Mt Manaia Track #1: Map/Whanau (Whangarei Heads) Whangarei Heads, North Island, New Zealand
By Riser5 on 31-May-14. Waypoint GC560DH

Refreshing

Previous logs helped us to find, had no pen with us as was a spur of the moment decision to take a walk. Log as wet. TFTC

I wasnt going to do it - I honestly wasnt! We had a look, turned up our noses and walked up Mt Manaia. On the way back I told Mr Pinocchio that there was a 90% chance that I wasnt going to do this cache but Id just take a quick look! I took a look, figured out JM and dove under the platform! It was dry and it didnt take long to find the cache another yellow smiley and another challenge accompanied

I found this rather silly and unnecessary. Getting yourself and your clothes wet and dirty and scratched for what is honestly a 'nothing special' cache. "Be prepared" - but not for what, unless you read previous logs...

Spent ages, found nothing

Dky za ke

An early morning hunt with rattll. Reading through previous logs had given us (mainly rattll) an idea of the location, but the first sweep failed to spot the cache. By then, other walkers were starting to go past, so our efforts were curtailed a bit. Suddenly, we spotted the hint about J.M., and quickly narrowed down the location. The second go worked the charm. The log, though, was wet and difficult to sign. Unfortunately, we had no fresh log sheets with us. Returned the cache as found, but got well and truly muggled, as I emerged for the last time just as a couple of council workers walked by. Ah, well, tftc!

Well that was a mission with a lot of laughs . Now to go home and wash my hair !

Thanks to the determination of Scuba 9, I'm able to avenge a DNF. The previous logs hints of slither, and buried and John Munro, as he must be somewhere.Replaced a logged log paper.

Thanks for the cache

Heading out to the Heads for a walk on Christmas Day. The impending rain meant I decided against walking up Manaia so I opted for some finds at a lower elevation.And by lower elevation I didnt quite have this in mind but a smiley is a smiley. Thanks Riser5#4874Logged using Cachly.

Quickly found log is wet

Find #698Found while walking Te Araroa - new Zealands long pathway from Cape Reinga to Bluff. Thank you to all the cache owners who place and maintain these caches, and thank you to all the people who help me and others on the way. Had a fair idea where it was from reading the logs, and was already filthy from days of walking in the mud so there wasn't much to do but get stuck in. Luckily it wasn't too far in. As others have said log is very wet but cache is ok

very busy! too wet to write on!

Nowhere to find it.

Fortunately not too hard, but log is so wet we couldn't sign.
Have photo to send if required.
Great spot

finally found this one.

Log is very wet

Managed to get a visual on it but DS8 didn't want to get dirty. I got two wasp stings for my efforts!

After realising this would require slithering in on your back with a torch to get underneath the seat leg... specially after all the rain recently... thank you, but no thank you.

Luckily no muggles about today so I was able to get this one. Not easy but nothing I'm not used to. TFTC

Found with help of hint and previous logs. Not difficult but certainly not one if you want to stay clean. TFTC

We hunted for a very long time and this cache proved difficult to find. We crawled under the boardwalk on our backs, we checked under all four info signs, we checked the decks railings, checked nearby flames, even checked the rock walls etc we even thought the arrow on the map would give us an inkling.

Wow that was hard to get to TFTC spiders anyone

Tricky to get to but managed to find it ! Tftc

Awkward find but TFTC

I was parked up over night in the motorhome, so I made a point to grab the cache this morning before it got to busy. I'd also checked with a previous finder to confirm the best approach, but still a tricky spot to get to. Certainly glad to tick this one off today, having been past it numerous times previously, cheers

Lucky for the kids! You wouldn't get me in there! Tricky spot!

Searched for about 45 minutes with no luck

Whoa that was tricky. Watch out for muggles!

The weather was grey and overcast with rain threatening, so we made an early start to climb Mount Mania. Not many people around today so we could search without any concerns. Took a while to find this sneaky hide. Unfortunately the log is very wet and we were unable to sign in.

Found hard to get to but fun by nicky

On our way from Mangawhai Heads to Paihia. We were supposed to be going to Tutukaka but the weather is about to turn pear shaped so we decided to hunker down for three days in Paihia to ride the storm out.
Making a pilgrimage Mt Manaia to fill a missing month.
This was challenge but I guess I had to earn the D/T rating.
TFTC

Found it but had to back track through the logs. Couldn’t sign it log is just too wet.

Challenge to get into it. Log need replacement. TFTC

With Kiscardi I found John Munro and then went to get it. Nearly half way through our two weeks geocatching with Kiscardi. Heading to Auckland for a few days to catch up with other southerners. It will be nice to stay in one place for four nights.

Was too wet too log. Sent NZ Bozzy in for the find . Thanks sis
TFTC
Last one today before heading back to Auckland for the Non mega weekend. Yah

We decided on a walk up Mania to get the caches. Have not been up this way for awhile. Before they put in the boardwalk. Great to see the Kauri, and a great bit of exercise.
Left this one to last incase we ran out of time. And had to return another day to locate. Had seen a pic of this cache so had an idea of where to locate. Log was very wet. Still managed to sign. TFTC

Below John Munro, bit of a dig but managed to locate, tftc

Nice find while in the area with tmann421 today
Enjoying the trip north and the caches
Signed log as tm/ww NZ

Nice find with woolwood9 today.
*We enjoyed the drive / walk around the area.*
Stamped logs as tm/ww NZ which may just look like a black smudge on plastic logs!
TFTC

* Really unnecessarily difficult cache to get to, very dirty clothing after crawling to it.*

Read the logs and used the photo from previous finder. Almost decided not to bother, then thought I might as well. I had just replaced the cache, and was fully concealed myself, when people arrived at the platform to take photos. Jaw very still until they had gone and I could extricate myself in private

Third crack at this. Would never have found it without a spoiler photo. I still don't understand the hint. Glad to finally get a smile here. Tftc

Tricky find. Reading the comments was so helpful with this one. I would recommend renting a four year old as it's quite a squeeze to reach!

Well thank god I've lost weight. The clues where no use, after an hour I finally found it. Found it under John Munro. Hope that's of no use either. Hahaha
Past photos helped out a lot.

Was the only one in the series we couldn’t find! Spent a while but there were a few muggles around as well. No worries, makes for a good excuse to come back!

We were at the beginning of the climb up the mountain and decided to hunt for caches on our way up as we felt we would be in more need of a rest on the way up than the way down. This was our first find and initially we started searching in the wrong place. But then we reviewed some logs and some photos and then the cache was quickly spotted. Retrieval proved more of a challenge but in the end we had the cache in hand and signed the log. Found with darthcacher1 and purply.

This one will need a revisit!

Nice easy find thanks to one of our kids. Tftc

We found this one on our night walk alittle bit up the track.

TFTC

Second time lucky. I sent the Legend into GZ and she got it. Well done

Was keen on finding this one as this rating was missing towards my 81. Had a quick look before we headed up but no luck. Once we were back we had a bit more time and so we got dirty. After I located the cache I could send our 4yo to get it. This is a great reason to bring your kids caching. Tha cache was completely soaked. So we dried the logbook in the sun and gor all the water out of the container. After a while We were able to sign it and put it all back together. Send the young one back in to rehide it. TFTC

No joy

Difficult. Second time lucky with help!! Tftc

I'm travelling around NZ for 7 weeks, using geocaching as my travel-planner. I was so lucky to be offered to stay overnight with thegreatauk and his mom, and that also meant that I could go crazy geocaching with thegreatauk. We had a big day today, we left the house at 6.45am and came back 10.45pm. We started off with the Tiger-caches, then we walked up to Mt Manaia and finished off with the SpotX. We had plans to go to Peach Cove and Eagle Rock as well, but we didn't have the time (or energy) for that. A great day with lots of beautiful scenery and caches.

About this cache:
I gave up pretty quickly on this cache, but thegreatauk was determant. It didn't take him too long to find it, glad there were no muggles around. Tftc

Out for a full days geocaching in the heads trying to get as many caches as possible leaving early coming back late but having a great day out doing urquharts bay/Smugglers cove and Mt Manaia was great. A few DNF's but mainly finding the caches. Thanks to all the cache owners for placing caches to find. After a few attempts to get to GZ one worked and the cache was in hand. I suggest the T should be 2.5 due to the retrieval method now up the mountain. TFTC.

This one has been on the radar since April, when I reckoned I had figured out the metal 11. However, every time I have been passing, and that's been quite a few, I have either been in a hurry, or it's been too wet or there have been too many muggles around.

Tonight, I did a quick maintenance check around my new Spot X cache series and on the way home not too long before dark, the GZ area was deserted. There had been no rain for a while either, so I was hoping for a dry search. With a little scrambling and slithering, the cache was located almost exactly where I suspected it would be. Good to finally convert this to a yellow smilie. TFTC

This one got us beat.

Hard one to crack. Better luck next time lol

Tricky one, got the hint after finding the cache

Sussed out the metal 11, but carpark and roadside was full on muggles on a nice sunny Anzac day, so no chance at all of actually looking. Will be back another day.

Cache still in location,no change, no need.

Spend a while looking and getting dirty
Think we have figured out the metal 11, will need to try again next time !

Do not attempt. A big Kauri Die Back track upgrade has happened on Mt Manaia to stop people going off track.

No go hear

#656 DNF avenged. My nimble brother helped me get this cache before I had a chance to get there myself. TFT(map)C.

While doing the earth cache here it would be wise to pick this cache up too. Wasn't an easy find by looking at the photos! We're still wet in our clothes from coming down Bream Head. But the cache was eventually found by Lis's crew, while rusty and harisree looked on, now to get changed and head over for dinner at Riser5's event at Jimmy Jack Rib shack.

Climbed Mt.Manaia about 18 months ago with a walking group trip....
Unfortunately at that time although I searched long and hard the cache wouldn't reveal itself !
However I am pleased to say it was a quickesh find with the gc group this time !
Somewhere I am sure we looked previously .....
Popped here after our mountain climbing event at Eagle Rock for Gorby's big 4,000!!!!!

On our way back to Whangarei for a birthday celebration with Riser5

Would love to write easy find, but that would be telling porkies - quite a challenge, after a while the cache revealed itself, and we were signing the log. Thanks for the hide and the adventure.

Hope this cache is actually in place this time....up that way this weekend....!
Or maybe I just had a " boy look "
last time ...

Would have loved to do this track and its caches but it is closed for the protection of the Kauri until November 30th.

Even after a hint from the CO, I could not get this one. Moving on.

Gave up at 11:11

ISAG

I got the hint failrly quick, but looking both high and low yielded nothing... I got a few pointers froim the CO later and might be back another time,.

Gave up at 10:16

ISAG

No event today, but an idea how to interprate the hint. But very unsure what to to with this information...

This was a challenge but in the end found it.

Last time I was here, why didn't I just ask one of the scores of muggle school children to scramble & make the find?! Luckily some agile people attended the event today. TFTC

We had a bit of trouble working out the hint but with some help found the "eleven" and soon had the cache in hand.TFTC.

I think, had I been by myself, I might well have had to log DNF. Being with a number of cachers today definitely helped (esp as CO was in attendance also!). Thanks for the interesting hide Riser5. Love the beginning of the track.

Was visiting Mount Manaia for the get out of doors day event, whilst hiking the mountain took the opportinity and breathing room to pick up the caches.

This first one was tricky and needed a pretty solid nudge from the CO. TFTC

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This would be the toughist 2.5 star I have had...I did not make sense of the clue ...but thanks heaps for the extra clue Riser down and dirty sums it a fav thanks for the cache

Third time and a nudge or two and finally brave enough to venture to spot that gps told me to look. Would never have done it if I hadn't been determined to crack it and all other options explored. I can now sleep without seeing wooden decks and railing. Thanks for bringing us here

Been here 5 times boo. I don't get what metal 11 is

Been here 5 times boo. I don't get what metal 11 is

Despite a hint from the CO and a second look on the way back from the Heads, we still didn't find. I think we weren't in the right area.

Too busy to try today.

trail was way to busy to even attempt a look today, will return after the school holidays

Tricky find.

Didn't find it. Looked for about 45mins and couldn't find

Tricky little find! TFTC

Had to do this one on the way out as someone was doing yoga almost on top of it when we arrived. Great clue, I might have gotten a little over-excited when I solved it lol. TFTC!

Only had a quick look while friend took tourist sgots of views & didn't feel Luke crawling around on my bung knee that is not liking to bend at the mo.... & then 60+ muggle children from Onerahi school were there... lol, in hindsight- should have set them to the task of finding & fetching cache for me!!!!

Looked and looked. Had an idea where it could be. After a hint from CO we were sure where it was. Nice to meet vanquished and happy bandit. We did a little TB swapping.TFTC

Went for a hunt and found Liz's crew, but no cache. Maybe need a few more hints in the description?

Happyfacebandit and I tried for quite a while to nut this one out. Found Liz's crew & GraciesGPSfun here while we were at it but even with four of us, no cache to be found this time.

This one proved very entertaining. Saw two suspicious people loitering around GZ. Nice to see you again Paula and to meet you Steph. We swapped and viewed travel bugs before hunting all over the place. Unfortunately we only managed to get a hint from the CO after our friends had left. We wouldn't have found it without help despite Paula's GPS being bang on. Very tricky, thanks for the fun

3rd visit - 3rd DNF - 1st time remembering to log. Glad the annoying "11" arrow on the map has been ruled out but with every corner looking like a metal 11 and no sign of the cache under any of them this cache will remain a DNF. The metal bench also has 11 metal bolts at each end and in the middle attached to 11 wooden slats to sit on which is what I did to write this log.

Hahaha... the logs let me know this would be a tricky one. At GZ assumed where it would be, but didn't want to get muddy after all these days of heavy rain... sorry

Checked up on the cache... Yup its still there...

due to so many people struggling on this one I messaged the CO. Initially I took the clue to mean the marks on the map (that look like no.11), - no it isn't. Despite numerous interpretations of the clue we didn't have any success! however hopefully this helps narrow it down for someone else. Also - the CO is confident that the cache is definitely still there and said not to wear good clothes to get it.