Breakwater (North Otago) Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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Oamaru’s Cape Wanbrow, around 1860, offered limited shelter to ships and passengers, and goods had to be landed on the exposed beach in the Victorian equivalent of white-water rafting – surf boating. Between 1860 and 1875, about 25 ships were lost here, earning the booming town a dreadful reputation, and driving up insurance premiums on everything landed there.
In a storm in 1868 an exposed wooden jetty at Oamaru was swept away along with three ships. The devastated settlers decided to build a small dock in the lagoon behind the beach, then opted for a large breakwater off the end of Cape Wanbrow. The concrete barrier took 12 years to build, and cost a fortune, but when it was completed in 1884 it offered even the largest ships safe anchorage. By then Oamaru’s harbour board might have been teetering on the brink of insolvency, but its port was one of the colony’s finest. No commercial shipping has used Oamaru since 1974, but the town, including its port, is now a heritage centre. The breakwater was crucial to the port, and was built between 1872 and 1884.
The cache a 500ml plastic screw top container is hidden on the breakwater. The breakwater and the seaward mole can be accessed at low tide and on calm sea conditions (do not attempt when a heavy sea is running as waves make an impressive sight as they crash against the breakwater). A number of seals can often also be seen resting on the breakwater.
The access to the breakwater from the penguin colony is blocked off most of the time. Best access is to park between the Sea Scout den and the Portside Restaurant and jump down onto the beach and walk along to the breakwater. There is signage there that will indicate that walking along the breakwater is at your own risk. Dont attempt at high tide or with rough seas.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
ghpxrq haqre
arne ynetr cynax
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