?Syngnathus Fuscus ( Pipe Fish) (Northland) Traditional Cache
Hidden : 8/21/2010
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size: regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:


PLEASE Take Care, especially with your mini/ junior cachers, as it has been reported a possum trap has been laid in the near vicinity of GZ.
Will try to find a suitable spot to re-locate cache when next out that way.
The original log"book" is still there! ( some people just don't take a proper look🙄 ) So someone has also added an unofficial log sheet...

Syngnathus Fuscus (PipeFish)
When you find it you'll see I've taken some scope & had a bit of fun with the name & theme of this cache... but I hope it encourages you to explore & enjoy the Reotahi Coastal Walkway & adjacent Motukaroro Marine Reserve.

There is a carpark with entrance (somewhat obscure) at the end of Beach Rd. (S35 49.628 E174 29.897) Locked at dusk.
The walkway from Reotahi to Little Munro Bay is an easy 30 minutes. You will see the ruins of Whangarei's 1st freezing works. Be careful walking offtrack, as the kikuyu hides all sorts of hazards.(crumbling concrete, holes, etc)
If you are keen for a good workout, you could take a detour at the turnoff ( S35 49.698 E174 30.424) and do a loop to include the Mt Aubrey/Tiller Reserve track, elevation 1384m, 45 minutes. (and bag another cache )
There is alternate parking/access at Tiller Reserve (S35 49.194 E174 29.890) and Little Munro Bay(S35 49.635 E174 30.509) If you've brought the dog, the latter probably has more shade and a bit more room to play, before leaving Fido for a nap. Sorry, the track says "No Dogs".

This cache is a tribute to my beloved fishy friends from the family Syngnathidae; fish which include seahorses, pipefishes, weedy and leafy sea dragons. The name is derived from Greek, meaning "fused jaw" - syn meaning fused or together, and gnathus meaning jaws. This fused jaw trait is something the entire family has in common.
The sheltered waters of Whangarei Harbour are a good habitat for syngnathids; the mangroves and recovering seagrass beds provide a nursery area for all fish and produce a myriad of food for the the whole chain, including small crustaceans which syngnathids relish.

Please take care if you snorkel in the Marine Reserve as the currents can really rip through here. It gets calmer nearer Little Munro Bay and along the coast all the way to Urquarts Bay. If you are lucky and have keen eyesight, you might spot some syngnathids! Remember, it is a No Take reserve. Even beyond the reserve boundaries it would be foolish to remove a wild seahorse from it's home, unless you are a very experienced marine aquarist capable of providing the excellent environment and special food they need to survive.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Pbeare, pbapergr 15zgef oruvaq orapu & chevev gerr

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


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