Wind and Water (Waikato) Te Waitere, North Island, New Zealand
By
angela&ian on 19-Dec-09. Waypoint GC229YC
Cache Details
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By visiting the external cache listing you are leaving the Geocaching Australia website.
Geocaching Australia is not affiliated with the original listing site for this cache.
Please click here to view the caches listing.
If you wish to log this cache, you will need to log it on the external site.
This will require a separate user account on that site. (More Details)
Logs
Easy find after reading the cache info. Visited the Island with friends Raewyn and Pete, Charlie and Stella, caught a few mullet and scollies along the way,a great day for playing, and picnicing in the harbour. Replaced cache, so watch out for the sitting duck d....
Will visit the other caches on our return visits, thanks for the cache
Will visit the other caches on our return visits, thanks for the cache
I had been looking at these 3 kayak caches on the Kawhia harbour for nearly 4 years now, since my first visit to this place. I kept coming back to these caches time to time and wondering how I would be able to get them. As these caches kept coming up on my nearest caches list, just kept adding fuel to the fire and eventually it got too big to contain.
I had been talking with 11HPG11 about these caches over the last couple of weeks and was slowly putting together a plan of attack. We were discussing these caches at an event earlier this week when IamMrWalker over heard and everything came together, and with favourable tide times this Sunday (today) it was all on.
The plan of attack was to get on the water around 9am, and left from Lemon Point on the southern side of the harbour. This meant we could avoid the main channels and hopefully the worst of the current. We couldn't of picked a better day to do these caches. When we launched the kayaks the water was like glass, with no wind and a overcast sky.
Heading out to this cache we keep in shallows which meant we saw many rays darting around as we got near them. This just added to the magic of the day. It took us just under an hour to get to the island, and got within 150m of the cache before we had to walk the remaining way to the cache. 1st cache for the day and already a massive smile on my face, and with two more to find.
All up about 18km paddled for a 5 hour mission. A massive thanks for the placement, so we could have this awesome adventure.
I had been talking with 11HPG11 about these caches over the last couple of weeks and was slowly putting together a plan of attack. We were discussing these caches at an event earlier this week when IamMrWalker over heard and everything came together, and with favourable tide times this Sunday (today) it was all on.
The plan of attack was to get on the water around 9am, and left from Lemon Point on the southern side of the harbour. This meant we could avoid the main channels and hopefully the worst of the current. We couldn't of picked a better day to do these caches. When we launched the kayaks the water was like glass, with no wind and a overcast sky.
Heading out to this cache we keep in shallows which meant we saw many rays darting around as we got near them. This just added to the magic of the day. It took us just under an hour to get to the island, and got within 150m of the cache before we had to walk the remaining way to the cache. 1st cache for the day and already a massive smile on my face, and with two more to find.
All up about 18km paddled for a 5 hour mission. A massive thanks for the placement, so we could have this awesome adventure.
These caches have been on my radar for a long time, but had put them in the too hard basket. Not exactly famed for my kayaking reputation 
When HKCB mentioned he wanted to grab them I agreed, thinking it was never going to happen or I could be 'busy' that day... Tried to back out at the last minute but was then saved by the offer of a double kayak which made me less afraid.
So the plan was set. Only problem being a 3 day camping/caching weekend leading up to this meant I was tired, sunburnt, sore and a little under the weather. Still stuck to it and agreed to come along, maybe more for moral support rather than brute strength? Managed to convince Iammrwalker to come along also which was great!
The low tide made the harbour look very different and was very shallow in spots. Not many people out on the water yet. Not going to lie, arms starting aching about here and this was only the beginning. Finally made it to the island and had to hunt in a few of the hint items before HKCB made the find. A quick snack break and we were back on the water heading to the next cache. We saw a lot of varied wildlife, stingrays, swans, sharks, schools of little fish and a solo fisherman.
When HKCB mentioned he wanted to grab them I agreed, thinking it was never going to happen or I could be 'busy' that day... Tried to back out at the last minute but was then saved by the offer of a double kayak which made me less afraid. So the plan was set. Only problem being a 3 day camping/caching weekend leading up to this meant I was tired, sunburnt, sore and a little under the weather. Still stuck to it and agreed to come along, maybe more for moral support rather than brute strength? Managed to convince Iammrwalker to come along also which was great!
The low tide made the harbour look very different and was very shallow in spots. Not many people out on the water yet. Not going to lie, arms starting aching about here and this was only the beginning. Finally made it to the island and had to hunt in a few of the hint items before HKCB made the find. A quick snack break and we were back on the water heading to the next cache. We saw a lot of varied wildlife, stingrays, swans, sharks, schools of little fish and a solo fisherman.
HKCB had been wanting to clean out the last few caches in Kawhia for a while and was discussing a plan to fix that at a recent event. 11hpg11 and I showed some interest and a plan was soon hatched. HKCB did all the required research, organised some Kayaks (Thanks C&D!) and picked a picture perfect day. This was the first cache of the day and the tide was out so we found ourselves paddling in depths reminiscent of bath time. We were fortunate to see lots of wild life, a wide variety of birds, fish, stingrays and HKCB even spotted a shark. It took us less than hour to get to the island and after a short walk to GZ we found the cache after about five minutes of searching. We refueled and left knowing we still had a long paddle to our next two stops. Thanks for placing a cache here and taking us on a memorable adventure.
Helen, Dave & Zoe on board "Sally the Zodiac" after much wading we found our very 1st Geocache.
For a long time now I have been wanting to go to Kawhia and collect the 3 kayak caches that are scatters around the harbour. I had a phone call from Steve, middle of the week, explaining he was planning on heading out on Saturday to collect them and did I want to join. There was no way I was missing out on this opportunity.
Saturday morning came around fast enough and I found myself crawling out of bed at 6.00. I had to get my lunch and water ready as well as a change of clothes. I have had some bad luck with forgetting this so placed all my items at the door, double checked then tripple checked that I was ready.
Steve turned up at 7.00 with Jane and we set off for, what will turn out to be, a long tiresome day.
After collecting all the drive by caches in the area it was time to unload the kayaks and set off on the journey to collect the 3 caches located on the different islands scattered around the Kawhia Harbour.
We had a quick chat as to what was going to be the best direction to go and we decided, while we had lots of energy to head against the wind and tide to start with. With the first island just a speck in the distance I knew it was going to be a long slog. Jane and I just knuckled down and begun the paddle to the island. It was hard work and there was a lot of water splashing over the bow... but luckily Jane stopped most of it before it got to me.
After a long paddle we finally found ourselves landing on the island. The plan had been to paddle right to GZ but with sore arms and 1km to go as the crow flies, and about 3km kayaking we decided to leave the kayaks on the beach and walk. There is always a little bit of apprehension arriving at a cache that has taken so much effort to get to .. will I find it or wont I?
Today was my luckily day as it only took a minute of searching before we had the cache in hand and were signing the log book. A quick walk back to the kayaks and we were paddling to the next cache. It was a lot easier as this time we were going with the wind and tide.
Saturday morning came around fast enough and I found myself crawling out of bed at 6.00. I had to get my lunch and water ready as well as a change of clothes. I have had some bad luck with forgetting this so placed all my items at the door, double checked then tripple checked that I was ready.
Steve turned up at 7.00 with Jane and we set off for, what will turn out to be, a long tiresome day.
After collecting all the drive by caches in the area it was time to unload the kayaks and set off on the journey to collect the 3 caches located on the different islands scattered around the Kawhia Harbour.
We had a quick chat as to what was going to be the best direction to go and we decided, while we had lots of energy to head against the wind and tide to start with. With the first island just a speck in the distance I knew it was going to be a long slog. Jane and I just knuckled down and begun the paddle to the island. It was hard work and there was a lot of water splashing over the bow... but luckily Jane stopped most of it before it got to me.
After a long paddle we finally found ourselves landing on the island. The plan had been to paddle right to GZ but with sore arms and 1km to go as the crow flies, and about 3km kayaking we decided to leave the kayaks on the beach and walk. There is always a little bit of apprehension arriving at a cache that has taken so much effort to get to .. will I find it or wont I?
Today was my luckily day as it only took a minute of searching before we had the cache in hand and were signing the log book. A quick walk back to the kayaks and we were paddling to the next cache. It was a lot easier as this time we were going with the wind and tide.
Had a big day Planned with NovaLightning and Kiwis69 for gathering the Kawhia Harbour caches so timing was very important. After having gathered the land based caches in the area it was time to hit the water at kawhia and see if we could make a round trip of it.
Departed Kawhia approx 10.45am (High Tide was at 3.30pm). The wind didn't seem too bad on setting out but it was a bit of a paddle out to the first of our stops. Sand Banks still meant that a little diversionary tactics were still required. Beached Kayaks about 800m meters from Cache and walked across the Sand Banks & mud flats to make a quick find. Managed to disturb many a mud crab as we crossed the mud flats.
Total journey today turned out to be 17 km over approx 4 1/2 hours (including all stops for caches and sore shoulders).
Cache in Great Condition.
Great Kayak/Walk out to here and back, what a way to start a kayaking day
TFTC
Departed Kawhia approx 10.45am (High Tide was at 3.30pm). The wind didn't seem too bad on setting out but it was a bit of a paddle out to the first of our stops. Sand Banks still meant that a little diversionary tactics were still required. Beached Kayaks about 800m meters from Cache and walked across the Sand Banks & mud flats to make a quick find. Managed to disturb many a mud crab as we crossed the mud flats.
Total journey today turned out to be 17 km over approx 4 1/2 hours (including all stops for caches and sore shoulders).
Cache in Great Condition.
Great Kayak/Walk out to here and back, what a way to start a kayaking day
TFTC
First stop on the kayaking stage of our big day out. Was really glad to reach the island, coz a double sit-on is not the easiest of kayaks to move against an incoming tide plus head winds. V. pleased to have Nova providing the powerhouse at the back! No-one but us & the gulls around, great to be out & about with great company having a great adventure.
Found while kayaking from Te Waitere to Te Maika. A great setting for a picnic. T4TC - M@
Found cache in its original location. Log book damp and illegible so replaced it in a plastic bag.
Good trip to the island again
Good trip to the island again
Well sort of 'Found it'
Logging with owners permission.
Set off from Kawhia about 9.30am - high tide not until 1.30 so a little early but was all ready to go. Headed down the channel towards the bar and then cut across to the channel markers on the SW side intending to head down that channel to the far end of Te Motu and to avoid the sand bars, but as mentioned a bit early so at the channel markers decided to portage the kayak across the sand about 200m to the island and walk down from there. Once I had pulled up above tide mark set off for the cache.
Ended up walking thru an area that was being prepared by the seagull population for nesting - so was a little worried about the wheeling, screeching gulls over head as had been attacked before by nesting gulls, but obviously not far enough into the nesting time - only a few eggs in nests, cause they left me alone.
Found the little camping area amougst the pines complete with picnic table and was really wishing i was staying the night.
GPS quickly zeroed onto a smallish pampas as per clue but after extensive search of this pampas plus every other one in the clearing I still hadn't found the cache. Oh by the way pampas cuts
Ouch Ouch Ouch
Had pleasant paddle back to Kawhia as tide still hadn't turned and was coming into the harbour so only half hr to get back - GR8 day - thanks
Logging with owners permission.
Set off from Kawhia about 9.30am - high tide not until 1.30 so a little early but was all ready to go. Headed down the channel towards the bar and then cut across to the channel markers on the SW side intending to head down that channel to the far end of Te Motu and to avoid the sand bars, but as mentioned a bit early so at the channel markers decided to portage the kayak across the sand about 200m to the island and walk down from there. Once I had pulled up above tide mark set off for the cache.
Ended up walking thru an area that was being prepared by the seagull population for nesting - so was a little worried about the wheeling, screeching gulls over head as had been attacked before by nesting gulls, but obviously not far enough into the nesting time - only a few eggs in nests, cause they left me alone.
Found the little camping area amougst the pines complete with picnic table and was really wishing i was staying the night.
GPS quickly zeroed onto a smallish pampas as per clue but after extensive search of this pampas plus every other one in the clearing I still hadn't found the cache. Oh by the way pampas cuts
Ouch Ouch OuchHad pleasant paddle back to Kawhia as tide still hadn't turned and was coming into the harbour so only half hr to get back - GR8 day - thanks
To limit our exposure to wind and wave while paddling to here using our double sit-on-top kayak, we decided on an approach from the south. We launched from Te Waitere at low tide, paddled out past Te Rangiora Pt and Nathan Pt, and eventually arrived at Te Motu Island - having beached the kayak and walked the last 200 metres.
The cache was found quite easily, intact, but the log book was rather damp so our entry is likely to be indecipherable - as were previous entries. We added a marble, took nothing.
With a cold south-easterly wind blowing across the island we were soon headed back to the kayak, with the next destination GC229XF, A Stack of Pancakes. Heading there directly would have involved carrying the kayak for more than a kilometre over the sandbanks, so instead we paddled up a minor channel in the direction of Arapatiki Bay, hoping to get through to the Rakaunui channel with the incoming tide (and a measure of luck).
The cache was found quite easily, intact, but the log book was rather damp so our entry is likely to be indecipherable - as were previous entries. We added a marble, took nothing.
With a cold south-easterly wind blowing across the island we were soon headed back to the kayak, with the next destination GC229XF, A Stack of Pancakes. Heading there directly would have involved carrying the kayak for more than a kilometre over the sandbanks, so instead we paddled up a minor channel in the direction of Arapatiki Bay, hoping to get through to the Rakaunui channel with the incoming tide (and a measure of luck).
Arrived back from Christmas in Gisborne to find a bunch of new caches had been listed around the Waikato. Couldn’t resist grabbing the old flat water kayak and heading off to try and get the island caches in the Kawhia harbour. Something special about finding a cache on an island particularly as I had never explored the harbour before.
I was a little concerned on arrival at the boat ramp bang on high tide to find that the SW’ly wind was already up to about 12 knots with whitecaps forming. Quite a challenging paddle into the wind and I needed to stop twice to bail the water that was coming in from the waves breaking over the boat – must get a proper sea kayak one day!
Quite a relief to get to the shelter of the island and rest the arms. I was “greeted” by a pair of Oyster Catchers and their three chicks on landing; they weren’t too happy to see me but I soon got out of their way.
The cache was easy to find as it was out in the open next to the bush described in the hint with the contents strewn over the ground. Fortunately everything still seemed to be there and was dry so after logging it was a simple matter of putting it back together and re-hiding it. Not sure if I can claim the FTF as there was a log dated 26 December from people talking about picnicking and fishing. Muggles or cachers?
The wind was even stronger by this time and I had to make a decision about whether or not to do the 5km paddle to the pancake cache and risk getting stuck there due to the weather conditions or dash back to the safety of Kawhia. No brainer really – off the pancakes!
Many thanks for the cache and the adventure
I was a little concerned on arrival at the boat ramp bang on high tide to find that the SW’ly wind was already up to about 12 knots with whitecaps forming. Quite a challenging paddle into the wind and I needed to stop twice to bail the water that was coming in from the waves breaking over the boat – must get a proper sea kayak one day!
Quite a relief to get to the shelter of the island and rest the arms. I was “greeted” by a pair of Oyster Catchers and their three chicks on landing; they weren’t too happy to see me but I soon got out of their way.
The cache was easy to find as it was out in the open next to the bush described in the hint with the contents strewn over the ground. Fortunately everything still seemed to be there and was dry so after logging it was a simple matter of putting it back together and re-hiding it. Not sure if I can claim the FTF as there was a log dated 26 December from people talking about picnicking and fishing. Muggles or cachers?
The wind was even stronger by this time and I had to make a decision about whether or not to do the 5km paddle to the pancake cache and risk getting stuck there due to the weather conditions or dash back to the safety of Kawhia. No brainer really – off the pancakes!
Many thanks for the cache and the adventure
