North Harbour Stadium Orienteering Auckland, North Island, New Zealand
By G-2 on 24-Oct-13. Waypoint GC4QVTK

link to map no longer available sorry.

While I attended the Mega back in 2013 this wasn't an activity I participated in, nor was it a puzzle I then solved. Wit the image link now broken I suspect it may never have been a puzzle I would solve. However, I decided to have a crack at find the final this afternoon. This was based on tidbits of information contained on the cache page and good old fashioned cache proximity. I came up with a few spots to check. Even found a cache in the first spot I checked...then I realised it was a different puzzle final that I had already found...DOH! Quickly eliminated a second spot and moved onto a third. This took longer to check but after a long search I had to admit defeat. I felt like I was out of plausible paces to check, but decided one last spot might be worth a check. But somewhat down hearted at this stage I decided to test my hypothesis with a PAF. This confirmed my thinking and a bonus nudge meant I was able to make a quick find once I was in the right spot. Ended up being quite the mission on this one with. The amount of exercise I got is well in keeping with the orienteering theme of this puzzle cache placement. Cheers for the hide!

Solved this many moons ago and almost attempted this on Friday however there was a lot of football being played which meant no parking close by enough for me.

Better luck today and a quick find at GZ before the mozzies even knew what was going on. TFTC

Had this one sorted since the mega back in 2013 but only made the effort to get to GZ today. A quick find thankfully as theres plenty of mozzies hanging around under the vegetation. Cache all good, TFTPC!

Ouch....Looked in about 10 of those small spikey bushes...but didn't find cache.
Soaking wet now and well and truly spiked .
Maybe should try again on a fine day...

The dropbox link in the cache page is broken, could you please re-link it. Thank you

Solved this puzzle quite a while ago and had visited the area once before but after a good start to that day things started going wrong so abandoned the search for these caches.
Just looked at the puzzle again and wondering how I solved it as it does not appear to be working any more? Think I just worked this one out manually.
I gave up last time before I getting to this one but no problems today. cache was quite wet but managed to sign the log. TFTC.

Easy puzzle solved and was off to find this one. Tree it was hidden in doesn't seem 'spiky' to me, but hey ho. TFTC.

Found with Pazzabella and Geo hounds TFTC

With the 'summer' weather we are having this week, this cache is as close to the ammount of orienteering i would want to do. it's better suited to solving easy puzzles to collect. At first I wasn't sure we'd found the cache because the folliage didn't look true to description, but there it was, larger than life. Thanks for the cute puzzle

Cnfc as didn't take part in2013 event
We think we are close any help would be great thanks

Cnfc as didn't take part in2013 event
We think we are close any help would be great thanks

I wasn't 100% sure I'd solved this puzzle correctly but decided to check it out it anyway and was rewarded with a nice quick find exactly where I'd calculated it would be!

3.40pm - Another cache that hasn't been done for a long time, but still OKay. SLTFTC

With Gap (of Fap and Gap)... We have finally reached the last act of our current license challenge... We need to find four more high difficulty caches to complete Endorsement HD. After five months, this is becoming a burden... We have lots of alternatives should plan A, B, C, and D fail...

We attended the 2013 Auckland Mega... We were still very green then, and the thought of solving puzzles seemed too challenging, so we didn't try... Nor did we attempt to learn about puzzle solving by attending the Mega classes that could have been helpful... Fast forward, and we are now far more confident with experience under our belts.

This one was a quick solve during an early morning blitz on puzzles on the North Shore. A quick find at ground zone and in good condition... TFTP and TFTC.

Solved this one months ago. Driving past today so finally took the opportunity to grab. Nice quick find. TFTPuzzle

#10660. We found a shady park near the stadium, and walked over to GZ and made a quick find. TFTC.

Despite us attending the Auckland Mega, we didn't have time to do any of the organised activities. Sorted out the final co-ords last month ready for our trip north. This is our first visit back to Albany since then so I was keen to find this puzzle and the other Mega puzzles (unfortunately only 2 out of 4 found).
This was an easy find for StreetWalker while I puzzled over the hint. TFTC.

Found this after work today, but the lid and empty container were lying on the ground half full of water and leaves.
I dried this out and started a new log. Hopefully I placed this back in the correct spot.

Hubby playing rugby here this afternoon, so checked out what caches I still had to find in area (yes htere are still some from the Mega I haven't done).
Solved a couple of puzzles, but in the end only looked for one - too busy chatting with the other wives (one even coming with me to see what caching was all about). TFTC

Worked this one out this morning on the off chance I'd have time to find the cache comtainer (have a pile of solves bot yet found and pretty much thought this one would end up on the list too). Decided I might just be able to squeeze it in before agreed meeting time to get back home before the traffic built up this evening. Indeed, the find was easy and I made it to meeting place only 2 minutes late! Container big enough to drop iff a TB but decided to give it to GAR for his business trip to Australia next week instead. Did find another TB which I picked up and will work out where best to place once I know where it has been. Wasn't yet caching when the Mega was on here in 2013 or I would have attended! Thanks for the puzzle and hide - much easier now than at event I think.

We attended the ’Have Your Say’ meeting for Auckland City’s Upper Harbour Local Board area at the Mega Stadium this afternoon. Originally three sessions had been scheduled but this got reduced to one – and still only about twenty members of the public turned up.
Afterwards we wandered across to GZ and signed off on this cache that we did not get a chance to do while at the Mega. Thanks.

After a failed attempt at another mega puzzle earlier today it was time to try for another one. As we didn't do the orienteering at the Mega it did feel a little bit like cheating - but was good to have the opportunity to still claim the smiley.

After attempting this one somewhat "blind" to start with (without any coords or gps), realised I wasn't getting far and headed back to the car to re-work out the coords, then returned with my highly technological Google maps app to point me in a more accurate direction (like the right side of the road!) which made it a lot easier to find the hiding spot and the cache was in hand after a few minutes

All ok

All ok

have the cache at home, GZ is fenced off temporarily.

Cache taken off site by Lou, will replace as we know what is happening to the strain future.

I had solved this one back in October last year but only got time to sign it off today. As my grand-daughter and I approached the GZ we heard chainsaws abuzzing. The tree next to the GZ was in the process of being felled. I talked to the workmen who let me into the construction zone to retrieve the cache as the tree it was in was destinied not to be there much longer. Signed the log and took off with the cache. Phoned the CO tonight to let him know.

Cheers for the cache.

Talk about back breaking work. I scrounged around in the leaves and then struggled to heave the camo to reveal the cache. Thanks for the hide glyn.

Enjoyed the "back to roots" on this one

TFC

Quickly found after a bit of a trek across the grassy area from the car park.

12577… That’s a cool map, many thanks to Selwyn and Simon for the awesome job of setting up the course. We would have completed it on the day, unfortunately Mega related activities kept us busy elsewhere, appreciate your efforts, well done.

It's a shame we didn't get to participate to the orienteering last week end but we decided on the rogaine instead. From what I heard it was a lot of fun (the rogaine was too). Quick find at GZ, TFTC

This become our and team Busthers last cache in Albany and the event area. We had solved it already yesterday and was looking for it when we had a chance for a FTF.

Today after a night sleep the cache was easily found.

Thanks for the cache.

We solved this one at the Mega event day but did not find it at our first visit. This time we had better luck. Found it together with Geparderna.

sorry about the late log. just going thru a few old papers and see this one is left unlogged. was great to find this cache the easy way after the Mega. thanks for such a lot of work to set up this very interesting and fun cache.

This was a great event and we thoroughly enjoyed finding the controls in each cluster, and then being rewarded with the cache at the final destination. It was a great day for the event. Thanks very much for organising this.

Found it the easy way after publishing. Wow, thats a heap of work to set this cache up for the weekend Mega event. I hope everyone who logs appreciates the effort putting something like this together. Thanks.

Did the orienteering--great fun thanks--then the maths to take us here. Worked out perfectly.
An interesting twist to usual cache chasing.

Our first orineteering experience and it was great. Bald Ed showed us the ropes as we went along. Thanks Glyn a favourite point from us.

Really enjoyed running around the stadium (trying to catch up with friends who started before me - ended up over taking them while they ducked off for a few trads and lunch)
They took different routes to me so was encouraging to see we all had the same info for the final

Glyn, Great to meet you today, and TFTC, and thanks for your work with the setup over the weekend as well!

Both bkj97 and I are orienteers from last century. We decided to do a course each in parallel but my maths problem had a small glitch at the final control which was soon sorted out by the organisers and bkj97's was ok anyway. Great little map and it was nice that there was no time constraint. Thanks for the trip down memory lane. TFTCSL

Really enjoyed this as a start to the day. Good concept that could be incorporated at other caching events with a bit of coordination with a local orienteering club. Selwyn was the epitome of relaxation reclining in his chair. Worth a favourite. TFTCSL

This was most enjoyable - a blend of two favourite activities - orienteering and geocaching. Thank you Selwyn and Simon for setting it up, it was cleverly done. My orienteering time was slowed by traditionals popping up on my GPS and distracting me from my map. A well deserved favorite added, thanks!

Reperio at 1040 with Sol de lune and Albida33.

Found on Day 6 of my visit to the North Island as a part of the NZ Mega event...and I met up with Albida33 and Sol del lune for a day of caching before heading back to the NZ Mega event for the closing festivities. We grabbed the map and off we went, and fortunately we didn't have too much trouble locating each WP and the final GZ. This was a neat cache. The first of its kind I have completed or seen.

Gratias glyn.

New Zealand 2103 trip for the Auckland Mega at Albany. Day 17, In Auckland Region, Northshore. NZ Mega Auckland Day 2. Caching with Sol de Lune and Marcus Vitruvius followed by the evening activities at Mega Central. After receiving the briefing for this one we headed out for other caching and collecting the pins needed to complete this one. It was fun actually reading maps again and we found all the markers we needed to locate GZ. Happily it was where we had calculated and another great fun challenge completed at this great Mega event. Thanks.

12628.583 TNLN
Visited: World Traveling Gold GC A#6 & 2000 Finds Achievement 3 A#183

Albida

Found with Albida and Marcus Vitruvius towards the end of Day 2 of the Mega. Enjoyed the walki around and found everything without any problems.

Thanks for something a little different.......

Published

It was a real pleasure to combine geocaching and orienteering at the event this morning with a well executed concept, great course setting and a quality map. Definitely one of our favourite activities during the Mega.

This was an awesome combination of orienteering and geocaching. We really enjoyed finding the controls around the stadium. Thanks for the fun.
TFTC

This was a cool twist on geocashing. . Lots of fun. Tftc

Had fun running around the stadium collecting up the controls for this one, including all the extra trackables. Thanks for the effort involved in putting this together.

How could we resist. When Simon told us the night before at the flash mob that there was going to be an Orienteering cache at the Mega today, Ryan put his hand up straight away. Both the Welsh kids are involved in orienteering and attend a number of events over the year. As there was no-one else at the first control when the maps were released, Ryan knew it was going to be an easy FTF. Excellent idea for a cache and it was great to see the effort that Selwyn and Simon had put in to creating the map. Fav point from us for sure

Great orienteering challenge Thanks Selwyn.

Had great fun doing the this during the Maga event

Logged with permission from hider-;)

I had great fun yesterday roaming the stadium doing this course with retrokiwi, indyjones_ and evofreak?. Extended family reunion of sorts haha.

I'm an avid orienteer, and in fact on the board of directors of Orienteering New Brunswick. By sheer coincidence, I wore my o-uniform all weekend as a way to easily identify that I am from Canada. So when I heard that there was an orienteering course on offer at the mega event today, I had to do it.

I've had the pleasure of speaking with Tramper Ted a few times this weekend and he put together a creative and fun course today. As opposed to a normal orienteering course, where I'd be running, I enjoyed the leisurely pace walking this one today. The controls were a little harder to spot than usual without the control flags, but that didn't hinder the fun.

I had a great time on this one. I set up an orienteering cache in Canada (http://coord.info/GC3GVT6) and think there's a great opportunity to combine the two activities. Fav point from me. Thanks a bunch.

heathtree
Moncton, Canada

After arriving at Albany on this the 2nd day of Mega 2013 I was keen to try out this Orienteering event. It was nice to meet an old orienteering mate (Selwyn) controlling the event. As I was about to start, pagesnz asked if they could accompany me because orienteering was new to them. So, a leisurely stroll around the course was made as we chattered about orienteering and many other things, one time very much to the detriment of our navigation when we walked right past a target control and then had to double back over 100 metres thereby allowing another couple to overtake us. However, we made up for that by overtaking them during the next leg. [^] This was a very satisfying and enjoyable cache. Thanks to everyone who had something to do with its publishing. Well done guys.

This was the last cache I did for the day. Am familiar with orienteering, so wasn't too tricky for me. Enjoyed using orienteering with caching together. Thanks for the organisation. Didn't see anyone else doing the course while I was walking around.

A mixture of orienteering, lab caches, & trad. caches was the order of the day, out on a "mega" adventure with Indyjones_ evofreak? & MrRUSH742. Great weekend. TFTC

#4772. FDF. A wonderful setting and quality map and organisation. It's certainly a lot easier to do the puzzle solving than the actual walking around. TNLNSL. TFTC.