Puhi Kai Iti/Cook Landing Site National Historic Reserve is great to visit at night; the structures are nicely lit up.
This reserve commemorates the first landing place of James Cook in New Zealand in 1769. The recent upgrade involving Department of Conservation, Gisborne District Council and Ngāti Oneone offered a unique opportunity to demonstrate an awareness of the cultural and historical factors that surround this place.
The site is believed to be within a short distance of the actual landing site, and not far from Te Toka a Taiau where the first significant meeting between Māori and Europeans took place. It was also a significant landing place for Ngāti Porou ancestors.
The Ikaroa sculpture in the centre is a commemoration of the navigator Māia and his arrival on the Te Ikaroa a Rauru waka. The outer circular walls feature the largest tukutuku panels in the world. The tukutuku designs incorporate kaokao, poutama, roimata tōroa, pātiki and patterns specific to Te Poho o Rāwiri Marae. One hundred and twelve steel tukutuku panels, punched with 53,900 individual holes were woven with 7.3km of cord by volunteers from local iwi, Ngāti Oneone, and skilled weavers from around Tairawhiti. The nine pou represent the men shot in the encounter with the Endeavour crew.
The posted co-ordinates will take you to a DOC sign in the reserve.
The final is located at:
S 38 40.8AB E 178 01.6CD
Where A = the first digit in the DOC ID tag on the back of the sign
Where B = the last digit minus 1 in the DOC ID tag on the back of the sign
Where C = how many times the digit 4 appears in the DOC ID tag
Where D = the number of spotlights in the ground lighting the Ikaroa sculpture in the centre
Checksum: A - D = 16
The final coordinates are a short walk away.
Please note the final has now moved as the original information sign has been removed. The replacement cache is now magnetic on a nearby sign.