'Marae' means open space or courtyard. 'Tai' means tide or shore. The name is possibly transplanted from somewhere on the coast.
The station also plays a key role in being able to provide important services such as voltage and frequency control. Generating units in Maraetai II have sophisticated frequency control and time-error correction equipment, which is what keeps your clock on time at home. The first of Maraetai's powerhouses - the third in the Waikato system - began producing electricity in 1952 from three of its five turbines. The second powerhouse was the last of the Waikato system projects. Work began there in 1959, but was suspended in 1961 when a new government shifted priority to the Cook Strait cable project following a significant increase in electricity demand. The station wasn't completed until 1970.
This cache, once found, will give you a segment of the co-ordinates of a bonus cache – see the cache POWER TO THE PEOPLE (GCVXA2) for details.
The published waypoint brings you to an interesting viewpoint. You are looking at around half the river heading down a canal to Maraetai II. To resolve the location of the cache, review the signs, and solve the following puzzle:
Take note of the emergency telephone number listed on the bottom yellow footer of the signs:
AAA= the second, third, and fourth digits of the number, minus 482
BBB = the second, third, and fourth digits of the number, minus 644
CCC = the fifth, sixth and seventh digits of the number minus 559
DDD= the fifth, sixth and seventh digits of the number minus 262
Park your car at:
S 38 21.AAA
E 175 44.BBB
You have a walk of around 500metres to the cache, when you get there enjoy the stunning view nearby, but watch your children.
The final cache location is at:
S 38 21.CCC
E 175 44.DDD
Field Checksum: If you add up all the individual digits of the final waypoint the sum is 65.
You are looking for a 1 litre sistema box. Note that at no stage of this cache hunt will you need to scale any fences, or enter any secure areas. Please also be aware that the river is not a place to swim. The water below the powerhouse is aerated, and a person is unable to float there. Do not attempt to enter the water anywhere, and keep your children close at the lookout fences.