Karamatura Orienteering (Auckland) Mystery Cache

This cache is an Auckland version of the Victoria Park GPS Orienteering Course in Caterbury.

Orienteering is all about using a highly detailed topographical map to find the most efficient route around a course defined by a set sequence of controls. Competitors in the sport are individually timed for the whole course, and the fastest orienteer wins. Each control is precisely plotted on the map and has an associated control description, giving the relation to the particular topographical feature on which it has been placed, so the orienteer knows what to look for. They are not hidden, but are easy to find if you are in the right place. Each control visit is verified, typically by punching a gridded card, or electronically.
The skill is not in finding the controls, but in planning the best route to take on each leg to each control on the course. Elevation, physical boundaries, runability, navigability are all taken into account.

Orienteering Controls in Karamatura Farm Park: There is a permanent orienteering course in Karamatura Farm Park available for public use. This gps orienteering course uses 6 of the many permanent orienteering controls established in the park by the North West Orienteering Club and the Auckland Regional Council. Each control is a post with a marker plate. On each marker plate is a two-letter control code. See Orienteering Control photo link below.

The objective of this geocache is an exercise in route choice, so it is strongly advised that you use the Karamaura orienteering map for the permanent course. You can download the map here (1.05 Meg), courtesy of the North West Orienteering Club. Note that the map is aligned to magnetic north.

Verification of GPS Orienteering Course and Course Timing: Aside from storing a tracklog most gps receivers have a 'MARK' button, which enables it to create and save waypoints on the fly. Each of these 'MARK'ed waypoints is date and time stamped. This MARK technique is the method that will be used for course timing. See Orienteering Instructions below.

COURSE LENGTH: 2290 metres (minimum). CLIMB: 150 metres

CONTROL DESCRIPTIONS

All of the controls in the park are shown on the map as circles, each with a unique number. The controls used for the course are shown in the Map column above. The start is shown on the map as a triangle; the finish as a double circle. In this case, Start and Finish are the same and so the triangle and double circle are superimposed. Note that there is no control at the Start/Finish.

When you visit a control, write the two letters marked on it into the Letters column. You then use the table below to convert the letters to numbers. Add up the two numbers together and put the result into the Digit column. (The sum will be less than 10). Eg, 'RI' = 9.

THE FINAL CACHE:

When all the cells are filled in, you have the location of the cache. It is a 2 litre container painted olive green and currently contains:

• 56K Modem
• pocket radio light
• combination lock
• thermometer keyring
• 15cm ruler
• 10x45c stamps
• WWF badge

GPS ORIENTEERING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Take time to get familiar with the map before you start, especially the legend.
2. Enter the waypoints into your GPS unit. For quicker entry of the course waypoint coordinates into your GPS please right-click and Save-As the EasyGPS Karamatura Orienteering Course file. Once you have loaded this into your copy of the EasyGPS program you can upload them to your GPS. To download a freeware copy of EasyGPS visit EasyGPS.com.
3. With the course loaded, GOTO waypoint KS (It is in the field at the eastern side of the car park).
4. Clear your gps tracklog.
5. When ready to commence navigating, press the 'MARK' button and SAVE the waypoint (it will be an automatic sequentially numbered waypoint - Garmin gps receivers). This waypoint will record your start time. Select GOTO K1 waypoint on your gps receiver and commence navigating at best speed towards waypoint K1.
6. On reaching waypoint K1, hold the gps receiver over the control post and press the MARK button and SAVE a numbered waypoint.
7. Look for the clue painted on the post giving a digit in the coordinates of the final cache location, and fill in the appropriate cell.
8. Select GOTO K2, and navigate to waypoint K2.
9. Visit each waypoint in numbered order.
10. At each waypoint MARK and SAVE a numbered waypoint, and note the clue before proceeding to the next waypoint.
11. Missed waypoint action: If you GOTO, say, waypoint K4. and have MARKed and SAVEd a numbered waypoint and then realise that you have missed K3, then GOTO K3 and after MARKing and saving there return to K4 and MARK and SAVE another numbered waypoint before proceeding to K5.
12. When you reach the finish waypoint (KS), MARK and SAVE a final numbered waypoint. This waypoint will record your finish time. If you did not make any visitation errors, you will have MARKed and SAVEd 8 waypoints to verify that you have completed the course.
13. Switch OFF your tracklog BEFORE looking for cache.
14. Subtract your start time (1st MARKed waypoint) from your finish time (8th ,or last, MARKed waypoint) to calculate your course time.

EVENT CAUTIONS:

• Footwear: It is advisable to wear good boots, or rubber studded sports footwear to avoid slipping on the steep park terrain. Your feet may even get wet.
• Animals: There could very well be livestock in some areas. They are harmless and you can walk amongst them, but do not startle them.
• Water: It is advisable to take some water with you. You WILL sweat.
• Course Time: Depending on fitness and navigating skills it is expected that the course will take between 30 minutes and 2 hours.
• Dense Vegetation: Some parts of Karamatura Farm Park are densely vegetated with scrub etc. DO NOT bush bash a direct track through this dense vegetation. It is much quicker to go around.
• Roads: Take care while walking beside the road. Even though there is very little traffic, there is no footpath.
• Course Direction: Anticlockwise.
• Fences: Cross fences or gates at strainer posts or styles. Leave gates as you found them.
• Tracks: When you come across them use those that seem to go in the right direction.
• Lost & Found: Tell someone you are going to Karamatura Farm Park - so that, if you fail to complete the course, they can organise a search party.

Please include your course time in your log report. If you like, it would be interesting to see a photo of your orienteering track on the GPS screen (1.2 to 2km range should contain all your wanderings!). Take a photo of the screen, using macro mode so that your track will be easily visible in the photo. Include your course time and the gps screen photo in your log report. Maybe you could upload your tracklog into a suitable gps mapping program (e.g. NZMapped, TUMONZ etc), then include a scanned copy of the map showing your track. But DO NOT include the tracklog leg that goes to the cache! Such pictures or logs will be deleted.

Hope you enjoyed your orienteering. For more information about orienteering in New Zealand, see the New Zealand Orienteering website.

Thanks to Beauty and Beast, who have provided a georeferenced map and waypoints for those of you with a PDA and OziExplorer software. It is available in this Zip file.