H.M.S Orpheus (Auckland) Cornwallis, North Island, New Zealand
By tramper2 on 17-Feb-07. Waypoint GCYE5H

**Cache has been found and removed!**

One last find for this geocache!

Sometimes I go out to find archived caches that may have not been removed before archive.

Today I set my sights on this one.

I followed the clues, found the container and I am collecting the container so that it’s doesn’t become “geo-rubbish”!

Sorry to read about the CO passing. Was a nice spot for a cache. Hopefully someone else places one here in the future!

Thanks!

Cache owner has passed away. Cache is being archived at the request of the cache owner's family.

My GPS was up and down for a little bit so my initial search was a little off. I gave it some time, let it settle then did the off set again and found the cache easily enough from there. There was a fair bit of water in the container so I drained that, log is waterproof so that was all good. Thanks for the cache and this piece of history!

Took me awhile to find but it is my first one hehe

We had completed a couple of the nearby cache and thought just one more would be good. Thanks for the history lesson about the disaster. Very sad that the graves are unnamed, as are likely many of the other sailors graves- wherever their final resting place is. The cache was absolutely drenched. All paper inside completely mouldy and unsalvageable. Sorry we didn't have another container to put the new / replacement log in, but we have put it in another zip lock bag for all that may be worth. Perhaps the next person to visit may be able to assist. Now off for an ice cream. TFTC

Perfect example of not being prepared or doing my homework. I arrived and realised I needed a compass. Luck, however, has finally been on my side. At the bottom of my bag I found one of my spare compasses....
Last time I was here was maybe 17 years ago on a school trip.. It's amazing how much one remembers after that long...
Thanks for the cache

Was in area ...Checked up on this cache .....The container seems to leak so emptied out water ...
Old log book really slimey ... But luckily a member of Team SEAC added new paper recently ....

Staying in the Huia region over the New Year break with teh Team SEAC crew.

A few of the others had done this cache the previous day while we were hiking. Decided on a night drive to claim some more caches in this area.

Parked in the handy pull over road and while we were deciding if this was the correct area to attempt our walk to GZ the car that was parked in front of us door opened and a guy jumped out rather aggressively until he saw 5 of us jump out of the car. He then calmed down very quickly and had some ideal chat before heading back into his car.

We walked to GZ and after some discussions on correct compass reading made the find.

When we returned to our car the same guy was there now reading a book by the interior light of his car.

After this we attempted a few more caches and it was approx an hour later that we passed this same place to see the car STILL parked here and NO sign of the guy. We pulled up to check on him and found him asleep in the passengers seat and we woke him up......

The things we see......

TFTC

After dinner a group of us planned on more caching during the night as the tide was out enabling us to reach a few caches without getting wet feet... we came across this one that we thought was manageable .... that it was.....

Signed in was SEAC to save logbook space.....

TFTC.

After dinner a few of the group staying at Huia Lodge for new years seceded to head out and grab a few caches that we had not been able to grab earlier due to the tides. On our way to those caches, we stopped here to grab this multi. As NZT mentioned in his log, there was a guy near GZ who must have been parked up for the night, although initially he was not welcoming to us.
A nice easy multi to find, following the instructions worked perfectly.

A group of us were staying at the nearby Huia Lodge when we decided to do a bit of night caching in the area. When we parked near the track there was another car parked out there and the occupant hopped out and asked if we were going to visit the graves.... well technically we were as well as looking for the cache He probably thought it odd a group of us were going down at night but it didn't deter us. Visiting at night made it a little bit more eery! Once the magnetic direction had been established the cache was quickly found. Unfortunately the entire contents are very wet and the log book was unable to be written on. A new log paper and ziplock bag was added but some maintenance maybe needed. Log signed as Team SEAC, TFTC!

Was in the area for New Years staying at Huia Lodge with a bunch of other Geocaching friends....also known as "Team S.E.A.C" Had about 20 of us there, young and not so young.

Thanks for bringing us to this amazing part of New Zealand.

This was a quick find, and a great way to start some night caching.

We were in the area to attend the nearby Christmas geocaching event, and thought we would grab a few caches beforehand. Soon found our bearings, and quickly spotted this container after we determined what direction we needed to be facing. A nice little offset multi, with interesting history at this point. Thanks for the cache and sharing.

Out to take the geohound to Kakamatua nearby and added this to the trip as I've wanted to visit this spot for a while to pay my respects. It's just a stroll down to the gravesite really and it's a quiet reflective spot. The coins are still there which was good to see. This offset cache was reasonably straightforward once we'd noticed the hint that it had been moved a little.

Cache is wet inside, a bag for trades was OK but water has got inside the bag inside that for the notebook. Fortunately the logbook is still able to be written on. Could use a dry out when the weather improves.

An important piece of New Zealand history and a chance to reflect that getting to New Zealand was a dangerous business not that long ago. RIP travelers and TFTC.

Found this one after a short search. It's really interesting that this spot is just sitting here in what is essentially the middle of nowhere. It's also interesting that I found an old boquet of flowers and some coins laid on the plaque. So people obviously visit the spot. Glad I got the chance to do the same...TFTC! #967

already a couple of days (actually, weeks) since we foud that one..
not really a multi, it's more an offset from the startung point but interesting stuff, indeed! tftc

#11700. Thanks for bringing us to this interesting historical spot. A good radio program on the Orpheus is
[available as part of the shipwrek tales series](http://www.radiolive.co.nz/Shipwreck-Tales-HMS-Orpheus/tabid/506/articleID/32171/Default.aspx). TFTC.

We are back in Auckland for a few days and a visit to Titirangi and Huia was on the to do list. We were a little slow getting started this morning, as I spent a while researching the caches we would be looking for. Of course, solved puzzles were high on the list!
We already knew the story about the Orpheus as there was an info board at a cache we stopped for a few days ago on the Awhitu Peninsula. We also saw the ship's mast on display outside the Huia museum later that day. A terrible loss of life and sad to see the memorial. Thanks for bringing me here and TFTC.

An interesting spot. Had to wait for a break in the weather before a quick sprint in and back out. Tftc

Wow, I never knew this was here. What a beautiful, peaceful spot for those 3 unlucky crew to rest, thank you for bringing me here. Log is a little damp but still signable.

Was in the area today , and realised I had found this multi a year ago : but hadn't logged it !
So I revisited it to see what date I had been here ....
This is when I was here the first time ...

What an interesting story and spot. Thanks Tramper2 for bringing us here! Cache was full of water, which we tipped out, but log book still signable with it's double wrapped over plastic bags. Keep well sealed next cachers.......

How sad to think of those young men losing their lives, in a strange land, where no one even knew their names. "Well done" the Historic Society for maintaining the spot...and Tramper2 for bringing us to it.

Tftc daughter found it

Tftc good quick Find, found by ff. thanks

Quick find with scottydow and bigwhitey! Glad to finally get this one done! From here we decided to bush crash to geo dogs! Tftc

Visited this site twice today - once to do the cache, and the second as a result of visiting a neighbouring cache and trying to locate this track from the coast back to our car. It was a mission to find the lost trail at the beach end. Resulted in some bush crashing and pointing ourselves along the assumed track.

Nice easy find with Bigwhitey and 10centnz! TFTC

Another unusual place we would never have visited if it wasn't for caching. t4tc

Out with Bay7 today doing caches in the area. Cache was quickly found not to far away from the graves. TFTC.

Grabbed this as we walked past to grab a Beach Cache. Thanks. Never been to the Graves before.

Second of the day rip

We've been there before we knew about Geocaching, great to go back. Items a bit damp, new log book still ok.

Found ... Mrs McMike2012 & I decided to head over West today and check out some of the walking tracks & pick up a few caches. We thought we'd have a crack at this one as our son is currently serving in the NZ Navy ... so there is a bit of a connection here ... we parked nearby & after a short walk were at the picket fences ... while I was busy with the compass app on the iPhone Mrs McMike 2012 had located the cache based on the hints ... grrr!! hate it when she does that ... so soon had the log book signed & safely put away. Interesting in that so many sailors/seaman died in this tradegy but only 3 of them were buried here ... wonder where all the rest of them are buried or were they all lost at sea ... might have to do a bit more research. TN:LN:SL. TFTC. #724 for us.

A interesting cache, we've been staying at a house at Huia and I've been reading up on the local history including the Orpheus wreck. Such a strange spot for a burial plot. Presumably it wasn't in bush back then?

I hope the cache wasn't caught in the scrub fire on Boxing Day. From our view at Huia, it was certainly in the right direction.

Very Isolated spot for a burial/memorial. Hope the cache wasn't damaged by the bush fire recently. TFTC

Thanks found it. Very damp cache. Dropped off a travel bug

After studying the interesting history and the plague at GZ the container was just some steps away. tFTC

A quick find in this hidden spot as I remembered to take my compass. Everythings a bit damp still despite the double wrapping of plastc bags.

Found originally as part of Rebel98 team, now created own account, re-logging as rustynz

Still new to these, so failed to read one important detail. Fortunately urbangypsynz had an idea, and then the shout went out that the cache was found. Thanks again for bringing us here.

This spot has been on the to do list for a while. Maybe compass skills need honing but still managed to et cache in hand. Container very damp, dried it out as best as possible and double bagged the damp log book. Peaceful resting spot. tftc

Should have read the fine print, so had a few challenges with the find, but we are attaining some new skills and the cache was found. A place of sadness and loss of life! A place of peace.

Did not have a compass with us but worked out which way to go by checking where the sun was. Cache is very wet inside. An interesting memorial which is well maintained. Thanks for bringing us here.

Interesting history. Thanks

Found with quinella. Haven't been here for a while. Cache needs a good dry out. All very wet . Tftc

Did not expect to see pristine white pickets in the middle of the bush. What a beautiful site. Cache is a little damp

I've been here before, but not to cache. 10 paces could get you anywhere around the graves, so it's nice to be able to use the compass and see that the direction the GPS pointed was the correct one!

An interesting bit of history that I had no idea about despite living 10 minutes away for the last 7 years, thanks for sharing. An easy find thanks to the hint. TFTC

I has just completed a bit of a bush bash to earn an FTF, when this popped up on the GPSr. Looked interesting so swung by for a look. Did a rough and ready reading off the compass on the GPSr and went straight to the cache. Thanks for sharing this spot and the history lesson.

Sad to see so many perished in a location almost right on our doorstep. Lovely plaque. Thx for the hint - made the find a lot quicker.
TFTC

Found orginally as part of phasevisitor team, now created own account, re-logging as yorkshirekiwi83.

After spending the afternoon clearing a few caches around Blockhouse Bay and Titirangi, we continued on to Cornwallis and collected a few more caches along the way. On arrival at GZ we were just about to work out our projection when we spotted something matching the hint, so we checked it out and quickly found the cache! TFTC!

After spending the afternoon clearing a few caches around Blockhouse Bay and Titirangi, we continued on to Cornwallis and collected a few more caches along the way. On arrival at GZ we were just about to work out our projection when we spotted something matching the hint, so we checked it out and quickly found the cache! TFTC!

I decided to have a nice afternoon in Cornwallis and collect some caches while there. The last time of was at this spot was when I did a Rogaine many years ago. Visiting here bought back very fond memories although rather sad one considering the gravestones.

Anyway, this proved to be a fairly straight forward find. TFTC!

Was in the area finding a nearby newly published cache and had a go at this at this straightforward multi. An interesting bit of history. Searched about a bit and my GPSr was jumping about a bit with the projection but once I resorted to the hint it narrowed the search and I quickly had the cache located. Thanks!

A peaceful place to reflect on a tragic time in the early days of European settlement in New Zealand.
The information on the cache page is well presented and is an excellent example of how caching activity can have a dual purpose in creating awareness of locations with historical significance.

Heading home from the Waitangi at Whatipu compout event. Couldn't go passed with the anniverssary only being the other day. TFTC

New container and log book put in place.

Log book slightly damp but still good, finally found it after looking in the wrong place for 10 min, Tftc

Thanks for the history lesson and TFTC

We would never have visited this site without this geocache so thank you. Inside was a little damp.

Found thx to compass[Time to Find: 25 min]

Headed to Whatipu today for a change of caching scene. This was our last stop on the way home. We like caching spots such as these. Like the history and these little known gravesites from yesteryear. Was surprised it wasn't signposted. Got to GZ easily enough, then our troubles began, as we have a lot of trouble with either projecting on the GPS or using a compass (which we tried today, we need lessons on how to use one!! lol). This took us ages. It really was a case of a fluke that we found it in the end. Interestingly enough in searching the wrong area, Darby aka Ted found a old gin trap yikes, at least it was rusty and shut, otherwise someone could have a nasty accident with this. Anyway glad we eventually found the right spot. Emptied a small amount of water out of cache, log book still fine being double bagged. SL. TFTC.

Straightforward find. TFTC

Easy find. Knew about the Orpheus, but didn't know these graves were here. Thanks for bringing us to this spot.

Remember coming here many, many years ago so nice to revisit. TFTC

No worries with the find. In the first place I looked. Thanks.

Please note cache now in new position.

Oh The day didn't start so well. We have looked everywhere between the ponga's. The whole area was trapped so we even looked a bit out of the area too. But no luck.

An interesting history lesson and short walk.Introduced the DIMwits to the world of "official" caching! Its long and slippery slope... TFTC

1.1.11 & 1st official cache as DIMwits! A 'grave' experience!!

Nice peaceful spot.

No one here today except a very large grey stick insect. But hoardes down at Cornwallis Beach. Allowed us to search in peace. Lovely spot - thanks for bringing us here and telling us the poignant history. NINO TFTC

Quiet place for peaceful rest, for the deserved ones. Thanks to Evilno9 for showing me some wonderful place.

TFTC

TFTC

Such lonely graves, but a nice quiet spot.

Very peacefully resting spot - and my first time coming here to appreciate it for myself. No problems with the find, unless you count a rather large spider web with a rather large spider running around on it a problem. Once I negotiated my way past him the retrieval was easy - grabbed the GC for good measure. Thanks for bringing me here - it was a good follow up to the Orpheus CITO the week before. TFTC

found it GC in

16:47 Went for a drive this afternoon...just me the car and the hail. Pulled over here to stretch the legs and decided to do this offset cache. This area is overgrown and not visited very often. Dull and damp I walked to the memorial plaque, remembering a tragedy 53915 days ago, and not long after that was signing the log.

Cache is bone dry and has survived the winter well. Not many visitors come here...but I reckon it's worth the effort (wear long pants though).

#296

Have often driven past but never visited this spot before. TFTC

Found the plaque and made the projection. Took a bit of spotting as I could not see the wood for the trees. Got it in the end. TFTC

Well hidden site and a pleasant evening out west. Interesting learning about the Orpheus. TFTC -Toy Car + Kiwi Silver Fern TC

Peaceful location. Quick find with the help of ishoot. TFTC

Anonther slice of Auckland history shared through geocaching sad though it is. Quickly worked out the direction and then made a quick find T4TC.

Second find for the day. Bit of a search, no luck, so used the clue. No probs then.

Another lesson on a sad piece of NZ history. We were a bit worried about that one tree close to the graves that is half-felled, half-cracked and will probably topple down on the fence.
TNLNSL, TFTC

A short walk,but the additional hint was the best so far, had to think about it for a bit, cleverly disguised thanks enjoyed it

[This entry was edited by Susiedog on Monday, October 26, 2009 at 3:10:52 PM.]

This made for an interesting diversion. TFTC

I visited another Orpheus themed cache in Onehunga on a recent visit to Auckland. This visit I had the time to make the trek out west and stay with a friend in Parau so this cache beckoned. No problems with the find. TFTC, Biggles - assisted by BigGrant and JessieDog.

We just used the clue to find the cache haven’t got a GPS yet, it is our first cache find the kids loved it.
We left a small candle.

A fine day to take the dogs for a walk and find a cache on the way back home .Nice spot of history .Up lifted TB.

Have heard a bit about the Orpheus story in the last few months, so made this cache our first stop on our trip to Huia. A tranquil little spot. Thanks.
Dropped off Red Jeep TB.

# 207

Logbook renewed etc

Fourth of 10 caches today for Team GeoDutch!

TNLNSL, TFTC, TTFN

26 'paces' is a little bit inaccurate, but we found it after all.

One of many caches found today by the Team Geodutch (see previous log)

Loved the plaque. Found without to many probs, thanks for the effort - enjoyed this cache!

Cheers!

Last cache for the day as we were starting to lose the light. Had just started to pace it out when Mrs GreenblaT jumped out in front of me with the box - clues are for when you *can't* find it, right? [:(!]
+ racing car
- U.C.O (unidentifiable cache-occupying object)
T4TC

Thanks for this cache - Wow how did they carry the three up there? We did follow path down hoping to get down to inlet - but it seemed to trickle out and no access to water.

Thank you for this cache.
We will remember them.
+ Tennis ball

XC and TechnoKitten enjoying a great ride out far west.. Picking up a few as we go.. XC loves these roads. Lots of lovely corners... Turned down this road and came to the grave site. Nice naval history lesson for ex naval commander. Started to search at indicated GZ until I read the cache page again and then worked out the offset... Ah thats better. Not firing on all cylinders today... It is jan 1 afterall.
XC found the goods this time.. My average is up over TK. hehe. Although she was pointing at it when I picked it up.
TK signed the log and we left cards.
TFTC #572

Out hunting more Westie caches with the inimitable XenaCommander aboard Splat the city cache machine
After a yummy lunch burger at the Titirangi takeaway .. all the posh cafes were overflowing, but there was no waiting at this friendly luncherie where we also stopped a couple of days ago.
After a break and a chat to a very "different" muggle we were fuelled up ready for more twisty roads on sporty splat and fired up to bag more caches.
Great ride down to the parking point, fun roads despite ponderously slow "sunday" drivers.
Stopped at the plaque and considered the events of that terrible evening when so many sailors were lost to the dangerous Manukau seas.
Onward to the cache, spotted GZ but XC was just too quick and had the cache in hand with almost indecent speed.... TKs whiskers are very possibly still a little bit Brahms & Lizst ... no no no .... yes
In two elephants and a wee bag for the calling cards.
Cache number 395 for TK