This cache is placed at a natural hot pool fed by a waterfall, in a secret location known to only a very select group of people. Some Geocachers may now be numbered amongst this group. The water is hot and the waterfall can be scalding, as can the pool directly beneath it. However the temperature reduces towards the 'bathing' end. Hotter than the commercial pools in Rotorua. No time limit or noisy busloads of tourists either!
This is the perfect place to unwind after a tramp or a hard days caching. Definitely take a towel. And togs. Or not.
The original small camouflaged cache container was one of a series that I created for the 'Discover Geocaching for Interpretation' Seminar, which I co-presented with Wiliam Bevil from the Department of Conservation, at the "Some Like it Hot" National Interpretation Conference in Rotorua on 15-18 September 2009. Those lucky few who achieved my short lived Bonsai cache would recognise the recycled container. It contained a log, sharpener, pencil and a FTF prize (Not Another Micro Pin).
The cache location was averaged for 5 minutes using a Garmin Oregon 300 but is not guaranteed accurate due to being on a bank under tree cover.
Stealth and patience may be required to retrieve / replace the cache as visitors may appear from the bush at any time and stay for a while! A long while. But usually you can expect to have the place to yourselves. During the day, you can park about 30m away from the cache (trail-head is obvious) but there are gates that are locked daily, 5pm to 9am, to prevent vandalism, so a 400m walk may be necessary.
The cache is placed in a geothermal environment. Heed the signposted warning about keeping your head above water. Stay on the track enroute. Lock your car and don't leave valuables visible.
Read This!
The listed coordinates are for the carpark at another cache. This cache is at:
S 1655 1757 . 85.03 85.03 4200
E 20.28 5285 3560 . 2742 4.22 4.22
Confused? Read the cache description carefully!.
Update 19 June 2011: Container is now a 10cm tube - 4cm diam - wrapped in black duct tape. There is no room for trading items. Bring your own writing instrument.
Update 21 December 2016: I'd like a few more cacher's to resolve this, so have subtly changed the description.
Update 19 September 2018 13:30 New cache container in place. It is where it originally was, just to left of a horizontal Punga growing from bank. If you look through the fork of the tree in the spoiler photo, it is the Punga at that level. Please cover well as this can be a popular spot. Happy caching... Cheers, GC
The idea of this cache is to share a unique place, not to wreck the vegetation, so please use the spoiler photo description. Walk over the causeway. Cache is to bottom right of spoiler photo, near base of the curved tree, in a hole.
*** PLEASE REPLACE THE CACHE AS FOUND, REPLACING VEGETATION COVER, AFTER SIGNING THE LOG. THANK YOU. ***
Amoebic Meningitis - For your safety please keep your head above water.
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Added 20 May 2016