Washing Machine Narrabeen Peninsula, New South Wales, Australia
By Seizer on 30-Jul-06. Waypoint GCXE3V

Sorry folks, but it seems this one has been muggled again.

Since we only replaced it at the end of September, I think we have to accept that this is not a viable spot for a cache. Or maybe we should replace it with with a hard-to-spot micro ?

Hmmm, a thought for our next visit to Sydney (we are Queenslanders now, hence our tardy response to calls of "cache in distress"

Still, cache or no cache, it's a great spot to viist - rangers permitting.

For those who have looked and not found, it was hidden in the obvious spot, behind the rocky outcrock at the footof the cliff. Climb down the last rope, head for the back of the washing machine, and move the pile of rocks around. There's no way you wouldn't fnd it if it was still there.

What a fantastic spot. With the abseil gear ready if necessary in the car, Altaire and I checked out the cliff top approach. After our recent success with a much more difficult cache down the coast this was easy peesy. When it comes to free climbing on the edge of cliff faces with big drops below, there is no bigger fraidy cat then me, but quick as a flash Sir Altaire and I shimmied down the first drop, hand over hand, using the good foot holds. There we were deposited on a narrow ledge which led us to the second drop and another quick scramble to the rock platform below.
With the exhilaration behind us we searched the only spot possible to hide a 2l container and were sadly disappointed not to find any cache. Even photographic proof revealed nothing.
Sadly I think this has gone.
With the bitter taste of disappointment, I wandered down to view the amazing sight that lay below. The Washing Machine.
this is truly spectacular piece of coastal erosion. And even though the seas were calm, it was pumping in tune with the sets of waves.
I really enjoyed this location even though the cache was not found.
The scramble back to the top didn't take long at all.

This is an excellent cache location. You couldn't ask for much more than the spectacular scenery, the spot of adventure required to reach the cache and the fascinating "washing machine". It appears the council is making a big effort to deter people from using the excellent cliff top track. If one chooses to be deterred then one can still - in the right sea conditions (calm, low tide etc) reach the cache location via rock hopping from one of the nearby beaches.

Anyway we scoured the area and really there are only one or two places where a 2lt systema can be hidden. The absolute prime site was sadly empty. Perchance if this has been muggled before then there is at least the possibility that it has been stolen again. If so it's unclear what could be done about this. This is a great cache location however simply replacing it (if it's in fact gone) may not be the wisest move - especially for any coins & TBs left here. Really great spot - shame we couldn't find the cache.

Tried again today and went in from the beach... Saw the two ropes which ARE still there... and saw all of the rocks where I would imagine the cache would be... My GPS thought otherwise.... the cache was according to my gps 50 metres north nor-west of the bottom of the second rope...

We looked around all of the rocks and around the side of the cliff for about half an hour before giving up...

Could someone just check that it is actually there, and maybe PM as to a hint of which area it is in... (North side of the overhand or south side of the overhang...

I saw the washing machine... Was that about where I needed to be?

Idiotjohn

I looked and looked, for about 3 hours. Then when I got home... I saw a picture of a guy with the rope... I am quite sure that the rope is no longer there. There is pretty much Brand New Warning signs... one of which about the ecology of the area and I think the council may have taken away the rope...

Could someone please go and have a look to see if it is still there, and I was just looking in the wrong place.

Just a warning though... The ecology sign says NO ENTRY - and threatens a 220 thousand dollar fine or 2 years in gaol...


Idiotjohn

Thanks for replacing that one.
Had to manage a couple of muggles today: some inhaling boys on the way down, a gang of divers jumping of the platform and some rockfishers.
Spectacular cache!
TFTC
In: Coin
Out: Nothing
Alpini
proud PLG member

Found it.

found it without GPS DNM<<------

Called in today and replaced the missing cache.

Hoefully someone wll find it again now....

I think it's gone
But the journey is the reward and it's been great! TFTGZ!

no luck again today.
I assume that one is gone.
May some of the previous finders can have look.
TFTC
Alpini

The area looked really dangerous and I gave up... perhaps I need to be older! Actually I didn't see any rope so perhaps I was looking at the wrong place. Back home I looked at the pictures, they're helpful, will try again.

Wow a small TFC.
One of the best drive ins not found..
Reached GZ fairly easy now with the right shoes.
Last weekend the flipflops didn't suit the last meters.
Down at GZ, fantastic pictures and my shirt is still in the washing machine.
But I could not detect the cache.
Searched for 20 minutes.
Next time I come with a shovel.
TFTC
Alpini

[This entry was edited by Alpini on Sunday, October 28, 2007 at 3:51:26 AM.]

I would like to add to the notes about caution: Do not attempt this alone, you need someone to keep an eye on you. Also, it might be a good idea to have an additional rope for safety.

Hey hey hey

What's all this about the "wrong" side of fifty ?

Unless of course you mean you're too young to be having fun yet. Us Seizers like to think we're the right side of 50 - that is the side where you've figured out what's important in life. And we think we have, which is why we are now living on a mountian top in Queensland far away from the Sydney traffic.

But on every return we'll be there to jump off the rocks into the washing machne at GZ.

The description was a bit daunting, but as we were here, we had to check it out. All the warning signs have been removed from the area (I suspect not by the council). We needed the clue to find where to start. It looked a long way down, but the climbs were very short (just that you couldn't see below).
Once at GZ it was an easy find. Then the cameras came out
Thanks for the challange, Robmc.

This one proved to be more than a little challenging, for me at least. After finding our way to the first major descent I took one look at it and thought this is not for me. Way too dangerous I thought! While I was thinking about photographing our precarious perch on the cliff Robmc started to climb down. After that I had no choice but to follow him, which I did but not without some considerable trepidation. The second descent was a bit of a challenge too although a little less scary than the first I suppose.
Once down the cache was an easy find! After looking around and taking a few photo's again we climbed out of the abyss, (is that how you spell it?), and onwards, thankfully without injury. I can say that this cache, while not extremely physically challenging is certainly mentally challenging and if you can't handle heights, dont try it.
Just for the record; Robmc and myself are both the wrong side of fifty so old blokes can do it!
Thanks for a fun challenge.

The council signs are no longer there so all must be OK now LOL. The place seems no more unstable than when I used to fish it in the 70's so I'm not sure what they are on about. Thanks for bringing me back here. For a Wilko the climb down was a stroll in the park, compared to "Meaning of Berowra" (GCW8JJ.

Took: Soldier
Left: Emu


TFTCSL

Dropped in today to give this a try, but with all the wind and rain, figured it might be safer to leave it for another time. Great views from up here. Thanks for bringing us to the area.

In view of Charl's update, we have decided that this cache is no more perilous than ever, so is open for finding again.

And don't be too concerned about our warning for "oldies" - anyone who has met the Seizers will know that you have to have been around quite a while to be older (and wiser ?) than us!

Saw your comment, Seizer, and decided to pay a quick visit.

There are a great many council warning signs up on the approach to the cache, and two new fences (though there's a gap in one of the fences.)

You could argue that it's just the council playing at risk management insurance - if someone crosses the fences, ignores the signs and dies they can say, "Don't sue us, we warned you!"

I'd be sorry to see this cache go. It seems to be a rite of passage for any male geocacher over the age of 30. The logs seem to mostly say things like: "You dare call me an oldie? For that, I'm going to do this cache BLINDFOLDED, kiddo!"

[This entry was edited by Charl on Wednesday, August 22, 2007 at 3:52:49 AM.]

[This entry was edited by Charl on Wednesday, August 22, 2007 at 3:53:43 AM.]

It seems the council aren't too keen on allowing access to this spot right now. As Team Seizer is currently residing in Queensland any updates on this cache would be gratefully recieved.

may no longer be accesible due to council blocking off access the the path.

Access to the path is blocked off by council due to the unstable cliff face, might need a safety check.
Regards Philma.

I *had* to be shown this cache!

I made it to GZ with the OMGomgOMGomgOMGomg Charl looking on (you would think that a lot of my friends never built a cubbyhouse 10 metres up in a tree when they were kids.. ) but I failed to locate the cache itself.

TFTGZ!

[This entry was edited by c.j.b on Saturday, May 26, 2007 at 10:54:22 PM.]

When we got to the car park nearby we saw two young fit looking guys heading down the track. I thought 'there are going to be muggles galore down there'. I changed into some good boots and headed down. When I got to the first rope, who should be sitting at the top but the same the 2 guys.

"Your not going down there are you?" they asked.

"For sure" I said, hoping they couldnt here the bogong size butterflies flapping around in my stomach.

With that I took hold of the rather freyed looking rope and began my descent.

"You rock fisherman are crazy" came the now snickering voice from above.

It was actually easier to get down than I thought but the second rope seemed scarier than the first. Once down, It didn't take long to find the cache as no one was there to bug me.

Although I still had fears of the sickening sound of a snapping rope and the the associated pain I would feel as I splattered on the rocks below, I put my life on the knotted line again. After all, we Geocachers are far madder than any rock fisherman.

When I got back to the car...the 2 guys returned to see me packing my boots in the back. They had that "Oh... are you still alive?" expression on their face. what can I say but....

Oldies = 1 wusses = 0

Sorry Tangles, we've never met you but somehow I don't think you fit into the standard category of "oldies". especailly having seen the places your dog gets to. Not that we are such "youngies" ourselves.

Seizer

Not suitable for oldies? Not sure if we should take offence to that so we did it during the rain with high seas and strong winds. Funny enough the placed was packed with fishermen luckily they where to busy watching the waves to notice what we where up to.

I agree with charl, though she made it much further than I. Unfortunately I did not bring the Geocaching jet pack for easy flying down to the cache, or the Geocaching abseiling pack. (Perhaps cheaper but no where near as stylish.) I never expected that I would make it down there.

Wow, Seizer! You weren't kidding when you said this cache was terrain 4 with climbing involved. I'll be dreaming about the beautiful views on the way to this cache. The beautiful views straight

d
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My vertigo went into overdrive at the spot where the REAL climbing began. I clung to the rock face like a big wuss thinking, "No, no, NO! No way am I going down there! Geocaching.com need to make a jet pack for caches like this!"

Naturally, I was shown up by a rock fisherman and a small, barefoot girl in a bikini, who had found their way to GZ below, without any trouble at all.

Thanks for the experience, Seizer!

Thanks for letting us know Smerrall. We paid a visit on Saturday and replaced the box. Perhaps we should switch to a "Delicates" cycle.

I loved this one. I thought the track in was amazing and wondered who made it and why. As I came around a corner I saw the rock fishermen and all became clear. A scramble down and I soon had the cache in my hands. Unfortunately, the container is badly cracked and I had no replacement with me. The washing machine itself is an awesome natural feature and really should be seen.

Well worth the visit. Great spot. Three of our group of 4 completed the descent. A Challenging cache and a little tricky to actually get to it. No swaps. Nobody jumping in when I was there! Thanks Seizer

bring it on!!!! soon as i saw the hint, was down there in a heart beat. what was just as impressive was the young kids jumping off the cliffs into the water. my to young boys straight way asked if they could jump in , well.... no !! i will only let you climb down, only because mum isn't here to watch... awesome cache

Wow!! What a site. A great adventure. A couple of muggles peered over the ledge. They didn't venture down though. Fantastic site. Took Travel Bug to take to Canada, left fridge magnet. Thanks

Had not climbed down here for a long time. And today after getting down the first rope wondered how I was going to get back up. Though climbing out was easier than the descent. The last time I ventured into the 'washing machine' I paddled up the cave on a kayak. Found the cache easy enough and left a TB Voi Nam.

Well, we got within a few metres of this cache but couldn't see where it was or how we could get to it. Also, couldn't find the aid from the second hint to help us. I am sure it's there but it eluded us. Thank for bringing us to this great place with a fantastic view.

A nice cache after work today.It reminds me of The Final Cut cache. spent about 15mins to find the cache.
Thanks Seizer I have newer been down here before.
TNLN

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