This cache will take you
into some outstanding coastal Otago scenery, with the added twist
of a small mystery at the bottom of a not so small chasm. Allow up
to two and a half hours to complete the return trip from the car
park.
Notice that access to the
area is prohibited during lambing season (August to October).
Please respect any track closure signs.
A few words of
warning:
• The terrain is rough in
places, with thistles and stinging nettle. I recommend you wear
sturdy boots and long pants. Walking poles will also come useful
when walking through tall vegetation on rough terrain.
• Be especially careful if
it is wet.
• There are some seriously
steep drops in the vicinity of the cache. This cache is not
recommended for kids under 16years of age. Please apply common
sense at all times.
How to get there: you can
park your car at the end of Sandymount
Road, Otago Peninsula, at S45°53.307’ E170°40.264’. More often than
not, however, a sand-dune blowing over the road will force you to
park 500m further down the road.
The above coordinates are
for the first waypoint (WP1) – this is a structure owned by the
Department of Conservation. Enjoy the views into the chasm – this
is where you are going down next! The structure number (6 digits on
a small orange plastic tag nailed onto the structure) is
ABCDEF
Now calculate the
following:
X = C – F
Y = D + E
Z = B + C
From the structure, walk
about 30m to the west, then start
descending among tussock and flax in a gully towards the sea. You
are aiming for a small terrace at S45°53.XCD’ E170°40.YZE’. From
here sidle east, and descend a short, steep grass ramp to the
bottom of the chasm. Be careful, the terrain is steep and exposed!
It is important that you find the indicated coordinates, as
anything further up or down terminates in vertical
cliffs.
Well done, now you are at
the bottom of the chasm – don’t pretend you are not
impressed, any other cliffs on the
peninsula are put to shame in comparison! The GPS is of no
use here – there is no reception.
THE MYSTERY: Look carefully
into the chasm – right at the head, at the bottom of that huge
cliff. You should notice “something” out of place. What the
heck?!!! Go and solve the mystery! Examine the “something”
carefully. You should find the following three lines of
text:
PQR
ST 'Z'
'KN' UR
PQR, ST and UR are numbers,
while Z and KN are actual letters.
V = R / U
W = R - Q
The next waypoint (WP2) is
at S45°53.RVT’ E170°4W.TSS’. You are looking for a 35mm film
canister attached to a waratah. As you
are here, take your time to go to S45°53.RFS’ E170°4W.FFV’, only
40metres away (careful though!) – you’ll
be greeted by some nice views onto a rock arch to the
north.
The waypoint contains the
coordinates for the final cache, hidden in a very spectacular
location. GPS accuracy at GZ was +/- 3.5 metres.
Once you’ve found the cache,
there is no need to walk back the way you came – on the inside
front cover of the log-book you’ll find the description for an easy
(although prickly) way out.
Hope you had as much fun
finding this cache as I had exploring the area. And anybody who can
cast any light onto the mystery at the bottom of the chasm, feel
free to write about it in your logs! Please do no post any
spoilers.