Just because 3 (Auckland) Bethells Beach, North Island, New Zealand
By alligatorsnz on 29-Apr-13. Waypoint GC4AY3C

I am heading out to Bethells Beach for some exercise this afternoon, namely for a walk along the beach to the sea cave. But, I am collecting some hides on the way first. I parked up and contemplated the landscape. The GPSr was convinced the cache would be in the middle of the road, but experienced cacher that I am I decided that wouldn't be the case. Eventually, I concluded that no road crossing was required. I took a leaf out of Merlot's log and went bush (at the warning post) until I came across the fence. But, do I go left or right? Well, turns out I went the wrong way. I found a tree that matched the hint, but it was more of a nibble and no cache was to be found. I pushed on through some dense vegetation to another tree. This one has well and truly digested the fence, but my joy soon turned to despair as there was no smiley here. Nothing to do now but turn around and try the other direction. Another scramble through dense greenery confronted me. The cutty grass left me with several scratches. I actually spied the cache before I spied the hint item. Glad to get the smiley here; a full body exercise in the end to find this one. The coordinates were some 20m out for me. I was able to take a less adventurous route back out of the bush. Cheers for the cache placement ANZ and for the adoption rusty!

Really gave a search for this, unfortunately the only thing we ended up with was cutting grass and gorst scratches!

I can’t imagine the cache would have disappeared, but I can’t really imagine where else it could be!

Thanks anyway!

For over 3 years I have had a frown on this cache after a memorable and largely unsuccessful attempt with Merlot, Bertie and Mr Pazza here. Merlot was here with me to help sort this one out. I'm not so sure I would have done this without her on a second visit. The hint is a perfect description though.

Finally after 3 visits here I can turn my frown upside down! I first looked for this cache about 3 years ago, then again about a year ago with a previous finder but it still eluded me. As I was in the area today I decided to stop and have one more look and I am so happy I did. There is no obvious geotrail any more and once I crossed the ditch I ignored my phone compass and went a little further in and this time I actually managed to find the fence which I hadn't on previous occasions. Once I followed the fence line and found the tree that had eaten the fence I knew that I was going to find the cache. Lots of cutty grass around so I was very grateful I was wearing long pants

Thanks alligatorsnz for hiding these caches all those years ago, and the adoption

Just because 3 (Auckland) was transferred from alligatorsnz to user rustynz

No logs will be accepted - During New Zealand COVID 19 lockdown - level 4 and 3

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The slight trail mentioned in previous logs led straight to the cache. The camouflage blends in well. TFTC.

Tfthc!
In from the States and exploring the beautiful countryside.

We took a drive out to Bethells Beach this afternoon, picking up 5 caches along the way. As we parked up at GZ the gps was saying the cache was only 2m ahead of us, but clearly nothing there matched the hint. The ditch was quite wide and full of water at this spot, and it wasn't possible to enter the bush here anyway. Then we noticed the ditch was narrower and crossable at the other end of the layby, and one of us entered the light bush, and followed a slight trail, mentioned in another log. Very soon he called out that there was a fence here, and then the cache was spotted. Took a reading on the gps: S36° 52.505 E174° 27.609. Liked your hint. TFTC

I hitched down to the lake on my day off today. Walked around it and did a bit of Te Henga walkway.. I've already been here in summer, felt good to be back! The weather was on my side, so I could fully enjoy it:)
This was the last one for me today.. Took me a few minutes.. I pulled out some rubbish out of there. So if someone visits this cache with a car, would be cool if he could grab it from the parking area:) Cheers!
Thanks to the owner!

untouched by the fallen tree.... little water but hopefully the "upgrade" installed today will help with that problem:-) other wise cache in good order

Stopped by here on the way to Bethells with Geocchi, Merlot and Bertie Blowfish. Despite our best efforts, none of us could even find the hint item here.

Despite 4 of us looking we found no cache, in fact we couldn't even find the hint item.

CZECH
divné místo, ale našel jsem, v krabičce byla voda

On way out to visit Bethells Beach and Muriwai today with the muggle hubby, who had very kindly agreed that we could stop for a cache or 6 along the way. Decided to stop here as I needed some more regular sized finds for my current GIO license stage.
Parked next to GZ and coords said we were right on top of it. Started hunting but couldn't figure out what might resemble the hint item- there certainly were lots of trees though. The whole area was quite overgrown, making searching pretty difficult, and there was plenty of evidence of dumping, with rubbish that we didn't want to get too close too for fear of what was contained within.

In the end had to call it and move on.... hopefully we have better luck at the next one!

On our way to check on the lake and we decided to stop here for this one. Just because..

Managed to get another day off due to weekend work and selected today to do some walks. TFTC

Spotted the faint track leading to the hint. Soon found what I was after.

Water proof log and info card installed, cache in correct position:-)

Passing by after a nice stroll...glad to get out in the fresh air. Did a swift safe park and found cache after getting distracted by an almost false alarm clean and tidy, thanks!!

Hilarious hint ! Thanks ANZ ..... Found on way to do all the lake ones !!!!

Headed straight for the fence to look for something that matched the clue and the Cache was soon found. I forgot to take into consideration how wet the foliage was going to be though!

#723. Finally gotcha. I tried for this one back in Dec but searched in the wrong area, getting slashed to ribbons by cutty grass. Made the same mistake again today but with more time available and not racing to beat a tide like in Dec I searched a bit wider. Soon found the "trail" and shortly after the cache. Not obvious but the beer can is still there. Hint for future cachers - put your GPS back in the bag and read the hints. The cache is not in the middle of the road! TFTC

Floundered around in the wrong spot, back and forth and was on my way out when I saw the track. Knew I was there when I spotted the beer can. Tftc.

On my way back from photoshoot at bethells this morning. Second alligatorsnz cache found along the route. Saw the natural path, found the cache, took tb then back to car. Hello where are my car keys? Back to gz, found keys, back to car and off I go! Tftc!

Heading out to do some earthcaches to honour earthcache day, had gone walkabout last attempt but not today. Swapped travel bugs took race car to honour Bathhurst. Left replacement TB

Stopped on the side of the road for a quick easy grab and then hold on the gps is sending me to the middle of the road this can't be right. Then looked at the description log and worked out where it should be and then went for the find TFTC.

Out for a day of caching at Bethells. Love the cache container and camo. GZ was in the middle of the road, so had us scratching our heads as to where it might be. After re-reading the cache description, it became a little clearer what we needed to do. Sadly the rubbish dumpers have struck again nearby! Thanks again for the hide replacement!

Well, clearly ANZ the aliens have been outwitted by you, the cache is dry and still on this planet, I can assure you!! Parked up at side of road, took me a few minutes to find the 'track' as such and complete the logging. TFTC and your hard work placing all your caches that I found today around Lake Wainamu, it won't be long before I will have a few caches you might be interested in - watch this space. Heh heh heh.

was heading down for a bit of maintenance elsewhere, when i noticed there had been some changes at GZ here.. so took a look for the cache.. clearly its has left the planet... but the aliens where nice enough to leave a beer bottle... found a better spot for the cache for a replacement cache in the same area... good to go - TB in

No, no luck today.

Not today

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Had a good look with Hinemoana, but nu luck for us.

After a great hike from the Cascades to Lake Wainamu I stopped here on the way home to look for this cache. Soon spotted something that fit in with the hint and the cache was quickly found. TFTC!

We had look at the King tide at Bethells Beach and picked up this cache on our way back. No problem with traffic on this Monday morning - we made a quick find here.

SL TFTC

Took a few minutes

TFTC

Labour weekend...time to go caching. Tftc.

Tried for this one on my way to Lake Wainamu early this morning but just couldn't spot it. I ended up being accousted by a hitch hiker here while trying to spot the cache so gave up looking and took the guy down to the main Bethells carpark. Knowing id be coming past here again later in the day, id stop again for another look. eviln09 came back with me as he'd already found it and this time i made a quick find. TFTC!

Drove past Butchie Bum at "Ark in the Park" so stopped here to meet up before getting to the Lake. No worries with the find and TFTC

Nice quick stop and sign here thanks. Meet up with Team welsh as shed just passed me further back at another quick cache on the way to Bethells for a walk around the lake.

Quick stop on the way to Bethells, on the correct side of the road so not sure why we'd want to stop on the way back?? Quick find and back on the road, tftc

Driving past, would have been rude not to stop.

TFTC

Quick drive-by on the way to the beach on a glorious afternoon. TFTC

Heading out to bethells to do the lake circuit, and since this was on the way, made sense to stop off and grab it. Not much traffic, so we were able to have a quick hunt without looking too suspicious. Didn't take long to find what we were looking for, signed the log and headed on up the road. TFTC

Headed out to do a bit of wandering around the lake and decided to stop in here on our way in. Good day to come through with the weather keeping most people away and we were able to make a nice quick find in no time. Replaced as found then headed off to start our walk proper. TFTC

FTF

Left super early and took the long way for work in the morning just because I could.

A quick find following some initial searching after remembering not to overthink an alligatorsnz cache!

Thanks!

well done one putting work second... all though not sure if thats a compliment or not - "not over thinking an alligatorsnz cache" got a couple out there that seem to still being over thought..

A week ago I had planned a tip out this way with my parents, when looking at geocaching.com maps last night for other caches along the way that we might do if we felt like it on the way home, I found this cache and realized it was new and so far no one had logged it.
Although there was still 12 hours before we would be out this way - there's always the hope of an FTF.
We obviously didn't wait until the way home, we stopped on the way out. Pulled up, read the hint - new exactly where cache would be (no overthinking from me!).
However, as it was now 9am we were way behind Slieschke. Still for me I'm used to 2ndTF. TFTC

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