Waihau Bay Camper (East Coast) Traditional Cache
Waihau Bay Camper (East Coast)
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(micro)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
A small cache placed in an area with a beautiful sandy beach in a small coastal settlement, 'off the beaten track' called Waihau Beach/Bay. (Not to be confused with Waihau Bay further north near Whangaparoa and Papatea Bays on the road from Opotiki)
The views and beach certainly make up for its isolation, and this really is a hidden gem. Bring everything you may need, including fresh water, with you if you intend to camp.
About 26km North from Gisborne on State highway 35, and a short drive from Tolaga Bay, is Waihau Bay a remote rural and coastal area, untouched by development, no highrise or fast food outlets, just pristine ocean, clean rivers, back country beef and sheep stations, maori settlements and meeting houses, historical sites and steeped in history. It has various private homes and holiday cottages and a freedom camping site (from end September to end April) From here there are fine views of the coast. There is a safe and sandy beach, considered by many to be one of the best beaches in the East Coast area.
To find the cache, you have to take the turnoff from Gisborne or Tolaga to Waihau Beach, also known as Loisels Beach, a drive to view 5.6kms of unspolt beach nestled in a secluded bay. The beach is alive with Dotterell and white-breasted shag colonies.
Follow the gravel road for about 4.5km, enjoying the lovely views and scenery as you go - reduced speed is not a problem as there is much to see and enjoy of this beautiful coastal area, with inland dams and ponds, and green rolling hills covered, when the cache was set, in many sheep and cattle. You then get to a log-cabin style lodge (where you can book accommodation and have a holiday) and follow a single lane stretch of road, which is tarred, for 1.7km but which rewards with breathtaking views out over the ocean ...just watch the road too as it is easy to get absorbed in the view and the surroundings.
This takes you past the village and surprisingly sophisticated and beautifully tended homes and gardens, finally down to the beach area where there is a camping area. Parking is available in the freedom camping area, and a turn-around place too, for the trip back out.
Pack a picnic and go and enjoy the beach while finding where the cache is camped. There is no nearby store or dairy, so take all you need for your visit.
The area is obscured by cloud on Google earth but the following link shows the beach area well, although it is an older council arial photo: (visit link)
The cache was a 200ml sistema container containing when placed, a log book, pencil and sharpener, caching information, a muggle card, a cereal toy and a key holder....However this was muggled and HAS BEEN REPLACED BY A SMALLER CAMO'ED CONTAINER.
UPDATE: January 2019..Many, many thanks to GSEL who has replaced this cache again after the camo'ed container dissappeared.
Please be sure to hide the cache carefully again as this would be a high muggle place in season. Even on the day placed, there were already plenty of muggles staking their claim to their spot for the coming summer holidays.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Yvggyr bar nzbat bguref.
qevsgjbbq ba frnjneq fvqr
Treasures
You'll collect a digital Treasure from one of these collections when you find and log this geocache:
Loading Treasures