my first search - and got it. Was quite happy at having come up here, thanks for bringing me to this lovely place. Cheers!

Out for a catch up and a few caches with Kerynz. Decided to try to tick off some finals. Managed to get a few others on the way back for good measure.
Had solved this one a long time ago so it was very satisfying today to finally get a smiley here. Took us a wee bit of a search at GZ but we persevered and finally Kerynz got the find! Beautiful view from up here. TFTC.

In need of a catch-up with Frame Family so she suggested we head down the Peninsula to grab a few finals for mysteries we have had on our ‘solved’ list for some time.

This particular one has been on our list for a long time. Initially didn’t see the track access but after parking the car we inspected more closely. Need to have mountain goat skills to handle the steps. Made our way up to top of the hill. Wonderful view. Took a few minutes to locate the cache. We felt sure it was in place so we continued the search. Pleased we did as the find was made. Thanks for placing a cache here, the perfect place for one!!

# Wilby has posted the gif to imgur, so you can still solve this puzzle: #


### **https://imgur.com/BCdw9b5** ###


Note: The gif is about 1 minute long

Solved during lockdown after daywalk sent me the required information (it’s posted on imgur - see note from April 2020). Out today to grab this one as it fits as the last required cache for my 100/100 challenge and is also my 1200th find! Nice little walk and great views from GZ. I’ll have to explore the paths more around here. Fav point. Tftc

To be honest I can't remember if I actually solved this or someone gave me the answer (probably the latter). Its been stored away in my data bank since the Mega Event back in 2012. Anyway I enjoyed the walk to the final location this morning. What an interesting place. Found the cache after checking a couple of likely spots. Cheers and TFTC

Daywalk was kind enough to send me the file.
I've posted the gif to imgur:

https://imgur.com/BCdw9b5

Note: The gif is about 1 minute long

A few weeks ago I made a plan to find a few caches in Dunedin, always loved this road, so tried to find as many caches as I could in the limited time I had, before muggle friend joined me.

Now I started the solve with an image posted by daywalk, who kindly had the original image, which she had uploaded to the cache page.

But who knew? that geocaching.com in recent weeks has changed the way images are displayed on there cache pages. Long story short, this puzzle was no longer solvable.

Thankfully daywalk was very generous with her time. And thru trial and error, we were to discover that the best option appears to be, is to contact daywalk directly to obtain an email of the image.

With this new image I was now able to solve the puzzle. In between I had used google streetview, and had determined how to access the cache.

Now I have been to GZ, I believe if I had randomly went to look for the cache, I probably would have never found it. My plan was to come and look for the cache, with or without co-ords.

So here I am scrolling thru previous logs and images trying to find the cache. It took me a long time to find.

This is not a quick find kind of log. Although I was wishing I could type "walked straight up to it, first place I looked"

A prickly experience, but what a location

Again daywalk had given me a PAF option, I sat getting ready to call, but..... I held back, I went to look again for the last time, and .....

Yippie I had found the elusive container, a mini/solitary celebration was had

Another amazing puzzle and hide location. Thank you the gibler for creating and hiding this puzzle all those years ago, and daywalk for keeping it alive

Um, the image has disappeared, which (spoiler alert) makes the puzzle unsolvable. The cache is in excellent condition but unfortunately gibler is no longer active.

.. unfortunately it doesn't seem to be possible to attach the image to a lognote except as a straight jpg, which strips out the essential information.

Try this link to a copy of the image -
[image stored on google account](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/yxbWwNMdqxGeAnE_33QtGRNNNwWlU8nbXN8wSoC9e_A7ht73_IIeVcurCkiJWrPBrEcdNWcOMehbGsXhfx5ks2TOivYq6AmgXKvQW2v4BnKBtGWBeRBnbRDy8JWj9Krd__t_OTdFkJq-4DX8-mGst62mbyTzNW799YEkZzPhc4BTsRqq7FQ0hUh-xqUv_FoFzTC_kbaCw2vdV0ApB5mHewrefkSx-iet6Zl2Ylm7HIkA90_aCBe7JRVX3AyXlf9EmDUWFceBGqMDxV0uM8lvTHSUOcbe0po2fgbtbva4s-R-6shFr_y2Ktl-ENzCQUeKNoquxCESEK-wYlP1w9qw4QUTYeBhuXvSLEw1UYFgHeP36JiHbZlIyO2igaaurBSkh5CPoG17zw0_nm0KoFFUG7L0ZRueuVB-SLT3t00U7777UWjyNBPDuyhCBrhtTYMUb-MPWcaRwgt57EnLEiBAhaslpYprvW4W2RytkCznDy-jfrzpr0Uj9RJFe3V3xuVD-J4JUaUSl1lE0yDw4Sw_jZBMxLjdTi7f9Y7StMr7nREtM7BinURa-wzUD2FWyjZzpy4gSk8GSR2oKQmhNuVbJpF3QfwY-Q1xtvN083UmRFe9EbzVIUka_5q1kooTfOvCSx5IwZZGhJA3TgRIR2rKCxd_5wloow-TU2zTLme8QfJQZVYQc2c-BA=w289-h204-no)

I do have a copy of the entire image and can send it to anyone interested... it has to be sent to a personal email address, because it seems the geocaching.co, email or message strips out the metadata.

I solved this cache in anticipation of coming down to Dunedin as it fills a hole in my d/t grid. It was a wet and cold day, I found a place to park and scrambled up the hill, cache was quickly found. Tftc!

I was with KiwiChris when he found it in 2015. I declined to sign the log book as I wanted to work the puzzle myself. Although I haven't completed it I decided that since I were passing today with two previous finders I might as well grab it. In excellent condition.

Interesting puzzle. Solved at home before this NZ-trip. Found at GZ without any trouble [^]
TFTC

FAVO+!

We solved this great puzzle at home a few months ago! We even got some inspiration in this one for one of our mystery caches!

We're staying only 10 minutes away from here, so this morning we climbed up the hill to find this cache! We didn't find the right access, so took an unconventional and much steeper shortcut through the sheep meadows. Amazing views up here! After logging the cache, we did find the correct way to go back to the car!

FAVO for the really nice puzzle and for the location as well!

Tftc gibler!
#4259

T-Tech and I are touring South Island for 6 weeks

We have reached Dunedin and stayed here for quite a few days as there was so much to see and do here! I had some help in the solving of this one. We struggled to find the right access point, as it's well hidden, but eventually went up and up and up! Had to search a few spots before T-Tech made the find. It's a great view up here. TFTC, gibler.

Over from Brisbane for a number of weeks "motorhoming" around the South Island with IolantheK [^]
Now in Dunedin for a few days we spent the day grabbing as many Puzzle/Challenge caches as we could (with the occasional traditional, Multi or letterbox)

Thought we weren't going to get this one as the first gate we came to talked about no access during lambing season. fortunately further up the road we found the stair access and we made it to the top What a view!!

TFTC gibler A favourite point for this one [^]

Out caching on the Otago Peninsula today. Parked and had an enjoyable walk up to the final of this puzzle. Great views from GZ, which were a bit more enjoyable once the cache had been found - it took a while. Thanks.

I solved this a year or so ago and today I thought I might have a go at finding it. Lots of places to look so I was there for a while. But I was no hurry so eventually it was found. It's such a nice place just to sit back and relax. Thanks

Solved this a long time ago -- in fact i cannot even remember how I solved it. However, the corrected coordinates appeared on my Garmin, so I dropped behind the rest of the Wednesday Walkers to grab this one (actually aided and abetted by a previous finder). Easy find in a prime location.

TNLN. TFTC.

I got a nudge from a friend then when another cropped up nearby and I had a bit of time I drove down the long and winding road.
Climbed up and at GZ mooched about a bit looking here and there.
After about 5 minutes I checked the right hidey hole and got that smiley feeling.
Then trotted down in the fading light.
TFTC

I'd tried to solve this before with no luck but having recently solved something similar for the Christchurch Mega, the spark of an idea proved to be correct and co-ords proved to be spot on. Found with Aoraki Sheep.

Solving is only half the puzzle and this one took a few minutes of fossicking at GZ before log was safely in hand. Just as we discovered the cache about 20 muggles on horses came over the brow of the hill and decided to wait for their horse riding buddies to catch up - talk about feeling a bit awkward but we sat and enjoyed the view and had a chat with them until they moved on and we could replace the cache and be on way. Found with debsnz

Found with Sonia26642

25/12/2014 10:13:00 AM
5366
Spending Christmas this year with my family, and of course, lots of caching in the mix that means!!
We had a pretty casual christmas morning - and then decided to go out to the peninsula, to get some caches!

This one I solved a really long time ago, and finally finally had a chance to go out and find it!!

Took quite a while to locate - despite mum who was with us being the second to last finder! - but that was over 3 years ago!! And this cache has gone almost 3 without being found at all!!

But all was good and safe, and I eventually spotted it

Consec caching day # 781

TFTC!!

-------------------------------
For info on the next NZ mega, and to pre- register, go to:
www.nzmega2015.com

Nice walk and a bit of walking around before we found this one.

sonia26642 found this one after a decent hunt
TFTC

Oh wow, so excited that we have solved this one. But oh no have just seen that its closed Sep/Oct, so not sure we are going to be able to find it on our trip next month. Will take co-ords with us just in case by some miracle we can get there. Thanks for awesome puzzle a bit of brain spaghetti went on with this one each step of the way, until that lovely aha moment.

It's a nice day on the Peninsula so Papa's off to have another look for this one. Nice quiet walk up to the GZ and then the search began. Looked once more at all of the previous locations but no luck, widened the search a bit more and still no luck. Sent off an SOS message to a PAF and in the meantime went and searched again. Trusted the GPS and soon enough located the cache in a nice hiding location. Salamat!

This one was a great lot of fun!! First I had an idea of how to solve the puzzle, but only theoretically, and was thinking of asking the expert (my son ), but then, all of a sudden, it just happened! A true spark! But then I did not find the time to actually go and find it until today, and what a nice walk it was! I approached from a very different angle, just to discover that there is an easier way... Thanks for showing me an amazing spot!!

No luck today, even after trying phone a friend. We'll be back!

Was very pleased to see this cache re-enabled as I had been wanting to do this for sometime. I had an idea where it was located but I was glad to have the coordinates to narrow it down. Not being able to travel too far from home at the moment it was also great to see it come back up so I had a cache to go and do! Ventured out with the Jnrs to introduce muggle family member Andrew to the hobby. Had a great time climbing the enormous steps at the start. Enjoyed the views at GZ, though I didn't get to enjoy them fully until I found the cache and that took awhile. It is definitely a good hide, though I wasn't helped by my GPSr taking me a few metres away and on the other side of a matagouri. A great spot for a cache - thanks!

My first geocache! Introduced by cumbyrocks and am amazed at this whole new world of geocaching! Was a great walk up to this find and the views were spectacular

web hosting issues seems to have been fixed now. cache good to go!

Came across this as I was cleaning files off my computer. Solution popped into my head after putting it in the too hard basket six months ago! Now, just to get down that way and get it....

Hmmm, yes the webhost I had a file on has an error.
I will find another place to host..

Had to find a way to look at the picture and found it. TFTC. Nice view.

As with other computer software based puzzles, this was unsolvable until katiew passed on the required info. Found on a walk between Peggy's Hill and Harbour Cone on the new and enjoyable access routes. One of those pleasurable "I'm exactly at ground zero now and logs say it's a diffi... oh, there it is" hides. Had morning tea and enjoyed the view. Have been down this public road before, even with a child in a backpack, and that beautifully constructed old farm track looks much more welcoming!

Together with Iceworm we solved the puzzle at home...and here we had a wonderful walk to the cache. It was nice weather and there were no muggles around . Very great view from GZ.

TftC

The puzzle was not easy, but we solved it together - one with the idea, one with the equipment. Teamwork is great!
The way to the cache was special and very nice and the views from GZ are wonderful. Thanks for that fine cache!

Very, very, very windy walk to this and stpidly cold. Good views even with the cloud cover. Also the steps wern't just normal steps they were like mini mouintins.

After visiting the Sandymount Lime Kilns, we continued down to this cache. The steps into the inlet were amazingly, incredibly large. Were they made for Poseidon? After the initial steep descent, it was an easy trip along the ridge. The currents were extremely strong though, so much so that JBcivic had to shelter behind a rock! Battling the currents, trying to remain on our feet, and on the ridge, we did actually find this cache remarkably quickly! The views were fantastic, and hopefully this cache finds many visitors. Who knew the depths of Hoopers Inlet were so scenic? It may well be advisable to attempt this cache when the currents aren't so strong, however.... TFTC

[Good puzzle, and well hidden cache.] I visited zamzar and received a translation in my inbox, thanks guys.[TFTC]

TFTC TNLN SL well what a mission, pleased that I wasn't blind in the end and that it was fixed up, thank you, this was awesome had us going all over the place but well worth it in the end, amazing views it was magic shame it was just starting to get dark, must go back again and just mellow out up there cool place &. stone wall.

What a find awesome view found WP 1 and the final just magic up there nice night got some pictures may post them if they dont give too much away because it a nice view but it wont be as good as its neighbour but that rock wall looks so nice but those stairs I climbed up were made for giants TNLN TFTC great puzzle

I have to fix something with the puzzle... Googlepages have changed something.. making a very tough (i.e. impossible) puzzle.. Yikes. [B)]

Issues with web hosting now fixed...

Great spot lovely day, got to gz just before batteries ran out on gps, lucky.tftc

Found with a bit of help from birdflu. Took a bit of searching at the cache site but got there in the end. TFTC

Found after a short search.TFTC.

A good puzzle and a nice final location.
Thanks.

Easily solved from home. Nice to have a pleasant walk, after quite a few 'urban' caches. TNLN, Thanks.

yes, yes indeed.

(2208)
Quickly solved from afar… After All This Time, glad to finally get the opportunity to claim the cache. Enjoyed our walk, loved the stone fence and awesome views at GZ… Managed to hang on, only just, as the winds were howling through.
TNLNSL, TFTC

Had this one on the “to do list†for a long time, it great to have finally done it.
Took a wee while to solve the puzzle knew where the co-ordinates were but could not read them (ended up resorting to some “number eight wire†technology, video camera with frame-by-frame replay. Have since worked out how to extract them with a few mouse clicks).

The views are great, thanks for bringing us here.

I do enjoy a cache located on the peninsula at such a location.
I must admit that normally ill ignore these types caches where you sit at a computer to work out the coords but since this one was so close to home i made the effort to find it.

Clever little puzzle for this one. Lovely day for a stretch in the hills. I did this as a warm-down after Coneheads nearby. Great spot, hide, and container: well done on all aspects, an excellent cache. TFTC!
Cheers,
G.
- lamb magnet
+ LOTR deck of cards.

Had co-ords for a wee while but no opportunity to get out here. Came over from the newly published Coneheads cache. A good hiding spot! TFTC.

- bear (will be used to resurrect Kate's Katie Bear as the original bear rotted in Flat Pigeon). + highlighter & a vivid.

Figured out the puzzle quite easily, had just the tool to use. I loved the hike, and the view was amazing. TFTC Gibler!

Great puzzle solved with Wolffang. Just had to get the right program.
TFTC

Finally did it TFTC, enjoyed the fab views... just amazing, we live in such a beautiful city!

What a great place, views were good but would have been spectacular if the weather had been better.
Thanks for a great cache.

Solved this soon after it was listed, so it was about time I sign the log book, Dam cold here today, but great view's, and the rock wall are neat.

Thanks Bitsprayer

- Geo Coin

With many hints and superior computer and local knowledge of the Badgermushrooms we were able to get to this location!! Spectacular views and well worth the effort.
+ World Diabetes day 2007 geocoin

forgot to drop off coin

Worked out the puzzle ages ago but haven't driven past since then.

Nice little walk up the path and fantastic view from the top.

It was a team effort to get the coords and we were pleased to finally have time to get out to the cache. Great location, great view, fun puzzle, all around awesome cache really!

Took geocoin, TFTC.

Solved the puzzle quickly as I had just the right tool lying about on my desktop. A nice little walk and the cache was found.
Many thanks.

This puzzle was solved by the tiring method of staring into space and gathering one digit at a time in my short term memory. Duh! The final assault on the cache was made by the shorter direct route. This had both Tufty and I puffing. Unfortunately I had left the TB I was going to leave here in the vehicle and there was no way that I wanted to repeat the climb. Thanks for the puzzle and the cache. I now know a much better method to solve caches of this type.

I really liked this puzzle cache. I tried a method from out in left field and was successful. I have borrowed the idea for a cache I have placed in Auckland. Thanks, gibler. Had to come with BaldEd to sign the log.
In: Blue tape & marker pen.
Out: Geocoin.
Cheers for the cache.

I would imagine that there's a great view from the cache site on a good day but all I got today was 360 degrees of fog!

Great cache location. took a bit to get to the right spot to walk to it. but eventually found the right place, finding it wasnt hard becasue the gps lead to the right angle for me to see directly where it was. thanks for a great find. left come together geo coin and took travle bug.

Easy puzzle, fantastic cache location.
Thanks Gibler, I really do appreciate puzzle caches where the box is not just hidden on the side of a random fottpath in town. Even with puzzle caches, I think the hunt for the box remains the most important part.
- Keyring holders, + teddy bear
- TB Allan, + Jeep TB and Geocoin.
Thanks for a great cache

Too nice a morning not to do something, so off for another hunt at 6:30. (Had contacted gibler after last night's unsuccessful endeavours and knew I was in generally the right location). Made a couple of educated guesses and came up with the FTF. A great spot just after sunrise on a misty morning! Top cache, neat puzzle, nice walk and lovely location - Thanks.

2nd TF. nofs do you ever sleep??? Great view from the spot. Found easily with hint from gibler. The co-ordinates were 54 m out so no wonder we couldn't find it last night.
+ Allan TB - Raven

Published

Well done, just have to find the time for the walk.

Bitsprayer

Searched for more than 30 mins without success having met up with nofs who had been there for a while searching before our arrival.

OK, solved the (very nice) puzzle reasonably quickly. Arrivede a bit before dusk and searched until after dark when we were joined by WEKA. Another 30 minutes to no avail - so many hidey holes!!

Very clever! Probably took me about 20 minutes, I confess, to get the co-ords. Even without crutches it's a bit far at this time of day (read "night") for me.

Getting worried about what is coming next already!

I am a bit confused as to how “stegan†has managed to place a geocoin in the cache without finding it, what’s he know that we don’t

Looks like my co-ords are wrong
I will check it out Monday evening...

Ooops, my bad, as macgeonz has noted. Actually I've perfected the art of telekinetically moving trackable items about, would have signed the logbook but I don't like to overuse my powers...

Have beamed geocoin back to home base.

I've fixed up the puzzle - I had one digit of the southing co-ordinate wrong Now using Nofs's provided co-ords (thanks). Sorry to all.

Hmmm, once of these blank ones again It should give you eyes a rest after the autostereogram - should only take a minute!

Good puzzle, well hidden cords, solved, but not going to make it there on crutches!