Sutherland Shire FTF Hounds #28 Menai, New South Wales, Australia
By Seemyshell on 01-Sep-18. Waypoint GC7X2QZ

Leaving the area..

Up from the Can visiting family. The geobro, goldfinger777, had a 'leave pass' for a few hours so off we went for a holiday geomission!

Soon spied the hide then made use of a natural TOTT for the retrieval/replacement. Great hide

Thanks for the hide, Seemyshell - fave for this one!

Great hide TFTC

It was time to complete this trail of FTF Hounds. Most required quite a lot of bush bashing to get to GZ, along with ilook4geo and this section of caches seems to be in a variety of conditions. All found logs had two names stamped on them where possible and were then replaced as found. Thanks go to Seemyshell for this cache placement.

Doing a part of this trail with goingplaces2. Hard to access most of them but found all except one. TFTC.

Hihi

Nicely placed. Soon manufactured a suitable TOTT. TFTC Seemyshell

Out getting the back side of the power trail with Irol22. A great hide. Glad there are plenty of TOTT in the area. TFTC

Nice and easy find. Used some natural TOTT. TFTC

Found -- 3:42pm -- Thanks for bringing us to this location and Thanks for the hunt *Seemyshell*.

With the Treasures up for grabs and I've not yet had an opportunity to get out and raid the countryside today was set aside. I had planned to grab some closer to home but then realised I had not completed this *Sutherland Shire FTF Hounds* series from my last trip. Wow I cannot believe it has been exactly 2 years since the fires and when I was first here. I really wish I had come back sooner when the area was all burnt out. The caches were so much easier to find and the terrain was brilliant to walk on, no bush bashing like now - incredible difference. My phone gps couldn't decide whether I was 2 metres or 7 metres from the cache. I found it a tad challenging finding this cache but persisted. Finally it was Mr ToC who laid eye on the container. We signed the log in either our names or our initials in some switcheroo form of LP, DJJ, ToC and then returned cache to its hide'y hole exactly as found. OCW *Little Panther* and *DustyJapserJet*.

Found while OCW *Throsbyonchurch* and *DustyJasperJet*. Thanks for the cache hide. ♡♡☆☆

OCW *Throsbyonchurch* and *Little Panther* as we attempt to complete this series. Log signed with our initials. TFTC

Out with kate_h and Breeze Through to complete the second half of this hounds trail on a lovely spring afternoon.

Out for a GC exploration with Kate_h and walk there to complete this trail. Successfully found!

Found with breeze through and walk there

TFTC

Found on a perfect Winter day for a drive down to the Gong and surrounds.
Met up with fitzy65 and minniek for a fun day out and a big caching adventure.
A few good safe hides and not many muggles around.
Cache condition is OK/good.
Thanks for the cache Seemyshell,
***Roostaman***

Headed out for a days caching with fitzy_1965 and Roostaman.

As the light faded we weren't so quick in making finds.....as well as battling through all the underbrush....parking was a bit precarious too.

20,894. Found during a caching loop from Moss Vale, Wollongong and up to the Sutherland Shire with minniek and our caching Mate from Wagga - Roostaman !!

I mentioned to Roostaman - who was in Moss Vale for a few days caching - that we were heading down Wollongong way for a few specific caches, and we decided to team up again for what turned out to be a pretty epic day. Heading up the highway now and we started the SSFTFH Power Trail. The traffic was picking up now and parking was 'fun' ! Bush-bashed to GZ for the quick find. Glad we had brought our torches !

TFTC Seemyshell !!

With the current climate of restrictions lifting, its time that we are all allowed to go Geocaching once again.

To help stop the spread of Covid-19, The Australian and NSW Governments requires everybody to stay at home unless you are: shopping for essentials, receiving medical care, exercising or travelling to work or education.

While some people would regard going geocaching as a form of exercise, it is my personal opinion that this activity is a non-essential one, perhaps involving unnecessary travel and therefore should not be undertaken during this time of crisis.

Who knows how long this pandemic will last! Right now, every one of us has an important part to play in helping to keep our families, friends and the wider community safe in the fight against the spread of Covid-19, by staying home.

As a result of the health authority’s directive, I have decided to disable all my caches and respectfully request that no person seek out and claim a find on any of my hides whilst the caches are disabled.

Thank you for your cooperation. I look forward to bringing my caches back into play as soon as the health crisis abates, and stay safe.

Cheers
Seemyshell

Found today on a trip to Sydney to try out my new car.

TFTC Seemyshell

#6861 (1 of 5 today)

After some finds today, so after a series of one and two find days I looked for a location where I could get a bunch.
Decided on the *SS FTF H* power trail, and went for five finds. And in spite of myself at one or two of those locations I found them all!

Picked one safe parking spot roughly in the centre of the target caches and had the "fun" or walking along Heathcote road. I reckon getting "up close and impersonal" with speeding trucks should up the terrain rating on some of these hides...

But a nice variety of hides, as is the case with this trail kept everything here fresh and interesting. I think I only have another 7 or so to go to finally finish them. But that will be for another day when I'm after more than a few finds.
###END OF CUT AND PASTE SECTION###
Blundered right past this the first time without spotting the obvious. And maybe the second time. [:o]

Finally got there and made the grab.
Signed, replaced and on to my next target.

SLTNLN
TFTC

Cache in good condition TFTC

Apologies for the late log have been a tad busy with the fires. After walking in I was in two minds but after a few minutes the other mind kicked in. Plenty of totts around so made for an easier grab. TNLNSL TFTC

Back in Sydney for some more meetings and time for a few more caches in this series, today I came better prepared for the charcoal.
Eventually spotted this and then had to work out how to get it. Thankfully I found a TOTT close by and it was soon in hand.
Thanks

# 5822 Grabbed while overnight in Campbelltown after a Xmas party. After a few DNFs in and around Campbelltown, I decided to try my luck on this trail. It was getting quite warm and I knew I would not have time to complete it. I enjoyed the variety of caches and the bushland, but sadly this road is one long tip.
Thanks Seemyshell

Well after a day at a conference today was my free day to grab a few caches around the Sydney area. My first target was the Sunderland ftf trail and after that the plan was to go through the suburbs grabbing a few caches on the way back to the hotel. Ended up with 73 for the day plus a few dnfs, which is hard work on your own.

Tftc and making my day so enjoyable.

The caches on the Sunderland ftf trail were brilliant. So much work into making some of them.

Cache still in place and healthy

Found with gm10 and btm

Bf climbed up to this one got a but dirty in the process

Found with gm10 and her bf

This was a funny one. Looked all over the place and after a while decided to read some previous logs. Once mention the use of a natural TOTT. Well, I picked up one and realised that it was leaning against the tree when I first arrived, and I simply grabbed it and cast it aside. TFTC

Great hide! Hubbys initiative came into play and it worked! TFTC

Got a bit sticky doing this Juan

With Wheatz

Out this afternoon with SmudgeyCat finding the rest of the caches in the Sutherland Shire FTF Hounds Power Trail that I hadn't already previously found. Was searching for these as part of the clue hunt to solve the Mystery at the Museum puzzle.
Most of the caches were easy to find, though the 'hanging' ones were generally a lot more difficult. Due to the recent bushfires, there is some dead-wood undergrowth and black soot still on the stems and trunks. So a word of warning - don't wear good clothes, as they will get covered in black soot, and possibly scratched. Also drive, park, and walk with care along the road, as in some places there are big trucks rambling past just a few feet away. You'll probably need a good five hours to do the entire series, and four eyes are definitely better than two for some of the finds.
For this cache - read the hint, and soon found it there. A few recently used tools helped. Found with SmudgeyCat M. TFTC

I found this Sutherland Shire FTF Hounds Power Trail trad cache with GeodudeAU. MM

On the way back from Sutherland today. Picking us a few caches which have gone down since I was down this way last. 24th for the day. TFTC

Plenty of natural TOTTs to help the next cacher TFTC.

Look for awhile but the compass kept pointing out to army land

Spotted quicker than it took to grab it! Saw something recently suggesting that this trail is nearing its end, that wouldn't upset me. Glad to see the undergrowth is well and truly growing back and that the speed limit has been lowered to 90 (from 100), still, not really a good road to be stopping all the time. We've completed the trail on three different visits and usually park between a few and walk back and forth to make it safer.

OCW the Bebes to clear this trail if possible today. Tftc

OCW PelDroedGwin

Until today we’d only done half of this trail.....doing the rest in reverse order.

Nice placement

Tftc

On my way to north Sydney straight after work today to set up a good weekend of caching. Making most of daylight I started caching early to do most of the driving later when dark. Quickly found.
TFTC Wilbert67

Pleased to make a find here after a long unsuccessful search at the previous cache. Found with Kingra007. TFTC # 14,198

Travelling back to Brisbane after attending the OZGM and decided to grab a few of the SSFTFHPT. Very enjoyable series! Found with another cacher. TFTC

I must say after a good start I really weren’t enjoying this series. Black things hanging in trees not where my gz was was shitting me. Constant stream of traffic. Really not fun. Cursing my way around the bush here. Was over it. They have been nice roadside locations. After 15 found this and it even brought a smile to my face and all was good again. But a d2. Thanks anyway.

I decided to take myself on a little drive along this road studded with caches - I could not belive how busy it was, I had to be very careful pulling off the road and back into traffic. Great set of hides, TFTC!!

It's been a while since i last found any on this power trail. In a blink of an eye there were a whole bunch more to find.
Thanks for the caches.

Hit up this powertrail today.
Good hides, and good fun.

Always fun caching with friends.
Catching up on logging.
OCWF&F TFTC

Tackled the 'Sutherland Shire FTF Hounds' powertrail today.

Pros:
Variety (users and containers)
Coordinates (pretty accurate)
Great to see the regeneration here after the fires!

Cons:
Dangerous road (100km/h, high traffic area, limited shoulder space)
Pollution (rubbish and car parts)

We were stopped by the Australian Federal Police, but after explaining what Geocaching is, they let us go on to continue the rest of the trail.

Thanks!

Trip away with woolwood9 and slowly heading to the Clear Waters MEGA.
Stamped logs as TM/WW NZ.
Another nice find for us today, thanks for putting this cache out.

*Really felt unsafe in places on this trail - the traffic was crazy!!*

Found while on a trip away with tmann421, heading to the MEGA in Canberra
Signed as TT/WW NZ
Thanks for the placement

Browsed this power-trail and impressively, it has tripled in size since my last visit about a year ago! So brought my cross-bike down to whittle a few more away.
Due to muggle activities (#15) and placements on different sides of Heathcote road, I eventually visited in the order: 13, 14, 16, 22 to 31, then 21 back down to 17 and 15.
Thanks to all the CO's who have contributed to this collaborative power-trail.
Clearly, the geocaching community is alive and active in the Sutherland Shire.
- - -
Plenty of material about to fabricate a retrieval implement ... and WOW! Talk about a seriously solid container. Reckon if Lucas Height melts down from a run-away reaction, this container would still be intact!
TFTC Seemyshell and please accept an FP.

Streak Day #1997 - Since it had been quite hot during the day we left it quite late tonite to head out for a cache. Stopped by here and took us a bit to find and after finding a TOTT we retrieved the cache and SL. TFTC

29 December 2018
This is find number: 3077
Streak Day: 1108

Came out here with Snoopy1976 in the cool of the night to find our daily cache. Took quite a few minutes to spot this in the dark. Once spotted then had to find a TOTT to retrieve. Retrieved cache and signed and then replaced as found.

Thanks to Seemyshell for placing and maintaining this cache.

TFTC

Found after a couple of minutes
Thanks for the cache

Found a very nice TOTT which made life easy. Thanks nice hide.

Found with ziggiau, TFTC!

With a little time to kill this morning, I decided to tackle the caches in this series that have appeared since my last visit.

Cheers

Managed to collect a little streak here this morning on the way to work. Never been a fan of parking in this series but this morning it wasn’t too bad. TFTC!

#4790- Out caching the trail with thomo31. She spotted it and employed a natural TOTT to get it and return to its spot. Thanks

Found with WaywardWoman. Spotted it then worked out how To retrieve it. Putting it back i had to move to the other side as i was looking in to the light! TFTC

With 30 in the FTF series, it was time to give this trail a crack. I had Team MavEtJu with me to lend another pair of eyes and hands and we made it from 30 to 1 in 3hr 15min. There were a few uncomfortably-close-to-speeding-traffic moments which does detract from the journey but it’s not really a park and grab scenario either.

We realised pretty quickly that this one would require a TOTT, and as luck (or a kind previous finder) would have it, the right tool for the job was on site. Team MavEtJu made the grab while I did the book keeping work.

Thanks Seemyshell for being a FTF hound and participating in the series.

On the way to the GIF later this afternoon provided the opportunity to grab the last instalments in the SSFTFH. Circled around for a bit and then spied the cheeky monkey. Tried to catch him with my walking pole. No luck but then I spied the TOTT on the ground that someone had kindly left. SL and returned the little feller to his home. TFTC SMS.

But what crime did this cache commit?

Thank goodness I didn't have to bring my own TOTT. Took a course of go's to get it back up but got there eventually. TFTC

Took a little detour going home and picked these up. TFTC

Out finding some local caches, disappointing the amount of rubbish on the road side, quick find, signed log and replaced. TFTC

TFTC,
Aiming towards achieving an average 4 cache finds per day for the year.
Out today to build my numbers and clear a few new caches from the area around mt base.
Visited trackables sharing the experience with me.

OCW Brewmaker & EverestHigh. TFTC Seemyshell!

Easy find in the daytime. TFTC

Found the retrieval tool others had used but I must be shorter as it didn't do the job so manufactured one for my height and cache was soon in hand and back in position.
Imagine trying to get it by other means you would be charcoal.

TFTC

ironbark.

#2311 got to GZ according to the GPSr and looked around and soon spotted the cache and then spotted 2 retrival tools got one of tgem to work and I soon had the cache in hand

With cache in hand we signed the log and replaced as found. Both the cache and log are in good condition. Thanks for bringing me to the area and thanks for placing the cache Seemyshell

The following TBs visited for the distance - phlphotos 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 & 2018 NSW geocoin, phlphotos travelling 2011, 2012, 2016, 2017 & 2018 NSW Geocoin, phlphotos Mary Hyde's compass, phlphotos Spindoc Bob Memorial Geocoin, phlphotos, phlphotos Area 51 Tag, phlphotos backpacker canister cover, phlphotos Cache In Trash Out Geocoin, phlphotos Cache In Trash Out Tag, phlphotos CITO Micro Geocoin, phlphotos Col Miner geocoin, phlphotos Four Elements Geocoin, phlphotos Optical Illusion Geocoin, phlphotos Trackable Building Brick, phlphotos Travel Bug Dog Tag, phlphotos Oz GeoMuster 2018 geocoin, phlphotos Oz GeoMuster 2018 geocoin, & dirty Black Juke

Found with geodog who gave me a leg up. TFTC

Out today with aries44 we found this latest cache by Seemyshell. Glad aries had the correct tools to retrieve cache, after signing cache it was returned to its hide. TFTC Seemyshell.

Needing a cache to fill a calender day and also clear this month off the books, Mrs Aries and I decidedto tackle this cache today.
After gathering some information it was time to go to the caching cave and select a TOTT from the inventory. In fact I considered I needed TOTT x 2. Off we went...when seeking a seemyshell cache the motto is **"expect the unexpected"**.
Arriving at GZ the cache was unexpected . A retrieval was made and log signed and the finely crafted container was put back. TFTC Seemyshell and a FP.

Tftc. Quick find, but finding the appropriate length tool took a bit longer. Have left the tool nearby.

After detouring for gelato I ended up on this road. I had to stop for a hide that meant I was as covered in black stripes!?!

TFTC.

Published

Well, I am one of those local FTF Hounds but have only managed to grab 3 along this trail.

But today I broke the drought... apparently it's a Woo Hoo Hoooo time!

This was a quick find but not so quick a retrieval but managed without getting too much of that black stuff on me. Got back to the car and realised I was a month out on the date and thought I had better get back and fix it.

I had to look around again (you'll know why) but this time I was not unscathed with the black stuff. Shower time.

Nice to see a bit of greening up of the trees and thanks Seemyshell for adding to this great trail. My turn next.

Found while OCW *Throsbyonchurch* and *Little Kitten*. Thanks for the cache hide.