Short Straw (Wellington) Pinehaven, North Island, New Zealand
By Petriez - maintained by CaligulaNZ on 28-Aug-10. Waypoint GC2E5R4

Found it - the paper is completely soaked though so couldnt write anything. Also coordinates are off, it was on the other side of the road

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TFTC! Grabbed this one after doing some blueberry picking up the road (none were ripe)!Duck Caches - #34

#2639. Its not often I come up this part of the Hutt Valley but today GB Leader & I were up here to deliver a couple of young German wwoofers to the nearby blueberry farm for their next Workaway.GB Leader spotted this one as I searched around the wrong tree.Tftc.

A quick find and sign. Thanks for the cache.

A quick trip down to the Hutt Valley today with tmann421
Enjoyed all the caches found
Log signed tm/ww NZ
Thanks to the cache owners for their efforts

Easy to find once I found the right tree

TwigNZ is desperate to get just a few more caches before the mega, and I am always keen to help, so we headed up Whitemans Valley.

Twig's phone and my GPS differeing wildly. but today it is the phone that is working for us. I was futzing around 10m away when Twig found the cache.

Why the cache title?

Tomorrow after work I will start my journey north to attend the Auckland MEGA, which will be my 5,000th cache if I can engineer my caching before Saturday to make it so. Knowing that the weather forecast for tomorrow is less than favourable, I really wanted to find some caches tonight to release some of the pressure, so the Seagnoid and I headed out to Whitemans Valley to see what we could find.

Most of the time that the pair of us have been caching together, my phone and his GPSr have generally placed us in the same location even if my phone occasionally lags a bit. But today I was astounded to find that where he wanted to search was a way away from where I was being directed. On this occasion, I made the find.

Everything is fine with this cache, which soon had both our names on the log.
Thanks for placing this cache.

Very wet but e dried the bag and cache, signed and moved along. Tftc

Fairly easy find with @peadub. Cache was very damp, dried it and the plastic bag, signed log and replaced where found. TFTC.

Found what I believe it to be however no paper to log

I believe I found it

After returning to our nearby lodgings at the end of day one of our extended weekend caching adventure, I went for a walk in the dark. With Hinemoana to hold my hand and provide additional eye/torch/brain/GPSr power it was finally found and the log signed!

I could not find it

Look hard that’s all I can say

Day three of the post covid streak so drove up the hill to fill in a missing smiley. TFTC

I scored some cheap flights to Wellington for the weekend! I had a great time exploring and finding caches!! TFTC!

It was pretty easy to find you just gotta look down low and in hidden places

Perfectly out of the way

After looking in the wrong spot on the 23rd and getting a hint from CaligulaNZ, my 5-yr old grandson found this one. TFTC

The cache may have been on or near the bridge, but there were tall weeds, lots of cobwebs on the rails and trash containers in the bush. Without gloves, I did not want to get my hands dirty rummaging around even though my GPS indicated I was right on top of it. I know I shouldn’t be so squeamish, but at 67 and new to geocaching, I need to be a bit careful as to how low I bend down!

TFTC great quick easy find

Torch

Easy find! Thanks!

Another cache in the bag as I make my way to Upper Hutt so I don't feel short changed here. TFTC # 11,830

Replaced log-book with a fresh one. Amazing that this is still the original cache-container (not particularly sealable), but still nice to have a throwback to earlier times and cachers.

Really interesting to look at some of the names on the log (including my own in 2012), and see who has been through over the last five years or so.

Happy to have this one ticked off the list after a previous fail. Tftc

Nice quick find once the GPS settkled down and pointed at the right one! Replaced as found, no room on log-strip (I over-signed another entry) , needs a replacement.

With my current visit to the area winding down into the last few evenings, and still having a car at my disposal, I decided to take advantage of the (unusually) ambient weather to head out and grab a few caches. I did a loop from the back of Upper Hutt along Whitemans Valley and back into Silverstream via Blue Mountain Road. A dirty dozen finds for the evening but quite a lot of DNFs too which I see is the norm with some of those caches on that route. All in all a good side trip and just the thing to log them over a cold beer.
T F T C to all the COs for their placements.

Signed as RE as I'm caching with Ethnz this weekend.
Log was full so we signed on a scrap of paper that someone else had placed in the log. Didn't take too long to find this one. The hint pointed us in the right direction.

Log full so signed on small scrap of paper. A quick find. TFTC

Caching with RosalieNZ completing the 100, 10, 7 Challenge. Cache log signed as ‘RE’.

Nice quick find as we venture our way around this block and the hutt,thanks for the smiley and the placement.

Thanks for placing this cache. the log book is full.

Good hide

Dnf

I took a wrong turn initially (or no turn to be precise) and wondered why the cache was getting further away until I realized it was along the spur road. A couple of U-turns later I was stopped nearby the cache. It's kind of murky under the trees so even though I was off the road I left the DRLs on to make sure my dark car was visible. Not that anyone drove past while I was there. There was somebody working in the adjacent field though which meant taking care not to raise suspicion. The GPS was not that stable under the trees so I had to search in several places. The cache was surprisingly well hidden considering it was pretty much a "normal" hiding place. TFTC.

Searched and got on second pass. GPS had me on the wrong side of the road. Log full. TFTC

A bit of a hunt but we got there. Log is full

Thank you for the cache!

Now which tree Tftc log is full so wrote on very top

Quick find

Log book is full

The coordinates are spot on - no need to cross the road - but it took me a couple of passes to find the cache. Log is full so I signed at the top. NM logged too. TFTC

Found on opposite side of the road. Log book is full

Found during a car based cache mission due to the cruddy weather.

Eventually found it on the other side of the road than suggested by the coordinates.

A quick find. Had to be speedy and use stealth - plenty of muggles in the area. Tftc.

On trip around Whiteman's Valley, but only the cellphone so missed a few with no reception.
Couldn't get details or hint on the phone so gave up.

Nice easy one, TFTC!

Found with Wafflekitties TFTC

It took a few minutes to track this one down, somehow overlooked it the first couple times checking that tree. TFTC

Second attempt at this one. Happy to announce that this one is now ticked off. TFTC

Managed a fairly quick find as the light faded.

Find # 2532. A third day of cycle caching from Petone to Maymorn and back using the Masterton train to get to Maymorn. Cycled back via Whiteman's Valley and the Hutt River Trail - 50km of cycling. Only a 100m rise in elevation from Maymorn to the top of Blue Mountains Road but a 200m descent to Silverstream - the train did all the work! For some reason missed this one on the first sweep but the gps did have me on the opposite side of the road. SL TFTC

#1557. This one took a lot longer than it should have as I missed it on the first sweep. So I went a bit further afield checking a lot of other suitable hiding spots. Decided it had to be in the obvious places so went back and started to look a bit more carefully. Located it then within a minute. The log was still OK to write on. Signed and returned to its hiding spot. Time to head north up the main valley. Thanks for the cache.

#1278 Early drive to get a cache for the day. Cache all safe and sound in first spot I looked. Paperwork completed and then the trop back home. Gotta rest my elbow as the swelling subsides.

Thanks for another smilie and my cache if the day.

Cannot believe how many times I missed this cache! My friend and I who I am introducing to geocaching went to do a few caches over whitemans valley. All were found relatively quickly until we came to this one... It's a very traditional cache in every way but my brain must have dozed off. Went up further and found "signs of civilization" then came back to try again... STILL COULDN'T SEE IT! after 5 minutes my friend found it right next to my foot. Both slapped ourselves on the head and decided to leave it at that to keep a 100% find streak in tact.

56

63

Hit this one while visiting from Wisconsin. TFTC!

A quick find on a cold Sunday afternoon with TregearP - but needed to watch out for what looked as if something the size of a camel had evacuated its bowels just in front of the cache .

All in good order, TFTC.

Was just asked where the cafe was and sure enough SJT_NZ clicked this cache could be near the same named cafe. TFTC

Took "Fido" the trackable here for a visit but there wasn't enough room in this cache so will move him on.

Nice and snug

Enjoying the afternoon sunshine with a wee trip to collect some caches. Unfortunately, we couldn't spot the cache here- GPS was jumping about. Checked all hint objects but couldn't see a cache. Managed to get sprung by a workmate out for a walk which was unexpected! We'll keep an eye on this one- might have to pop in to the cafe on our next trip out here. Thanks anyway!

After an exhausting afternoon geocaching, it was wonderful to drop into The Short Straw Cafe for a hot chocolate and Ellen's Cheesecake with great service, will come back again. TFTC

Obvious spot when you think about it. Took us longer than it should

A quick easy find, despite a few hint objects. TFTC

Quick find once the muggles had gone past. TFTC

A romantic Valentines Day hampered somewhat by a couple of geo-kids and a geo-wife confusing Akatarawa and Whitemans Valley Roads led us back to this spot for a second effort.

Cache easily located this time around with comments overheard something along the lines of "honest, it wasn't in that location last time!". TFTC.

Came out to do a bit of maintenance, after the recent logs - first time I've been here since adopting the cache, so I went straight to the spot I originally found the cache, and re-found immediately. Hmmmmmm, waterproof cache log was fine, and had space remaining. Logs didn't match the most recent finds either. Had a further look around and found ANOTHER container. Unsure how long this has been going on. Removed one, and re-postioned the original. Short of time , but next visit I'll do a check of the coordinates as well.

The logbook is in small pieces . I placed a piece of paper in the container with my details. There is space on the piece of paper for a few more entries.

TFTC.

Note: The date is wrong and I cannot change it. Correct date is Sunday 1 Feb 2015.

Having been out for a drive through Whitemans Valley taking ge-grandma out for a drive and a stop off at the Short Straw we of course had to get the Short Straw. Very hot day so nice to park up in a bit of shade. TFTC.

A lovely choice of trees. Tftc

Log is turning to dust

So much easier to find with a GPS than with a phone. All the same I can't believe I didn't find it last time. We thought we'd have a coffee at the cafe but they were closed for a wedding party and our geocaching attire just didn't pass muster. TFTC

The wife didn't need the hint for this one. I was still reading out he cache page when she handed me the container. TFTC.

Found while out and about and after having lunch at tbe nearby wonderful Short Straw cafe. Tftc

Found on outing to the Short Straw Cafe Great experience Tftc

Found after a morning tea stop the Short Straw cafe. TFTC Petriez

Not where I expected it to be. I thought given the name that's where it would be. Tftc

Easy find, nice hide

Damp

Find number 7 of a personal daily best of 30.

A sneaky little hide. TFTC

Short Straw (Wellington) was transferred from janemay to user CaligulaNZ

Tried this one ages ago. Found today with Selesi on a days caching thru Moonshine Rd and Whitemans Valley. Interestingly the dates on the log were 2011 & 2012 so maybe we found the original! Just returned the cache and someone who I used to work with came along along delivering flyers, so had a catchup. TFTC

Extremely well hidden Found with UlmusLynx TFTC

Currently the turnaround point for me when biking from Mangaroa (not brave enough for Blue Mountains Rd yet), I didn't realise there was a cache so close. Took us a wee bit of searching with a few hint objects but metal-art had success

Compass a bit all over the place, finally found the hint object and the cache. Found with Jax479. TFTC

Beautiful sunny day today to collect a few of the Hutt Valley caches with tmann421. Nice quick find. TFTC

Great spot for a cache. Quickly found while passing. Signed log and replaced as found.

Cool cache and a nice little café, just what was needed on cold, wet day. Log was a little damp but still usable. Tftc.

My first visit to this area and I'm really enjoying it. I initially got the wrong tree and ended up scratching my leg, but after a quick re-check the cache was soon in hand. TFTC!

I was at the Short Straw Cafe for a birthday today. So I took the opportunity to wander down the road to find this cache. Nice hide.
Thanks.

TFTC

Cache# 1-Great hiding spot and waterproof log sheet. The cache has been under my nose the whole time.TFTC

cache# 1-Great hiding spot and waterproof log sheet. The cache has been under my nose the whole time.TFTC

This entry was edited by MadRacing! on Thursday, 01 May 2014 at 02:03:45 UTC.

My 7th cache Nice hiding spot, great kind of log strip too, won't get damaged by water! I just realized I put yesterday's date on the log sheets of all 4 caches I found today, sorry.

Quick stop. TFTC

Nice quick find thanks

Wondered between the trees wondering which was the one I needed to find. Eventually found it. Nice wee spot for a cache. TFTC

Did this today with Wandering Dragons. Took a while, but we got there in the end. Thanks.

Cache #453