(For the international page on www.letterboxing.org)

Sailboat Letterbox

From Auckland City, go to the ferry building on Quay Street. Board
the ferry heading for Birkenhead wharf. You will have to pay $7 for
a return fare once you arrive at Birkenhead Wharf. The ferry trip
takes approximately 15 minutes. Exit the ferry at Birkenhead wharf.

Look westward and on the other side of the bay you will see a large
pink building, with a blue smokestack. This is Chelsea Sugar
Refinery, and this is your destination. You are now on Hinemoa St.
Pass Hinemoa Park on your right, and continue walking up Hinemoa
Street. Follow Hinemoa St., until you reach Rugby Rd. Turn left on
Rugby Rd. On the corner you will see a café called Café 98. Follow
Rugby Rd. until you reach Telephone Rd. Turn right onto Telephone
Rd. Walk down the hill on Telephone Rd., and take notice of an
unmarked path in an opening in the forest on your left-hand side.
Enter onto the path...

Follow the path for approximately ten minutes. See the bay to your
left. You are currently on George Giles' Walk. Stay to the left.
Soon you will see Duck Creek. Continue on the path with Duck Creek
to your right. Look at the lovely ducks, but do not swim here.
Watch out for eels, and for aggressive black swans!

In front of you is the Chelsea Sugar Refinery. Most of the sugar in
New Zealand is produced right here. See an opening in the bush to
your left as you enter the parking lot and just as you leave the
path – enjoy the view of Auckland Harbour. Cross through the parking
lot, to the right of the sugar factory, until you reach the main
road. Duck Creek is now on your right. Continue on the road through
the main gates, and stay right. To your left is a large grey
building that is filled to the brim with raw sugar! Follow the right
curve in the road for just a few minutes until you see a park with a
rope swing and tennis court to your left. Enter the park area. Cook
up a burger if you are so inclined on the huge BBQ! If you've gone
over the bridge, you've gone too far.

Once you've found the park, walk along the left (west) side of the
grass and follow the forest line toward the tennis court. As you
come to the left-hand edge of the tennis court, you will see a cement
path on your left. Ignore it. Walk approximately 27 paces parallel
to the tennis court until you see another cement pathway, which, if
followed, would take you to a toilet. Step onto the path, and under
you will be the letterbox. See two smallish stones lodged under the
right side of the cement path. Reach under the path for the box.
Reach far - it is deep in there, and you may have to sift through
some mud and leaves! You don't have to be scared - there are no
snakes in New Zealand! Pull out the box.

Congratulations - you have found yourself a stamp with a nautical
theme, in keeping with the history and culture of New Zealand! Please
write me a note on one of the postcards and drop it in the mail. Now
that you have found the Sailboat Letterbox, don't forget to return on
the path you arrived on, and enjoy the view of Auckland Harbour, but
not before you stay a moment in the park and watch the ducks swim in
Duck Creek. You can exit the way you came, or follow the road over
the bridge and through the main entrance to the sugar works. You
will find yourself on Colonial Rd., which exits onto Mokoia Rd. and
leads in to Highbury, the shopping centre of Birkenhead.

The GPS reading for the letterbox is: E2663822, N6485430, with 20
metres accuracy.