Old Pineapple (Dunedin, Otago)
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A simple offset cache on the Old Pineapple track.
Visit the grave of Oscar Balk, who supplied the eponymous tins of pineapple, to discover the cache co-ordinates and the hide hint.
The co-ordinates above are the bottom of the Old Pineapple Track.
The cache is located at: S 45 AB.BCD' E 170 29.EEF'
First go to the Northern Cemetery and visit the Balk family grave (S 45 51.673', E 170 31.577').
Oscar Balk is often called a grocer, but he was actually a principal of Wilson, Balk & Co, Tea Merchants and Coffee and Spice Manufacturers. He was born in Ipswich, and educated in Germany, commencing his commercial career in England. After five years in Yokohama, Japan, he came to the Colony in 1894, where he joined the firm.
For the cache co-ordinates:
A: Oscar Balk was born on 4 May 186A.
B: Victoria Rangiaroha born 19 May 18B7.
C: Harold died aged C2 years.
D: Patricia May died Dth Jan 1989.
E: Oscar Balk died 11 Jan 194E.
F: Doris Wade died Aged F3 years.
The encrypted hide clue is obtained from the inscription on the side of the headstone where Harold Balk is commemorated.
Reading from the top word, counting the first letter as "1", the second as "2" etc, interpret the clue.
E.g. letter number 4 of the inscription is "o".
4 - 19 - 18 - 19 - 7 - 8 - 35 - 4 - 10 - 37 - 7 - q - 14 - 19 - 7 - 36
Then park at Booth Rd and walk up to the start of the Old Pineapple Track, behind the water treatment building.
The track is an old tramping track, well-formed and easy to follow but with no route markers. Some parts of the track are greasy, with slippery rocks. If you are wearing sandshoes, you will find it easier to walk up rather than down.
The cache is a black 4 litre pail, hidden within sight of the track, visible from several metres from the right angle. Reception is lousy, but once you are in the general area the clue will make it an easy find. Please make sure the lid is firmly closed when you leave (push it down all around until it clicks into place).
It takes about 40 minutes to walk from Booth Rd up the Old Pineapple to the junction with the New Pineapple, and another 20 minutes back down the New Pineapple.
Allow extra time for enjoying the walk, admiring the view and visiting "Overnight on Pineapple Point" (GC1GRH) and "Fruitless" (GCTA3R).
This Pineapple Track was the route of the first tramping trip run by the Otago Tramping & Mountaineering Club. The track was named from the tins of pineapple which trampers ate at the top, leaving the empty tins upside down on fence posts.
From "Otago Daily Times", 24th August 1923:
"A successful and enthusiastic meeting was held in Mr E.S. Wilson's Board Room last night for the purpose of forming The Otago Tramping Club. There was an attendance of fully 60, including a large number of ladies. Mr O. Balk, who was voted to the chair, referred to the great advantages which Dunedin offered to a Club of that nature. He pointed out the benefits to be derived from such healthy execise as tramping over the hills, and the elevating effect it would have upon the mind. In the Tararua Club, of Wellington, which had now completed its fourth season, they had an excellent model to work upon as regards rules and procedure.
"A decision to form the Club, proposed by Mr R. Gilkison, and seconded by Mr F.W. Clayton, was carried.
"The following Committee were elected: Messrs O. Balk (President); R. Gilkison and F. W. Clayton (Vice-Presidents); C. J. Hayward (Secretary); E. Miller (Treasurer); A. E. Gascoigne, P. L. Ritchie, R. B. Hamel and Misses E. Webling and M. Le Brun. Messrs J. Knox, I. B. Mackie and Miss E. J. Harrison were later co-opted on the committee.
From OTMC "Outdoors" magazine 1973:
"The first tramp was planned for Saturday afternoon, September 1 [1923]. About 50 members assembled at Ross Creek reservoir and set off up the Pineapple track to Flagstaff - a clear sunny day, with a cold south-westerly wind, the kind we still know so well."
Oscar Balk's obituary, photos of his family grave and other information are scanned into the photo gallery.
Note down the numbers on the logbook- they'll take you on a nice walk to Davies' Locker.
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)