My first hide.
It only took ten years, as I initially registered a geocaching account back in 2010 just to help my brother solve puzzle caches. I chose the user name 'Island Bay' as that is where I live.
Island Bay
Island Bay is a coastal suburb of Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, situated 5 km south of the city centre.
Island Bay lies on the bay which shares its name, one of numerous small bays off Cook Strait and west of Lyall Bay. 500m offshore in Island Bay lies Tapu Te Ranga Island, which forms a natural breakwater and provides a sheltered anchorage for local fishing boats.
Tapu te Ranga Island is said to be Patawa, a point from which the legendary Maori chief Kupe sighted the giant octopus Te Wheke-a-Muturangi, which he pursued across Cook Strait. In pre-European times, Island Bay was home to several pa, including Te Mupunga Kainga, today represented with a pou in Shorland Park. A succession of iwi occupied Island Bay, including Ngai Tara, Ngati Ira.
A famous battle which took place on the beach of Island Bay has been well documented by Elsdon Best. A raiding taua (war party) from Muau-poko were making their way to the Ngai Tara stronghold of Te Whetu-Kairangi, a fortified pa on what is now Miramar peninsular (but was then an island). In the morning, Ngai Tara warriors came down from Uruhau fort (modern day Southgate) and engaged Muau-poko in battle on the beach. Two muaupoko chiefs were killed, and later cremated in Haewai (Houghton Bay). This battle is commemorated with a pou on the zig-zag leading from Liffey street to Orchy crescent.
During a battle in which Ngati Mutunga drove Ngati Ira from Wellington in 1827, Tamairangi, the wife of the Ngati Ira chief, is said to have sought refuge on Tapu te Ranga Island with her children, fleeing by canoe when Tapu te Ranga Island was besieged. In Treaty of Waitangi settlements, both Te Atiawa and Ngati Toa have claimed tangata whenua status over Tapu te Ranga Island. Ngati Toa's case was proven in the Maori Land Court.
In the early days of European settlement George Hunter was the chief proprietor of the Island Bay Estate, where he bred stock on his stud farm. The Island Bay portion was subdivided and auctioned in March 1879. In the late 19th century, Island Bay was settled by Italian and Shetlander fishermen. In 1905, Wellington's tramline was extended to Island Bay, increasing the area's popularity, and steadily transforming it into a seaside suburb. Many Island Bay villas, bungalows and shops date from the 1920s, a period of rapid development for the area. This included the subdivision of the Island Bay Racecourse which was once bounded by Clyde Street on the East and Ribble Street on the West. Many streets in Island Bay were named after British and European rivers.
(From Wikipedia)
The background photo on this page is a sunset from the GZ, which explains why I like living here.
The suburb is also home to the mighty Island Bay United AFC Dreamers football team.
The Cache
I wanted to place my first hide here in Island Bay but it was difficult to find a spot that wasn't already taken, so I ended up placing the cache here with a view of the suburb of Island Bay (though not the Bay itself).
This is an easy park and grab cache; I recommend you park on the side of the road heading uphill.
Access to the cache will involve a little scramble down the bank. I find it easiest to use the mountain bike track the neighbourhood lads have dug into the hillside and access the cache from below. This could be quite slippery in the rain.
Some stealth is required, however the local neighbours are aware the cache is close by.
The cache is in a decent sized and obvious container - please leave the obvious container where it is and retreive the actual cache from inside to sign the log.
Cache contains a logbook and pencil, and the obvious container has room for TBs.
When placed the cache contained my WENZ 2018 Mega Event coin.