Wing Head House (Waitakere Ranges) Traditional Cache

This cache has been archived.

evilno9: Thanks for the heads up tramyard - disappointing for this track to be closed, the view will be missed.

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Hidden : 5/12/2012
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
3 out of 5

Size: Size: micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:

A nice easy to get to cache overlooking the beach at Whatipu.

First, some light history:

In 1820 the missionary Samuel Marsden had observed the extensive shoals, sandbanks and dangerous seas at the harbour entrance, and also that the harbour entrance appeared to be navigable for ships. Sailing ships involved in the flax trade had certainly entered the Manukau Harbour by 1831.

Captain Thomas Wing, who transported the early Wesleyan missionaries around the area, made the first survey of the Manukau Harbour and its entrance in 1836. Wing’s chart remained in use for around 20 years and it featured key Whatipu landmarks such as the Ninepin and Paratütai Island.

In 1853 the British Admiralty sent Captain B. Drury in the Pandora to survey the Manukau Harbour and its entrance. Drury’s chart made use of the harbour much safer, and on his recommendation the Governor established the Manukau Signal and Pilot Station at Whatipu.

On 1 November 1853 Captain Hannibal Marks was appointed as the Manukau Harbour’s first pilot. Marks lived in a small cottage on the exposed summit of Paratütai Island where he operated a signal mast. He also had a Mäori boat crew of four who rowed him out to ships that required a pilot. The boat crew lived in a small settlement located in the sandhills across the stream from the present day Whatipu campground.

After only seven months Captain Marks was succeeded as pilot by William Champion. A proper signal mast was then installed and a published code of signals relating to the use of the Manukau Harbour entrance was introduced. In October 1855 William Lewis replaced Champion as the first Manukau Harbourmaster, a position which was created in recognition of the increasing amount of shipping using the harbour. In April 1857 Lewis was replaced by Captain Thomas Wing as Harbourmaster and Pilot of the Manukau.

Captain Wing

Captain Wing, his wife Lucy, and their then five children, lived in a newly built house that was located on Wing Head. This position was ideal for the pilot as it overlooked the signal mast on Paratütai island and the Manukau Bar. It was however a long 100 metre climb up to the house from the beach. Water supply was difficult, and the house had to be secured by large chains to prevent it being damaged during the frequent gales.

Wing replaced missing buoys and markers and restored the signal mast to good working order. He was assisted by four Mäori boatmen, and from 1858 he was able to employ a signalman. This made the Whatipu Signal Pilot Station more efficient and it allowed Wing to leave the station to pilot vessels right up the harbour to Onehunga. The signalman position was initially filled by Hugh Evans and then from 1861 by Thomas Wing’s eldest son Edward.

The Wing family lived a difficult but generally happy life at Whatipu for ten years during which time three more children were born. Nothing however was to prepare the Wing family for the tragedy that was to occur off Whatipu on 7 February 1863 when the Royal Naval corvette the HMS Orpheus was wrecked on the Middle Banks of the Manukau Bar. This is to date New Zealand’s worst maritime disaster with 189 men out of 270 crew and passengers being unaccounted for.

Thomas Wing was absent at Onehunga at the time and his son Edward was manning the signal mast. The Wings were held responsible for the disaster by the British Admiralty. It is, however, now generally accepted that Commodore Burnett and his officers had simply not used the latest sailing directions for the Manukau, and had not followed the signals issued by Edward Wing.

The Mäori boat crew from the Whatipu Pilot Station was awarded Royal Humane Society Medals for their bravery in rescuing members of the crew in very difficult circumstances. In spite of the massive controversy that surrounded the disaster, Captain Wing retained his position as Harbourmaster and Pilot of the Manukau until 1888.

The HMS Orpheus had been involved in the British preparations for war with Waikato Mäori. When fighting finally broke out in July 1863 Thomas Wing’s house at Whatipu was fortified by filling the wall cavities with stones and earth, and through the construction of loopholes for rifles. Armed sentries were also posted to guard the Pilot Station. In spite of this, a Waikato raiding party climbed Paratütai Island and cut down the Signal Mast in November 1863. Well done on reading this far down. If it helps, the cache is located in a group of three cabbage trees on your right as you walk towards the cliff.

This disturbed the Te Kawerau ä Maki leader Te Wätarauhi, who, while having a close association with the Waikato tribes, also understood the military power of the Government. He quickly sent a letter to Governor Sir George Grey assuring him of the loyalty of his people to the Crown.

When the HMS Eclipse temporarily grounded on the Manukau Bar with nearly three hundred troops on board in January 1865, the Royal Navy stopped any of their vessels entering the Manukau Harbour. At the same time the Signal Station was transferred to the South Head of the Manukau where it remains in operation today. Captain Wing and his family and the pilot crew remained at Whatipu until 1867. From 1867 until 1888 Thomas Wing carried out his Harbourmaster duties from Onehunga. The house at Wing Head was left empty for several years, although it is thought that some of materials from it were used by the Gibbons family in building their homestead at Whatipu in 1870.

Taken from Whatipu, Our History

You are looking for a pill container wedged into its surroundings. When you find the cache take a moment to enjoy the view that the Wings would have enjoyed every day.

The cache includes a FTF TB which will need to be moved on by the successful first finder.

FTF: 10centcoin, funkymunkyzone, Lostcourse, mike-miss & rosmar
Some further history on the area can be found here: YouTube

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Lbh'yy svaq n urycvat bs pnoontr gb or lbhe orfg org urer. Tebhaq yriry - svefg frg bs gerrf ba lbhe evtug nf lbh urnq gb gur ubhfr

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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