PWGT1: Baylys Beach, Lignite and the Musket Wars Baylys Beach, North Island, New Zealand
By tuolei on 15-Dec-20. Waypoint GC93YCQ

2100. 2:13 pm. Although 2100 isn't a groundspeak milestone, it feels like one to me so I wanted to complete a special geocache. Baylys Beach was my first stop during my first visit to New Zealand back in 2004. My hosts picked me up at Auckland International and without any foreshadowing, they drove straight to Baylys Beach and on to the sand so I consider GZ my landing spot. I didn't trust my driving out on the sand so we parked and we ventured out. Even in the rain, it's a great spot and I now have a greater appreciation of its geomorphology. Found with eKitten. TFT(beach)C.

Why is an Earthcache being archived because a tour is over?

It's the rules of Geocaching Tours - cache owners don't have control over this process. If you have a problem with it, I suggest you direct it at Geocaching HQ, not the archived cache page as I'm the only person that sees that.

We hope you enjoyed exploring this region of the North Island. The Pokai Whenua GeoTour: Tahi has now ended. Thank you to the community for all the great logs, photos, and Favorite Points over the last 2 years. It has been so fun!

New Zealand North Island - Day1
Found with Joolay on a trip to NZ to find a geotour.
We headed north from Auckland and made our way to this earthcache. Lots of people enjoying the beach today. Interesting to explore the sand dunes and lignite. This is a new lesson for me and it was cool to learn about the geological process. What a big beautiful beach too. Answers have been sent to the CO.

Thanks for the cool cache tuolei

Pretty cool spot. Such a long Long Beach. It was coolish but people were swimming and surfing. Kittykatch sent answers for us both.

So exciting to be heading to NZ. Have not been to the NI so looking forward to exploring. Did not make it to the last Mega because of Covid so wonderful Kittykatch and I can get here now.

Thanks for getting me out and about tuolei

Up from Southland with Cantabrian Kiwicampnut to get the final piece of the PWGT puzzle.
Day 6 - Auckland to Kaitaia. A long day.
Took us a while to get our head around what was needed. Had a different shape in my head than what we saw.
This area has certainly had a lot of erosion - how much has been accelerated by people and what would have happened anyway?
Answers on their way soon, but logging now to keep order right.
Thanks for the cache tuolei
# 3619 23 January 2023 2:14 pm

Ruru_Nz and I on another road trip to complete this area of the Geotour before it finishes.

Answers sent. Don’t recall having been here before and was pleased that tide was out enough to walk on beach. Not too many cars down there and even a group giving their horses a swim before heading away after we finished our tasks.

Spending the weekend completing my Tahi caches and added some extras in and around Dargaville.

Wow what a beautiful day to be at the beach. This Earthcache was a great excuse to come. Thanks for bringing me here as I have been in years. Only 1 more Tahi cache to find. TFGC

Stunning Sunday morning for a visit to the beach.

Pretty busy with vehicles and families today, was great to see Surf Lifesaving out there keeping an eye on the swimmers.

TFTC, found with Yvettetb.

Answers emailed by Yvettetb.

I was on my way home to Paihia from Auckland and had decided to detour this way to grab the last 3 Geotour caches I needed. I still have 1 to go in Monganui to complete Tahi. I had a long but enjoyable drive home via Dargaville and Rawene. I managed to pop in for a chat with a geocaching friend in Opononi on my way so that was fun.

An enjoyable wander on the beach to collect this. I haven't send my answers in yet but will try to do it later today then change my log to a found it.

Thanks for the earthcache and your participationin the Geotour

Enjoyed a visit to the beach late this afternoon. Unfortunately the weather is a little chilly today for a swim. But can't complain have had mostly really warm weather on this trip. Heading north to pick up mainly Geotour caches before it expires at the end of the month
Thanks for bringing us here today.
Answers sent

Yes we were here, photo of mr’s iPhone (gps) at location. Glad we got here when we did, because trails bikes flooded the beach just before we left.
Learnt a bit with this earth cache.
Thanks for placing.

I'm on a road trip to the far north, attempting to complete the PWGT Tahi Geotour.

This is day two, heading from Huntly to Kaitaia.

Will expand on my logs, post photos, qualifying caches for challenges, etc. When I get home. TFTC

Answers sent and photos taken.

27 October 2022 11:24 am Find #5107

Lots to learn around here, history, geology. Our little cacher asked what were muskeets, and then remember the main issue was time to charge, which was then later discussed in the cache description. Interesting learning around here, thanks for taking us and putting this together...

Had a quick trip to my closest Earthcache to get the souvenir. And gladly re elected to Whangarei District Council at the same time.

Just heard from the CO my answers are aok, so it is a yippee from me as I have completed the PWGT; 6 months later than planned for various reasons.
Thank you tuolei for a most interesting geology cache and for bringing me to a place I would not have visited. Favourite given.

I’m on a roadie north to complete the PWGT and find other interesting caches - oldies, puzzles and ones at interesting places.
Kia ora rawa atu for the cache tuolei.

Thank you for this interesting Earthcache, tulle I. I am in the region for a few days on a GeoTour kind of road trip and was pleased to be staying nearby.
I was hesitant to drive on to the beach but I’m sure my vehicle would have been fine !

Found - Mrs McMike2012 & I now live full-time in our caravan & travel the country visiting places we want to visit … we are now parked at the NZMCA site in Dargaville for the next few days … we will now spend time exploring the wider area … headed up to the Kai Iwi Lakes & then back to Baylys Beach as it’s on our ‘scratchy map of NZ’ … decided to do this Earthcache while there … answers have been ‘messaged’ to the Cache Owner … we’ll go ahead and log this pending the receipt of the all clear … pleased to add another 'smiley face' to the tally … TFTC ... TN except photos:LN but footprints:no Log to sign ... #3,049 for us.

#11,591. I visited Baylys beach late in the day to specifically do this earthcache. After parking nearby I wandered over to the dune face and was surprised to see an exposed patch of lignite. I have been to this beach previously and never noticed these rocky outcrops before. Found the cache description really interesting and informative. I now understand the difference between lignite and coal. Have messaged the CO with the answers to the questions. Thanks tuolei and Ministry of Education for setting up the earthcache as part of the geotour.

We missed a thunderstorm in Dargaville by coming out to the beach. It was warm, sunny and calm and low tide. A local suggested we walk further along the beach and see the kauri stump with lignite around it. Our answers have been approved so logging with permission.Thanks for bringing us out here. TFTC.

Logging with go ahead from CO. This one was a bit challenging due to the fact that I am one crazy person and because of how my day ended up I had to do this one at night. Answered questions and sent CO anwsers and got the go ahead. TFTC

#12,964. We enjoyed visiting this earthcache on Baylys Beach in Northland. There was no parking on Sea View Road. So we parked around the corner on Ocean View Terrace for a walk and wander to the beach. Arrived just before high-tide, and managed to get to the bottom of the cliff without getting wet feet, but interesting to see some cars who had parked on the beach nearby beating a hasty retreat as the tide came rolling in. Answers emailed to the cache owner. Thanks for the very prompt response and permission to log.

Thanks for the interesting geology and history lessons, and for bringing us to this site, and …

.T h a n k s. .f o r. .t h e. .c a c h e.
.M a u r u u r u. .k o e. .n u i. .a t u. .h o k i. .t e. .k e t e r o k i.

Visited the spot with Cyclicalcaching at the end of the day, quite interesting to see the lignite. There was also a dead little blue penguin, not the first one we see washed up on shore..

Thanks for bringing us here!

Definitely a neat EarthCache!

Such a unique material and this spot provides a great option to explore it!

While we were exploring the beach, we found a little blue penguin dead on the bed, very sad to see…someone had burned a log and it became shaped like shovel, so I dug a hole and put the penguin to rest there. RIP little blue .

Thanks for all the info and placing this GeoTour EarthCache!

We enjoyed a visit to the beach this morning to find the answers for this Earthcache. Mrs nzk has good memories of childhood visits here as her grandparents lived in Dargaville, so it was great to see it again. Answers sent to CO, logging with permission. Many thanks for the EC tuolei!

Visited back in April, but only sent my answers this weekend gone, slack I am!It was a pretty drizzly day that day (easter trip) but I was just all over excited, first time up North North! I plan to come up again in summer, next summer, when we get a summer. Thank you for bringing me up and teaching me some science! (or is that torturing me??)

Found more later when I edit the log

It was so lovely down here on the beach late this afternoon. Lignite on a beach - who would have thought? My parents burnt lignite on the coal range for the whole time I lived at home - it was cheaper and no one was concerned about the pollution it caused in those days. They bought it by the half ton which came in huge lumps and then Dad and my brothers had to chop it into manageable pieces. Luckily it wasn't viewed as girl's work then but I did have to cart it from the shed where it was chopped to the cupboard like thing in the house and then of course by the shovel load from there to the range for years. I really enjoyed the write up - especially the Māori history and the musket wars. A favourite for the memories, the history and the lovely location. Answers sent and the photo uploaded as the final requirement for the codeword. TFTC # 18,297

Beautiful spot, unfortunately we are on a geotour mission and have a long way still to go today so can't stay for long. Answers sent to CO by Isis58. Thanks for bringing us here tuolei

#11952

(# 7204) On a trip to retrieve the Auckland/Northland Geotour caches (TMGT/PWGT). Day 2 was from Whangarei to Kaitaia. Dropped in to check out the lignite lenses. Thanks for bringing me here.

I wonder how many people who come to this lovely beach are aware of this interesting layer of Lignite? Talla64 and I are up from Kapiti on a PWGT mission, and are enjoying it very much. When we mentioned our interest in this lignite to our motel proprietor, he gave us an in-depth talk on the geology of the coast and was keen to talk more, but as we were on a mission it was not possible. There were quite a few muggles down at the beach on the day Talla64 and I visited, all enjoying the late afternoon sun. Lots of walkers too. Our answers have been accepted by the CO. Thanks for the information and the history tuolei, FP awarded.

Flowerydaze and I are on a mission to the far north on the hunt for PWGT1's and this was one of them. A beautiful beach and so popular with the locals. We found the history of lignite interesting and FD has sent our joint submission to the CO. Thanks for the earth cache tuolei, very interesting.

This is a beautiful spot thanks heaps for this we had fun working this out.
Geo adventures with the cuzzy

Great learning experience, thanks for the find

Toby had so much fun driving the beach. Not many people along here. A fisherman about every kilometer. Now to check out this amazing Lignite. I love earth caches and what they have taught me over the years. Fav from me.. Then time to enjoy the beach stopping for lunch. Cheers.
Now time to return to Zara in Whangarie and start moving south..

Day 11, Sunday 30 January - Whangarie to Dargiville, and back. Then moved south to Puhoi Village. Toby had fun along Bayleys beach today. Roads stayed quiet till we got to wellsford then the traffic increased ten fold. We finally ran out of time, arriving in Puhoi Village in the dark, so stayed the night.

Zara, Toby, Lenny and I are on our North Island expidition for a couple of weeks. Got The Seagnoid along for the first 4 days, heading to the Auckland Mega. PWGTs and TMGTs are on the radar for this trip. Lots of driving on gravel roads and visited lots of amazing places on our 6000km road trip snagging 200+ caches along the way. Visiting Cape Reinga, Bay of Islands, Gisborne and White Rock along our journey. Another awesome trip. Thanks to all CO's.

It’s been a pretty rainy day up north. Finally some sun breaking thru by the time I get to the beach. Have sent answers.
Travelled up from Dunedin for my first Mega event and wanting to sign off some geotour caches as well in Auckland and Northland.
Thanks for the cache, tuolei
#3081

I had a pretty intense two days traveling around in search of the Northland Geotour caches. Thankfully I was able to find them all! Not without some bruises and scratches haha.

This was my second to last cache for the trip and I enjoyed taking the time to just sit on the warm sand for a little while. Since it was late I was able to snag the parking spot waypoint which I doubt you'd be able to get at any other point of the day on a sunny day! Since my car is small I was able to turn around without doing a 29point turn haha.

I enjoyed the geology lessons at high school but sadly I'd forgotten it all. This was an interesting cache to do TFTC.

On a roadie chasing PWGT series caches in the region over the New Year's break. Was able to drive onto the beach no prob. Ended up stopping here much longer than planned as loved this spot, the nose even got sunburnt.
Thanks tuolei for the interesting history/geology lesson - great location for an earthcache!

After a long trip around the North I fin ally managed toget to this location..very busy a probably not the best time to be here...but one must take the covid free space while its there. Parking away from the beach was non existant and I wasn't keen to take the motorhome along the beach foreshore finally found a spot and walked to area required...The answers were sent and I got 90% wrong.... sadly I am not a scientist or is that a geologist but at least I gave it my best shot ...Tftc

A big day out today and a few kms. So good to be able to travel north again, although only briefly this time. As expected Baylys Beach was busy and if you don't want to drive onto the beach, the parking is very limited. We found a parking spot - sort of. Every "man and his dog" including motor homes, caravans, tents, etc all enjoying the beach. We easily found the lignite and took lots of photos. I find logging earth caches on the road difficult as I like to learn and research a bit.
I have strong memories as a child visiting Baylys Beach and Glinks Gulky to gather toheroa in season. It was a major two hour expedition from our farm and always much anticipated. We would have a decent feed of toheroa on the beach before then gathering our limit to take home!! Thanks for bringing us here tuolei.

Answers sent and approved. Visited on my way north to collect Northland's TMGTs and PWs. A awesome location to stand and ponder a sand bank, while everyone else has fun in the water:) Very interesting site especially the loose lignite on the beach. Regrettably it's time to keep heading north. TF interesting cache tuolei.

What a cracking beach to come down to and a tour cache and Earthcache to boot was just the ticket. We enjoyed our visit and the answers were soon determined and have been approved by the CO. Another tour cache in the bag, slowly but surely, and a good one too.

Our last day in the region before heading South today, and back home. Then tomorrow we're off for part 2 of the holidays in Taihape and Palmerston North with our daughter and her family. I wanted to head out Dargaville and Kai Iwi way first before leaving though and added some more kms onto the car's speedo!

Work is finished for the year and it's time to head to Northland for a few days prior to Christmas. Primarily to see our son and his partner and our grandchildren and also a bit of a beach break at the work bach. A good few days away, and a few caches found, thanks to all COs.

Sorted the questions
Took the photo and got the to log cache.

Out on a road trip around Northland, so called by to collect this earth cache. It always nice to visit the wild west coast. Thanks for bring us here.

20 June 2021 11:33. Placeholder until I send the info through. Thank you for alerting me to a feature of the area I would otherwise have overlooked! Not sure the Demio appreciated me driving it on the sand, but there was a huge motorhome trying to turn around in the parking place! Would have loved to explore more, but time is pressing as I have to be back in Auckland tonight and still have more PWGT caches to visit! TFTC.

We ended up on the beach and had a quick stroll to GZ. Nice to have a geological perspective on what we were seeing. Answers forwarded to CO, and photo attached. A nice quick find thanks.

Ms_KR and I are on a wee break to find some of the Northern PW GeoTour caches. Today we cruiised from Warkworth to Kaitaia. We had some showers, but the day was mostly fine. Still a lovely day for driving and caching.

Thanks to all CO's for publishing and maintaining their caches. Cheers.

Kei KR a māua whakautu ki ou pātai. Kua haere mai māua ki 'Te Tai Tokerau ngaro hõtoke'. I pai te rā engari he ahua mateku. Ko te take ko te oneone newanewa, ā, ka whakarapa pea. Ehara! Kei te pai. I ngā wa o mua kua whawhai ngā tāngata, naianei e whawhai ana te hau, ā, ka wehe atu te oneone. He tino ngahau te whenua rā me te momo waro, te oneone, he aha, he aha.
KR has the answers. We have come to the winterless north. The day was fine but I was a little scared. We might get stuck in the soft sand. Nah! It was fine. Once it was people fighting here and now it's the wind blowing the sand away. The land here is very interesting with the lignite and the sand etc. Kia ora for the cache.

thanks for bringing us here slowing making our way through the geotour caches we had come up here to pick up a bike so was only able to grab a couple at this time, the beach wasn't too busy and the weather in our favor - sent the answers to CO

I messaged the answers, and got the appropriate result.
It was lovely to get to this beach and the dog go nuts.
Geology was interesting too. Gets an FP

I had parked my snail shell up in Dargaville at lunchtime today and then it was off to sign off the PWGT caches in the vicinity.

A nice day at the beach.

Cheers for the cache.

Heading to Auckland with evilC on our roadtrip adventure. Lovely spot to side track from the main road and enjoy the beach. Thanks for bringing us here. TFTC!!

Out with Jag50 to collect all geo tour caches up north thanks for taking us up to this location and information.

In Northland for a week with Vistra, enjoying the sights and highlights of his homeland. I've visited Baylys Beach once before but on a miserable day. Today, the weather was perfect. The sand dunes were fascinating. Vistra sent our answers to the CO and I am logging with permission. TFTC!

I was back in my homeland of Northland for a week with AliGle, showing her some of the sights and finding the occasional geocache on our travels. I've visited Baylys Beach many times in the past and this is the first time I've paid attention to the make-up of the sand dunes, which I found really interesting. Answers have been sent to the CO and logging with permission. TFTC!

Hmm, the musket wars sure were a significant period of New Zealand's history weren't they! Thank goodness everyone eventually saw how crazy they were and things settled down.
We had a great time down on the beach. I presume all photographers have to get their fill of shots from various beaches with the sun coming down and the tide coming in. I know we do. I've attached a few here just because I can. And one of me and my shadow inspecting the cliff.
I struggled somewhat with the geology but tuolei was true to his word and provided the support I needed. Thanks tuolei - - and of course thanks for setting up this Geotour cache.

I was on a road trip over the weekend as I have not cached in a while. Figured I should collect this one as part of the tour. At GZ I parked myself on a piece of lignite. Note to self, don't sit on lignite that has a layer of sandstone on top that is subject to the tide. Lots of small pieces of lignite laying on the beach in this spot. A fine day out here and lots of people enjoying a day out. TFTC.

Down to this beach again. Left van further back as parking area indicated was under water last time I was here.

This was my first ever visit to Baylys Beach and I had the privilege of the CO not only bringing me here because of this earthcache but also him actually driving me here! What a stunning beach and after the awful weather on saturday the day had turned into a stunning warm autumn day. Geology is not my forte and I learnt a lot here today as we discussed our answers. FP for bringing me here, I'd love to come back for a weekend

Visited here with the co and some other Auckland cachers on a short roadie to dargaville and surrounds today. Great place for an earthcache and a worthy addition to the tour. Discussed the answers with the co and have also messaged them to him. Pic taken of my bag at gz and the co can confirm I was at the location. Thanks for this cache and all your support of the tour.

On a road trip with Tuolei, TW, and Merlot this was the last cache in the Dargaville area before returning south. We were fortunate to have the CO with us today, and we discussed answers with him while taking notes. Never visited Baylys Beach before, so we were glad to have this earthcache here to bring us to this stunning beach. Will have to revisit and explore the area again.

Roadtrip time, day 7.
I have used the Easter weekend combined with taking 4 days leave this week to get in a 9-day driving tour, hoping to get as far north as 90 mile beach in order to seek the recently published PWGT caches throughout Northland, as well as catch up with 4 different sets of friends.

I had spent last night at the campground in Waipu, and today was looking to head over to the west coast of Northland and then onto 90 Mile Beach. I didn't know it as I started my day, but by tonight I will only have gotten as far as Opononi after a very full days caching.

I have a particular liking of Earthcaches, and usually go out of my way to do them. The fact that this one is part of the latest geotour is an added bonus. I walked to GZ and looked around, gathering the info I needed to answer the questions and taking a few photos too.

A great little beach, visited on a superb Autumn day. Many thanks for bringing me here, and I am happy to give a FP.

On our caching journey up to the north with EyeSpyBen to sort out a few more caches and a couple of series, many miles driven over many days and many caches found, not to many dnfs
but lovely weather, Thanks to all the cache owners for the placements

Found whilst on a northland roadie with ABCDF4, we uset to go get Toheroa here in the 60s, a thing of the past but not much change going out to the beach, thankz for bringing us back here.

Staying at Coopers beach for the weekend did a circuit to get all the PWGT caches up here. Had a fun day touring the north of the island. Answers sent to CO. Tftc

Collecting a few more geotour caches as we make our way home from Kaitaia. This is the first time that we have ever visited Baylys Beach, despite having driven past the turnoff on numerous occasions. Walked down to GZ and inspected the cliff and the lignite. Our answers have been sent to the CO. Interesting to read the history associated with the area. Thanks.

We headed up to Dargaville from Auckland today to tick off the PWGT caches in the area and look for a few more along the way.
This was our first stop and we really enjoyed our visit.
We didn't try driving onto the beach as we weren't sure it would be Corolla-friendly but managed to get a park up the road a bit.
There were certainly a few utes and farm bikes on the beach but as it is such a huge area and the tide was out we still felt we had a lot of space to ourselves.
Amazing cliffs and such a great feel to this place. We would have loved to go for a decent walk but time was short so we will have to go shipwreck searching another time.
Answers sent. thanks for a great Earthcache.
Our 61st stop on the Pokai Whenua Geotour and our 28th on PWGT1.

logging with squirrel nutcase
great location and interesting sand rock formations
able to drive onto beach at low tide.
people with horses right here
tftc

With Gap (of Fap and Gap)... Chasing down the last few PWGT caches for Section Tahi. We’re whipping through Northland this weekend at a cracking pace. No time to enjoy the scenery or smell the roses - it’s a pity...

We are first time visitors to Bayleys Beach, and we’re suitably impressed. We drove onto the beach and began our observations. Our scientific ramblings attracted the attentions of a couple of locals. They were interested to know what we were up to. This was an interesting geology lesson - it fits nicely with our recent coal lesson at Huntly. Thanks tuolei and TFTEC.

With Gap (of Fap and Gap)... Chasing down the last few PWGT caches for Section Tahi. We’re whipping through Northland this weekend at a cracking pace. No time to enjoy the scenery or smell the roses - it’s a pity...

We are first time visitors to Bayleys Beach, and we’re suitably impressed. We drove onto the beach and began our observations. Our scientific ramblings attracted the attentions of a couple of locals. They were interested to know what we were up to. This was an interesting geology lesson - it fits nicely with our recent coal lesson at Huntly. Thanks tuolei and TFTEC.

Continuing our PWGT journey visiting the far north this weekend. Thanks to all the cachers for their efforts in setting up the GeoTours and sharing the history of New Zealand.
We decided to drive down the hill to this one hoping there was adequate turning space so we didn’t have to unhitch the towcar. After finding an ideal park we headed down to the beach and were greeted by numerous 4WDs and cars parked up. Unfortunately at GZ there were a couple of young boys sliding down the dunes taking the sand with them but they soon disappeared when We started taking photos.
We collected as much information as we thought we would need to answer the questions before returning up the hill. We wished we had additional time so we could unhitch Jimny and have a drive on the beach but decided against it as it could take a while to get home today via the Level 3 Auckland roadblocks.
Answers submitted to CO for our final North Island PWGT cache TFTC.

After the PWGT cache in Hokianga, I headed south to here. A sign said to check as the sand is soft, however I found it to be the opposite and had no issues getting the Santa Fe down (or more importantly, back up) after the drizzle and cloud at Cape Reinga this morning, it's turned out to be a really nice day for geocaching!

I parked up and went for a wander before coming over and getting photos to answer this earthcache. The page was an interesting read, however my photography skills need some work, looking at what I was seeing back home. I sent the answers through and received a reply back. Thanks toulei!

I grew up in Mangawhai, however hardly made it to this side. I remember mum and her friends having a weekend away at Glinks Gully for a night, so it was nice to check the area out a little. Now one more cache and I need to get back home to Hamilton to continue with packing.

Loving this new Geo Tour. Loving all the fabulous containers. Many Thanks to all COs for time and effort put into these. On a spur of the moment solo roadie. Left early this morning and headed north. This was my third cache stop, I had to keep my eye blinkers on and ignore the many other caches tormenting me as I gave limited days and decided to get the geotour ones only until I know how much time I have left. Fab place for an earthcache, just wish I had more time to stay here on this balmy 28 degrees day. Cheers

This was a target cache for the new geo tour, so we headed to the beach even though it wasn't a very nice day with the weather .
A bit of a stroll and we were at GZ doing our best to answer the questions. Thanks for the green tick tuolei.
Not many muggles about today which isn't surprising. I bet this is a lovely spot on a good day.
Thanks for setting this up us to do and for contributing to the new geo tour

**12,809**

PWGT #28 (for us)
Arrived at Bayleys Beach shortly after dawn, and there were already a number of locals roaring along the beach in their 4wds. Fascinating to see the geological aspects of this area. Completed the necessary requirements for this Earthcache. Logging with owners permission.
Thank you for your efforts in setting up this Earthcache. TFTEC

Today, Friday, I am on a mission with FMZ and rustynz to complete the top half of the North Island for this brand new PWGT series of caches. We left at 4:30am from Chris’s place. Whoo hoo. We plan to pick up other caches as well if they happen to be there too. This is an excellent tour, it’s a long and hard and arduous day. FMZ is doing all the driving in his 4WD and we contribute to gas.
‘
We have left Dargaville to come here. Being in a 4WD, there is no hesitation about driving onto the beach. FMZ is a confident driver and in seconds literally we are at GZ.

How bizarre, the Maori bought muskets off the Europeans not to initially shoot the Europeans but to shoot each other! Gory history I think. I also learned coal formed from peat, there are several types too, some harder than others and therefore less harmful to our environment when burnt.

Thanks tuolei, for the history lesson and the geology lesson, answers have been sent thru and a FP from me. Now off up the beach in the 4WD!

Arrived in a 4x4 in the early morning, and the tide is right for a drive along Baylys Beach

First things first, is to collect the information for this Earthcache, a bit of a discussion, some answers formulated which have been sent to the CO.

What an amazing place, who knew this was lignite (well the CO knew).

Thanks tuolei for this earthcache, and for bringing me here

PWGT (2/150)

Day one of a five day North Island Pokai Whenua GeoTour expedition collecting all the geotour caches for PWGT Tahi and PWGT Rua. 3550km travelled over 5 days, 70 geotour caches found. Today we travelled from Auckland to Auckland via Pukenui. Our group consisted of Gorby, rustynz, boneybruce and myself.

Arrived nice and early and at low tide here at Baylys Beach. Drove to GZ just because we could, and had a good look and discussion about the earthcache and what we thought about the questions and answers. From here, we decided we might as well drive up the beach for a bit, after all, it's straight and flat, unlike the road! Great fun. TFTC!!!

Always lovely to visit bayleys beach. It is lucky we can still drive right out onto the beach.
I just emailed the Co with answers. I'm right here at sunset and a red haze is all around. Thank yo team for the tour.

Published

Was just cleaning up after a lazy breakfast this morning when a heap of new cache notifications popped up for the new Geotour. Unfortunately, the closest ones were either 60 km south or 70 km west. Hmmmm, well I guess it is a lovely fine day and the classic car has been calling out from it's storage unit, begging to be driven, so why not make a dash for it.

The start was delayed a bit though as a couple of the tyres were low on pressure and needed pumping up and the fuel was getting low, so that needed topping up too and it was nearly midday before we set off. I was hoping that nobody else had made an earlier start, especially those keen ones from Akl...!!

The traffic was flowing nicely across to Dargaville and after a successful FTF on the letterbox cache at the museum, we headed out here to Bayleys Beach. There was no way I was taking the classic down on to the salty sand, so we parked up and walked the last few hundred metres. Just as well, as it wasn't far off high tide and the waves were sweeping in quite far.

Now, I've been to Bayleys plenty of times before, but I can't say I have ever really noticed the lignite outcrops at all. That's one of the great things about geocaching. It takes you places you may never have been, but even if you have, it can show you things you may never have seen or noticed.

After gathering the info and one unsuccessful attempt to send the message from the base of the cliffs, I retyped everything and moved out into the clear where the signal was better and very soon got a reply from the CO that the answers were good and I was the first to send them through. Quite pleased to get my first NZ Earthcache FTF. TFT(E)C

Just visited this stunning spot and had a look around, just 'wow'. Answers sent to CO and got an immediate response, thank you, and TFTC.