Marbleous Manuka (Takaka East@Nelson/Marlborough) East Takaka, South Island, New Zealand
By beltfamily on 30-May-09. Waypoint GC1T19B

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This was an interesting road to drive along. The first ford was dry, and the one at the cache wasn't very deep. We should have driven through it to use the big wide area on the other side to turn, but instead turned at the intersection before. Although initially we walked past the hiding place we soon returned and found the nice dry cache. TFTC

Checked the map after finding the cache further down the valley and saw we could drive to this one so off we headed. Once there, a nice parking spot presented itself and soon after we had cache in hand. Did the required paperwork then had a spot of lunch and headed off again. tftc

Biking down from the Rameka Track - hadn't realised quite how long the gravel road bit is! Certainly a nice landmark and a quick find before we kept dry feet biking across the stream and onward to our pickup rendezvous.

After a few days of sunshine, the ford was absolutely no problem.

The travelling fox is happy =^,^=

Heading up the valley on the mtb and stopped quickly to find this one. Thanks to the great hint it was a pretty easy find. A little disappointing to see that there are not more people on the log considering how great the mtbing is. Tftc

After the rain the water was flowing well here. We blindly followed out GPS which was pointing up stream and rock hopped for a little while to no avail. Started searching in the more likely places and eventually we found the cache safe and sound. Sidewaze was with is and in the box found a card she had placed there when she first started caching 4000 finds ago.
it was only afterwards when we realised we should have rea the cache name before we started, it may have saved a lot of time.
TFTC.

Dad and I went for a Christmas Eve drive up the Rameka Valley, we have come the other way on mountain bikes a couple of times now, which is great fun... We decided to keep going a bit further up past the DOC cache, I managed to spot this one first after Dad got the last. The water coming down the creek still a bit cold for my liking, might stick to the river for now... TFTC (2651)

Easter Monday, and the last day of our 4 day long weekend trip to Golden Bay. The weather had deteriorated overnight and there was a distinct possibility of rain. We decided to find a few caches around Takaka before heading back home to Richmond.
This was the first cache of the day, and it was a most interesting drive to GZ. We didn't see anyone else around - which was a good thing as the road was so narrow there were very little for another vehicle to pass and some of the blind corners would have been hairy if there was an approaching vehicle.
We drove through the ford to keep our feet dry and also there was a reasonable turning around section of road just past it. Cache was a quick find with the hint as the GPSrs struggled in the narrow valley. Cache in good condition in its dry hidey hole. Rescued a TB as this cache doesn't get many visitors.
Now to drive back, and then look for a coffee in Takaka. TFTC.

#9331. A very interesting drive, and a quick find. I was pleased we didn't meet any oncoming traffic. TFTC.

Lovely drive up here and easy find. Dropped off a travel bug. Tftc

A welcome break at the cache site after doing the Remaka track, cache all well TFTC

Easy find while walking the dog this morning .. Nice dry log and dry feet too

TFTC!

After finishing the Remeka track ride I returned to find the cache and complete a great day out.

#2460 @1430
Caught the Escape Adventures mountain bike shuttle from Takaka with some locals to ride the Rameka Track back to Takaka. We were dropped off at the saddle - the park entrance at 1200. Cycled down the road to the start of the car park, then up the bush line to the start of the track - hot work. More pleasant in the bush and very dry. Headed on down the Pack Track and Great Expectations then rode up the road to the cache for an easy find. Headed home via Two Clicks but decided to skip One Click as we were getting quite tired. A great way to combine two enjoyable recreational activities. TFTC.

Scorched past on the old MTB. River really low. TFTC.

Great wee find here and in the heart of some awesome new MTB single track
TFTC

No problem to get the city car up the valley this far but we didn't attempt any further. Sobad had the cache in hand while Mrs was still making her way cautiously across the ford. The sun was out by now but it was not the sort of day where wet feet would be seen as a bonus. Thanks

Nice drive up to this one. Calm sunny morning. Thanks

I liked the drive up to this one thats what 4wd's r for not driving a round city streets like most.Wanted to go further up but mrs liquorboy09 had enough of the road so will do it another day tftc

A great little drive to this one and some great views if you follow this road further up . Luckily our nervous driver in front decided he didnt like this road and left us to it . Thanks for the cache.

Was an interesting drive to this cache which we took note of then we drove to the top of the hill which is bit of an epic trip !! did the cache as we came back down - an interesting stop and neat area - cache was soon in hand - signed the log enjoyed your cache thanks

Quick and easy found on my big NZ trip
TFTC

4289 An aptly named cache… no problems locating the Marbleous Manuka. Enjoyed our gravel excursion to GZ, TFTC.

First cache for our final day on our GBH tour was told this was a must to do cache by boxhill so we decided why not. Arrived at GZ and had a quick look and worked out it hiding spot quickly. Very interesting, nice spot and now I know what the title of this cache means, thanks for bring us here, Found Brucie's Movers Coin (ref = TB1V10F) and decided to move it to a new home,. TFTC LNSL (1736)

No trouble finding this marbelous cache. An interesting drive, but no problem in Boxhill's cache-mobile. We managed to wake some folk in a campervan as we drove by, then no doubt puzzled them by driving by in the opposite direction 5 minutes later.
TFTC.

A great drive up to a place we have never been before. Really interesting. TFTC Left a TB.

An interesting drive up to a place I have been meaning to investigate for some years know. Not much water in the river today TNLN SL TFTC

Nice drive dodging the bunnies to a great wee spot. The Manuka is Marbelous.
TFTC

Catching up with logs for caches I found with Sidewaze before I got my own account. TFTC

Yep - - -an easy find. - - -Once we had negotiated the road. The GPS had us going down "Loop Road" on our way - - - for reasons known only to itself. - - - Another interesting diversion.
Funny how you often can't imagine what a name means until you get there and then it becomes so obvious.
TFTC

What a clever hide! this could be really frustrating to find. Had an interesting drive in managing to pick our way successfully.The final would make a great place to have a picnic with the kids after a lovely drive like this.
Thanks
ernienz

Nice drive into the cache, not much water about.

Thanks Bitsprayer

Some interesting rocks around the area, had a good look around at the cache site after finding the cache, another place I haven't been before..

An easy find with Kwaka40.
No problems with the car. Though the goats we saw were quite at home!
TFTC

Easy find with Wilson#41.
Saw 2 goats on the road in.
TNLN

A neat spot! Visibility was down to about 6 inches there today, but 5 year old Miss Teapot had the cache in hand in a matter of seconds. TFTC.

Biggles provided Mr KE with the ride to this one today and the ride was stylish but rather low slung. Mr KE got out and checked the front as we went through the first ford - very slowly with only millimetres to spare. However, the problem came with the rear which got stuck in the middle and sat with the tyres spinning on the wet rocks. So we backed up and tried again and a not so gentle push from Mr KE got things sorted. No trouble with the cache or the return trip, though the ground clearance was even less but no tyres spinning, phew. Great fun. TFTC.

Well, this is a cache to remember. #500 for me on a joint trip to Golden Bay with Kiwi Explorer. As noted, the Ford nearly didn't make it at the first ford... with Mr KE's assistance (I don't think I soaked him toooo much) we made it to within about 250m of the cache in the car then found a place where it was possible to turn around and walked the last bit. More traffic up this way today than we'd expected but at least no muggles at GZ. TFTC, Biggles.

I was fairly sure where this would be after having ridden bike down this road after riding the Rameka track,and was spot on. After a weekend in Takaka enjoying great weather, I was a wee bit surprised to find the log book blank. FTF.Had to wait for a runner that arrived at cache site at same time, looked like he may have come down from the track judging by his gear and gait. He kept looking back wondering what i was up to. Nice wee drive and good hide. thanks Peter.

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