3-hour Shag Beach Saunter (East Otago) Shag Point, South Island, New Zealand
By
daywalk on 04-Nov-13. Waypoint GC4RJ09
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.
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Logs
Not much wildlife until gz. One shag, one heron, two oystercatchers then at gz some seal lions. One took exception and chased me into the dunes for a quick find. Now to get back before tide comes in as just on the turn.
Great spot for a cache; no sea lions in the marram today (though it's clearly a wallowing area), just along the beach and in the pine trees further south. After I found the cache, I walked around the end of the dunes and found a large group of sea lions, several males competing aggressively for several females; we gave them all a wide berth especially the large male that wanted to chase us away from 'his' female. We saw several more sealions while walking on the beach (and one by the fence in the pines), also a leopard seal on the beach, and several fur seals on the rocks.
TFTC, we’re enjoying the walk and timed the tide just nicely, leaving Anderson Lagoon at around half-tide on an outgoing tide. The waves were spectacular after a southerly so we took the clifftop route until we got to Shag Beach (also on the return). From the carpark, it took us four hours for the return trip including plenty of stops, kelp-spotting, photography and cache-finding.
TFTC, we’re enjoying the walk and timed the tide just nicely, leaving Anderson Lagoon at around half-tide on an outgoing tide. The waves were spectacular after a southerly so we took the clifftop route until we got to Shag Beach (also on the return). From the carpark, it took us four hours for the return trip including plenty of stops, kelp-spotting, photography and cache-finding.
No caching during Covid-19 alert levels Level 3 & 4.
This includes virtual waypoints - we need to stay home except for essential outings.
Working together, we can beat delta and keep our community safe.
[https://covid19.govt.nz/](https://covid19.govt.nz/)
[https://wiki.groundspeak.com/display/GEO/New+Zealand?fbclid=IwAR2GUaxN7zpUQI2Suglt1ggVnCqw8V1emnygD1Tdw6YTu1f4LUcIt92oZhs](https://wiki.groundspeak.com/display/GEO/New+Zealand?fbclid=IwAR2GUaxN7zpUQI2Suglt1ggVnCqw8V1emnygD1Tdw6YTu1f4LUcIt92oZhs)
Passed a couple of seals on the beach and quite a fewbshags perched on the cliffs. Followed the seal trails to GZ, keeping a wary eye out in case any were still around. Thankfully all clear and we made a quick find. Found with Spoonz2 and jrb50/50 with others including CO who was on a mission to find/replace a missing cache
The tide was right, the weather was right, and a group of us made our way towards the location for this cache. The rocks were slippery, the cliffs were interesting, the shags were busy and very photogenic, the lunch log was convenient, the walk was great, and the company was convivial. And there was a cache there! What else could you ask for? Thanks Daywalk.
Well that was an experience....had this one on the radar for a while and thought I'd go for the kayak option rather than the beach walk...managed to launch from just below the main road with no issues ...river was mill pond flat as I had expected and the cache was 3.3km away (straight line of course) ..the river does meander a bit but the paddle was straight forward ....thought I may see the odd seal closer to the mouth mouth and sure enough about a km from gz one came swimming up the river towards me...cool you think..so did I !!!!
I slowly made my way towards the bank keeping my eye on the local as i did .
Started of friendly enough swimming close by then coming up for a look but that turned to jumping out off the water showing off it's big white TEETH!!!.
That was my cue to get onto dry land asap .
From there I left the kayak to walk the last 600m making plenty of noise just incase..
Thankfully the cache was a quick find ...
The return trip involved a lot less kayaking and more walking as the nerves were well fraid finally took the shoetest route to the main road where I ditched the kayak so I could go and get the truck ..
Glad I brought a change of underpants for that encounter ...
Gets a favourite for the experience glad to tick it of ...think I'll get the rest from the beach!!!
Tftc
I slowly made my way towards the bank keeping my eye on the local as i did .
Started of friendly enough swimming close by then coming up for a look but that turned to jumping out off the water showing off it's big white TEETH!!!.
That was my cue to get onto dry land asap .
From there I left the kayak to walk the last 600m making plenty of noise just incase..
Thankfully the cache was a quick find ...
The return trip involved a lot less kayaking and more walking as the nerves were well fraid finally took the shoetest route to the main road where I ditched the kayak so I could go and get the truck ..
Glad I brought a change of underpants for that encounter ...
Gets a favourite for the experience glad to tick it of ...think I'll get the rest from the beach!!!
Tftc
A great walk, over the boulders, fast sprints between the waves, up and down the hills then grateful to find the cache. Loved the shags and didn’t disturb the seal lions. On way home finished with beer battered fish and chips with a Pilsner.
New Zealand is under Level 4 lockdown from today for at least a month, because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
I am disabling all my caches for the meantime to remind people that we MUST break the chain of infection.
Covid-19 is now being spread within the community, person to person. We know that the virus will remain on surfaces like metal and plastic for up to 4 days.
We have only one chance to stop the Covid-19 virus spreading further. This is to BREAK the chain of infection by keeping each household separated completely. During this time each of us MUST keep isolated and only share with the people in our own household.
The best advice is to act as though you are infected... which you might be. We know there are cases in Dunedin... I might be infected and so might you.
If you touch a cache container, you will leave viruses on the plastic, logbook and pen. Those will remain infectious for up to 4 days. Suppose some other person finds the cache tomorrow. They are likely to pick up those viruses and will get infected.
Playground equipment is out of bounds for exactly that reason- touching surfaces can spread infection.
Each of us has to do our bit to save lives. If the Covid-19 virus spreads, a lot of us will die. Maybe your grandmother, or my friend who has just had a bone-marrow transplant.
Stay home, stay safe, let's get to the other side of the pandemic before we go geocaching again.
I am disabling all my caches for the meantime to remind people that we MUST break the chain of infection.
Covid-19 is now being spread within the community, person to person. We know that the virus will remain on surfaces like metal and plastic for up to 4 days.
We have only one chance to stop the Covid-19 virus spreading further. This is to BREAK the chain of infection by keeping each household separated completely. During this time each of us MUST keep isolated and only share with the people in our own household.
The best advice is to act as though you are infected... which you might be. We know there are cases in Dunedin... I might be infected and so might you.
If you touch a cache container, you will leave viruses on the plastic, logbook and pen. Those will remain infectious for up to 4 days. Suppose some other person finds the cache tomorrow. They are likely to pick up those viruses and will get infected.
Playground equipment is out of bounds for exactly that reason- touching surfaces can spread infection.
Each of us has to do our bit to save lives. If the Covid-19 virus spreads, a lot of us will die. Maybe your grandmother, or my friend who has just had a bone-marrow transplant.
Stay home, stay safe, let's get to the other side of the pandemic before we go geocaching again.
Thanks only saw one sea lion today but tracks of quite a few others. A warm winters day to walk and jog along to this cache.
Amazing where geocaching brings you. No shags as winter time. But still great cliffs. Have been meaning to come for a while but the tide or the weather didn’t play ball.
Amazing where geocaching brings you. No shags as winter time. But still great cliffs. Have been meaning to come for a while but the tide or the weather didn’t play ball.
Coordinates changed from:
S 45° 28.838 E 170° 49.028
Coordinates changed to:
S 45° 28.902 E 170° 48.961
Distance from original: 483.2 feet or 147.3 meters.
Cache moved to an obvious landmark, still in public access area, not on archaeological site.
S 45° 28.838 E 170° 49.028
Coordinates changed to:
S 45° 28.902 E 170° 48.961
Distance from original: 483.2 feet or 147.3 meters.
Cache moved to an obvious landmark, still in public access area, not on archaeological site.
Had been planning to visit in November, when the shags are nesting. However, oh bother, an earlier maintenance visit is needed. Low tide Sunday morning, so off we go! We explored a shorter but more adventurous route - email if you'd like details. Sealions playing on the end of the spit. The original hide was in the seaward one of two lupin bushes. Only the landward lupin is standing now, oh dear. But went and stood at GZ, looked round, there was the cache lying exposed on the sand at my feet, still attached to the main truck of the dead lupin. Phew! Moved it 150 m to a hide which won't disappear.
It should be an obvious find, so afraid it may be gone. Was planning a November walk there - may have to see if we can go sooner.
I went out for a run along the track on a lovely sunny Spring day. A bit slow up the steep bits but the views and varied terrain made this a great trip out.
Running along the golden beach to the Shag River was awesome with the whoile place to myself.
After dodging a couple of male sea-lions I turned at the end and started the hunt for the cache.
Hmmmm, after 25 minutes I had to admit defeat - either my cache-sense was well off or the cache has gone walkabout in the couple of years since it was last sighted.
Only a couple of sensible locations for a hide and both were extensively searched, shifting sands perhaps???
Anyway, the cache was always going to be secondary to a great trip out, 90 minutes all up, not bad for an old bloke!
I'll put it on my watch list for a future excuse to go for a run...
Running along the golden beach to the Shag River was awesome with the whoile place to myself.
After dodging a couple of male sea-lions I turned at the end and started the hunt for the cache.
Hmmmm, after 25 minutes I had to admit defeat - either my cache-sense was well off or the cache has gone walkabout in the couple of years since it was last sighted.
Only a couple of sensible locations for a hide and both were extensively searched, shifting sands perhaps???
Anyway, the cache was always going to be secondary to a great trip out, 90 minutes all up, not bad for an old bloke!
I'll put it on my watch list for a future excuse to go for a run...
Suddenly discovered that I had not logged any of the finds from this great walk with daywalk's Wednesday walkers.
The title says it all -- it did take us about 3 hours all up, along a very interesting beach, always changing. Lots of seagulls congregated for no apparent reason, and many, many shag nests -- talk about communal living!
Easy find when we finally arrived, so helped the CO replace it so that it was somewhat better hidden from any prying eyes that might wander by.
TNLN. TFTC.
The title says it all -- it did take us about 3 hours all up, along a very interesting beach, always changing. Lots of seagulls congregated for no apparent reason, and many, many shag nests -- talk about communal living!
Easy find when we finally arrived, so helped the CO replace it so that it was somewhat better hidden from any prying eyes that might wander by.
TNLN. TFTC.
What a great day to choose to do this walk. Well rewarded with company, views, seals, birds (and did I mention a cache at the end). Thanks for finding these amazing places daywalk.
Out on a Wednesday walk with several others, including 4 other geocachers. I was in no hurry as I had a fair idea where this one was so I left it to the two who didn't to rush ahead. Soon enough you could see them gathered around a bush and as I got nearer I could see the cache in hand. thanks daywalk for a pleasant day out.
Well this was an adventure!
Checked the tides yesterday and decided if the weather was favourable this would be a nice "saunter" on the Monday.
Drove down this morning and being a bit early for the low tide took the high road and then dropped down to the beach and set out. Saw only the pretty amazing cliifs as I went along and then - some smoke coming out fo the dunes!. Went over to see what the cause was and encountered the only wildlife I would see this morning, a man and his dog appeared to be living in the dunes and he told me ungraciously to mind my own business so I departed quickly back to beside the roaring sea to continue on my quest.
By the time I had reached the beach the tide was well out and I continued on with dry feet and just a light, cooling wind, couldn't have asked for better.Got to my destination and was surprised by the size of this mouth, it is a shame it is not more accessable as it is a lovely area and very interesting.
Found what I was looking for, once again a well thought out and provisioned placement and then began to retrace my steps. Because the tide was still playing ball I had to use the high path only once for a section and then it was back onto the beach again, just as well as the legs were telling me how unfit I was becoming although I managed to run past the smoke.
Slowly made it back to the ute and found when I got home my legs didn't want to work - must be the sign of a good walk. So for some a saunter for me an enjoyable challenge!
Thanks
erninz
This entry was edited by erninz on Monday, 06 April 2015 at 03:51:10 UTC.
Checked the tides yesterday and decided if the weather was favourable this would be a nice "saunter" on the Monday.
Drove down this morning and being a bit early for the low tide took the high road and then dropped down to the beach and set out. Saw only the pretty amazing cliifs as I went along and then - some smoke coming out fo the dunes!. Went over to see what the cause was and encountered the only wildlife I would see this morning, a man and his dog appeared to be living in the dunes and he told me ungraciously to mind my own business so I departed quickly back to beside the roaring sea to continue on my quest.
By the time I had reached the beach the tide was well out and I continued on with dry feet and just a light, cooling wind, couldn't have asked for better.Got to my destination and was surprised by the size of this mouth, it is a shame it is not more accessable as it is a lovely area and very interesting.
Found what I was looking for, once again a well thought out and provisioned placement and then began to retrace my steps. Because the tide was still playing ball I had to use the high path only once for a section and then it was back onto the beach again, just as well as the legs were telling me how unfit I was becoming although I managed to run past the smoke.
Slowly made it back to the ute and found when I got home my legs didn't want to work - must be the sign of a good walk. So for some a saunter for me an enjoyable challenge!
Thanks
erninz
This entry was edited by erninz on Monday, 06 April 2015 at 03:51:10 UTC.
Today was Palmerston and environs day. Another successful endeavour - even if rather warm! Thanks.
Highlight of the day. Awesome conditions, warm, clear and a very light breeze. Able to use the beach for all but the middle three "up and down" bits, saw a couple of seals hauled out and lots of sea birds - one apparently saw me too (well at least it spotted me from on high!). Great cache - Thanks.
Highlight of the day. Awesome conditions, warm, clear and a very light breeze. Able to use the beach for all but the middle three "up and down" bits, saw a couple of seals hauled out and lots of sea birds - one apparently saw me too (well at least it spotted me from on high!). Great cache - Thanks.
Great day for a walk down Shag beach. Tide is good so feet are dry.Second FTF for the day. A couple of seal tracks leading toward the cache. Keep the dogs close as we close in on target. One is sunning itself only 50m away but does not raise its head. TFTC #1076 (FTF) 11
If you're heading out for this one, make sure you also check out the 100' high shaggy cliffs at the southern end of Shag Beach S 45° 29.961 E 170° 47.810 haqrecvar&oruvaqybt.
While visiting with our group pre-publication, plumbtart found the cache and signed the log. Just to show she's been there, done that.
Great walk with Daywalk et al, fantastic company as always. I particularly enjoyed the abseiling and of course all the amazing facts and history that I felt sure I would remember, although reading through the write up on this geocache I realise that there is so much history related to this area and goodness knows how Daywalk manages to keep it all in her brain. Thanks for the recognition!
