Is that a FLYING SAUCER ON SWAMPY? (Otago) Traditional Cache
Is that a FLYING SAUCER ON SWAMPY? (Otago)
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No it is not a Flying Saucer but it is not for me to say you won’t see one up here!
What it is an Airways New Zealand Navigational Aid.
When I first seen this I immediately though “Flying Saucer” and I have always referred to it this way.
This modern navigational aid allows the larger planes to know exactly where they are (height and distance) in relation to here.
About 500M to the south you will see a large radio mast that is the original navigation beacon, planes can lock in on it but they don’t know how far they are away from it.
A friend I was up here walking with said he had once touched it and got a shock (he ignored the warning sign), a fence has now been built around it to save people from themselves.
On an old map I spotted an airstrip marked at S 45 48.045 E 170 28.556 running WSW (700 M South near another Airways New Zealand building), If you look on Google Earth you can see the line of the runway, I am not sure what it was put there for!
There are a few ways to get to this cache, have a look at the “First Glimpse”, “Swampy Spur”, and “Swampy Transmitter” cache’s, and the “Kashmir…” cache, for a possible round trip, or have a look at the “Just Q” cache for a quicker walk up a gravel road (no driving, there is a locked gate).
It is always great to visit “Swampy Summit” But be warned the weather up here can change very very quickly, take warm and water proof clothing even in summer.
The cache is a black painted 700mL snap lock, visible from zero metres.
It is about 40 metres away from the fence and not near any equipment or structure.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Ebpx
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