Caching in Cape Breton – Point Edward

Posted on November 10, 2012 by Frank

They shall not be forgotten. Thank you!

Before I start this post, I would like to wish everyone a great Remembrance Day! Don’t forget to buy a poppy and support our Royal Canadian Legion. Also, if you have the time, why not visit a senior’s home and allow a war vet to tell you their stories. I haven’t done it in years but I remember loving for them to tell me their war stories. It put a smile on both our faces. You can also buy a war vet a coffee or simply walk up to them and say thanks! You may not approve of war but these guys risked their lives fighting for your freedom. Many sacrificed their lives for that same cause. Let’s make sure they will not be forgotten. Now, let’s begin this week’s post.

For the past six years, I have worked for the Canadian Coast Guard. My job entails installing new electronics technology on our fleet of ships to ensure that they have the right tools to effectively perform their duties. To be able to do my job, I am required to attend periodic training at the Canadian Coast Guard College in Sydney, NS. Now, the training at the College is great but, after hours, there isn’t much to do in Sydney, especially for someone like me who isn’t really into the party scene. So, for the first four years of my career, I have been pretty much bored while at the College. About two years ago, I started Geocaching and now, I have something to do in the after-hours while in Sydney. This is the first of a three-part series that will highlight two areas of Sydney that I had the opportunity to geocache in as well as a drive I took to geocache at a very famous fortress. Even though, this post isn’t about Newfoundland caches, it is about caches close to North Sydney, a spot many Newfoundlanders arrive at every summer.

You can see North Sydney and the Newfoundland ferries from here. (click to enlarge)

The first blogpost in this series is on an historic area that is located a few kilometers from the Canadian Coast Guard College. On a Sunday, I left the College and walked 3.5 km to Hospital Road in Edwardsville, home of Point Edward and the very old Point Edward Battery. Part of the way down the road, my journey started as I ventured off the road and headed down a trail towards the beach. The first three caches are simply placed along the trail and have no real historical significance. They are:

Upon arriving at the beach and the fourth cache, I noticed that I could see two of the Newfoundland – Nova Scotia ferries across the water in North Sydney

Heading down towards the point. (click to enlarge)

The fourth cache, Point Edward 2 of 2 (end of trail) (GC27802) placed by Papillon-1 is located along the beach and looks out Sydney Harbour. It was easy to see why a battery, placed here, was important to protecting the harbour. Instead of backtracking out the trail and finding the trail to the other six caches, I decided to take a stroll down the beach.

Having a wonderful walk down the beach. (click to enlarge)

I must say, there is nothing more relaxing than a quiet stroll along the beach. This beach is a rocky beach and, from the looks of all the erosion, it might only be passable in spots during low tide.

There is a lot of beach erosion here. (click to enlarge)

There was also a bit of garbage littering the beach. Perhaps a CITO caching day is needed for this area. There is also a lot of trees along the bank that are leaning over very precariously, so keep your eyes peeled in case one decides to fall. Injuries always ruin the experience.

This bunker was initially built during the late 1700s. This one is not safe to be around. (click to enlarge)

As you continue down the beach, you will see a strange-looking structure. This is one of the two battery positions belonging to the Point Edward battery. The Point Edward Battery was initially constructed in 1793 after war broke out between England and France. It was used in conjunction with other batteries located around Sydney Harbour to protect the harbour from a French attack. Over the years, it would fall into disarray, be built back up for each of the World Wars, and then fall back into its current state of disarray once again. The floor of this one is crumbled and is not safe to be in. Luckily, the cache, What Is This Doing Here? (GC1C83Q) by fascache is located behind it and not in it. Once you get this cache, you must now find the trail that leads to it and use it instead of the beach.

This is the second bunker which is at the point. It is in much better shape. (click to enlarge)

Walking down the trail a few hundred meters, you come to a second battery position. This time, the structure is in much better shape. The floor, however, is showing signs of cracking and a couple of pieces have fallen out. If you want to enter, tread carefully and don’t fall through the hole. The cache that is located here is called Ethel goes to WAR (GCPDHW) and was placed by MineRP. The cache is located behind the structure, in the woods. There is evidence in the woods that some sort of house was here, probably some living quarters for the men who manned the gun battery.

This used to be a barracks. All is left is the foundation. (click to enlarge)

As you head back out this new trail, you will pass some sort of concrete pillar, marking the start of the battery. Continuing on, you come to a fork in the road. If you take a right, you will head down another trail towards the beach again. As you approach Habitant (GC1C8J3) by fascache, you will notice a foundation. That is all that is left of the military barracks that used to be located here. There are also some rusty items amongst the trees that were probably left over from one of the times this battery was manned. The cache is well-hidden so keep your eyes sharp.

As was with the first three caches on this trail system, the last three caches have no historical significance. That doesn’t mean that they are not worth finding. Two of the three are well hidden and took me a bit of time to find. The last cache in the area actually took me 30 minutes to find, but that was only because I didn’t follow my gut. The last three caches are:

Altogether, I walked about 12km to get these caches, including the walk to abnd from the College. It took me about 4.5 hours to complete. Being a big war buff, I thoroughly enjoyed these caches. It would have been better if the cache owners had put more of the history in their cache descriptions. I did, however, have fun looking everything up on the Internet afterwards.

How about you? Do you like finding caches that have an historical significance? Are you a military buff? If so, please let us know! We would loved to read your comments! Once again, have a great Remembrance Day! They will never be forgotton.

Categories: Geocaching | Tags: , , , , , | 1 Comment

Caching Three Stars – October

Posted on November 1, 2012 by Frank

Since I spent almost all of the month of October in Sydney, NS attending training at the Coast Guard College, the Three Stars for October all come from the Sydney area. If you ever take the ferry across to North Sydney, be sure to take a moment to check these out. These caches, as well as other, will also be featured in a couple of future blogposts.

____________________________________________

Ethel Goes To War

These bunkers are starting to be eaten away by wave erosion. (click to enlarge)

Since I love anything to do with the history of our Great wars, Ethel Goes To War (GCPDHW) is the winner of our first star for October. The cache was placed by MineRP and is located on a trail system in Edwardsville, a small suburb of Sydney. The earthen bunker was part of Fort Edward and was initially constructed in 1793 and used up until 1854. The entire fort was a four-bastioned earthwork fort, located southeast of the tip of the point. It was originally known as Point Edward Battery until it was rebuilt in 1813. The system of trails here contain other bunkers and barrack foundations. I will be featuring these caches in an upcoming blogpost. The bunkers are starting to give way because of wave erosion and are not safe to be climbing in. Therefore, I had to admire them from afar.

____________________________________________

St. Theresa

The statue is actually the tree. Notice the trunk at the bottom. (click to enlarge)

There is nothing overly special about the cache that is my second star for October. It is a simple micro containing a log and is located at a church. It has a higher degree of difficulty due to its high muggle area. It is where this cache is placed that makes this cache special and deserving of the second star. The cache is another one placed by MineRP and is called St. Theresa (GC3CCKA). The cache is located at St. Theresa’s Church and is placed near a special statue of St. Theresa. The statue is a wooden statue that is carved out of a tree. You might be saying that all wooden statues are carved from trees. True. This tree (statue), however, is still rooted in the ground. The statue was literally carved out of a living tree. I don’t know about you, but I found that pretty cool. If you are in Sydney, it is worth checking out.

____________________________________________

Sydney Boardwalk

Walking the Sydney Boardwalk at night. Beautiful! (click to enlarge)

There is no more beautiful a place to visit in Sydney, than strolling down the Sydney Boardwalk. Located on the southern shore of Sydney harbour, the boardwalk goes past many hotels and public buildings and leads down close to the Sydney Pier, where cruise ships often visit and you can get your picture taken next to a giant fiddle. There are many small boats and beautiful yachts tied up here as well. I have walked this boardwalk several times, but this time was extra special as I got to walk it at night. Again, this wasn’t planned. My purpose in coming here was to be a kind geocacher and pay it forward by replacing the container that had gone missing from Sydney Boardwalk (GCTQ9Y), a cache placed by The Dream Seekers. It was my last stop for the day and darkness had fallen upon me. This turned out to be a real treat. I must have stopped for about 30 minutes and sat on a bench listening to the water lapping against the pier. It was really peaceful and well deserving of our third star. This area will also be featured in an upcoming blogpost.

____________________________________________

Point Edward Cave

I was so looking forward to a bit of cave exploration. (click to enlarge)

I just had to give an honourable mention to Point Edward Cave (GC3RCNA), a cache placed by Pushkin. It gave me both the most anticipation and the most disappointment I have ever had while geocaching. When you read the cache description, you find out that there is a cave here that you can explore. Since it was a few hundred meters away from the Coast Guard College, I got prepared and headed out to it with great anticipation and excitement. I hadn’t explored a cave since my childhood. When I arrived at what I thought was ground zero, I had to check my GPSr. The dense tree cover was playing havoc with my unit so I broadened my search and came up with nothing. I went back to the original ground zero and quickly realized I was at the right spot. There had been a mudslide in the last year and the entrance to the cave was buried in sticks and mud. I found an opening but it was only large enough to fit a rat. That was a real bummer! It was a good thing that the cache was placed outside the cave as I was able to at least log a find on this cache and drop a trackable. For causing me great excitement, I think it deserves an honourable mention.

____________________________________________

Rest In Peace

A graveyard at night is creepy but cool! (click to enlarge)

When I first set out to finish getting some caches in downtown Sydney, it wasn’t my intention to retrieve one from a graveyard at night. It just happened that way. When I arrived at Rest In Peace (GC3NB1D), a cache placed by conohan007, I quickly realized where it was. Since graveyards don’t scare me, I headed in to retrieve the cache. It was hidden under rocks near what looked like a tomb. As I started to sign the log, I heard the sound of many car doors opening and closing. When I looked, many old couples were showing up to the church for evening Bible Study. To avoid detection, I had to hide behind a headstone for 10 minutes. Once the coast was clear, I put the log back and re-hid the cache. As I was leaving, I ran into a security guard for the apartment building across the street. He looked really puzzled at why I was coming out of a cemetery at night but didn’t seem to care. This cache was really fun and deserves an honourable mention. If you can, I suggest you do this one at night.

____________________________________________

Categories: Three Stars | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Happy Halloween!

Posted on October 28, 2012 by Frank

With Halloween just a few days away, Caching Heaven would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy and safe Halloween!

Happy Halloween from Caching Heaven! (click to enlarge)

Halloween is one of the oldest festive events that is still celebrated. It is one of the most celebrated holidays, next to Christmas. There is much heated debate over Halloween. Some view it as a fun time where people dress up in costumes, go house to house trick or treating, and having themed parties. Other groups view Halloween as a time of evil spirits, ghosts, vampires, etc. that should be avoided. However, most people partake in Halloween without ever knowing its history and origins.

Druids still exist today and Halloween has its origins with the Druids. (click to enlarge)

Halloween is on October 31st, which is the last day of the Celtic calendar. Dating back to over 2000 years ago, Halloween was originally a pagan holiday that honoured the dead. It was referred to as All Hallows Eve. Halloween culture can be traced back to the Druids, a Celtic culture in Ireland, Britain and Northern Europe. Roots lay in the feast of Samhain, which was annually on October 31st to honor the dead. Many of the practices involved in this celebration were fed on superstition. The Celts believed the souls of the dead roamed the streets and villages at night. Since not all spirits were thought to be friendly, gifts and treats were left out to pacify the evil and ensure next years crops would be plentiful. This custom evolved into trick-or-treating. The day after, November 1, is All Hallows Day, also known as All Saints Day. On this day, Catholics celebrated their saints and Christians would try to convert Pagans to Christianity.

To get you started on finding some Halloween-themed caches, I have compiled an extensive list. I spent over an hour searching for as many as I could and these were the ones I have found. I am sure that there are many I have missed, so please feel free to find, or place, some of your own.

Caching at night, especially in a cemetery can be a creepy thing. (click to enlarge)

When I was in Sydney, NS the past few weeks, I had the opportunity to find a cemetary cache at night. While being in a cemetary at night doesn’t creep me out in the least (no comments, please), I am sure that many cachers will find this endeavour to be a thrilling and scary experience. For that reason, here are three cemetary caches that you should try at night.

Celebrating Halloween is a preference that is not always viewed as participating in an evil holiday. Many celebrate Halloween with the dark and evil aspects while others often celebrate it with no reference to pagan rituals or the occult. How about you? Do you plan to celebrate Halloween this year? Will you go caching this Halloween? Let us know using the comment section below.

Happy Halloween and Happy Caching!

Frank (Jewel)

Categories: General, Geocaching | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Being Puzzled By Puzzle Caches

Posted on October 22, 2012 by Frank

Puzzle caches are fun!

This week’s post starts off with an important question. What is your favorite type of cache? Traditional? Earthcache? Multicache? The predominant answer would be traditional. If we were to do a real survey, traditional would be the answer of choice for most. But what about puzzle caches? I would be willing to bet that very few would cite puzzle caches as their favorite. In fact, a lot of cachers out there won’t ever do puzzle caches, and if they do, they are done as a last resort. Pardon the pun here, but this really puzzles me.

Our Anniversary banner. We are even featured on the $50 bill. (click to enlarge)

I realize that puzzle caches take a bit more effort to get, but they are still fun to do. And in the end, it still counts as a find. As I see it, there are two main purposes to using puzzle caches over the traditional cache. First, puzzle caches are great for conveying information about certain places and people. Take for instance, our new puzzle cache devoted to the Canadian Coast Guard. It is called Canadian Coast Guard: 50th Anniversary Cache (GC3WGV2) and was created for this purpose. I could have easily created a traditional cache but I wanted to bring attention to the Canadian Coast Guard which is celebrating their 50th Anniversary. So, some of the puzzle questions that I asked had to deal with the history of the Coast Guard. The second main purpose to using a puzzle cache is when there is no room to place a traditional cache. Such is the case with three of my Music Is Life Series caches. Music Is Life Series: International Dance (GC31V53), Music Is Life Series: The CITY Beat (GC2YHZV), and Music Is Life Series: O’BRIEN the Celtic Fiddler (GC2YJ0P) are all caches that had to be placed near the music stores but placing them there would have violated the 160 meter rule for the spacing of caches. The only way to get these caches published was to create a puzzle cache at each music store and place the real cache somewhere nearby.

Geocaching in Canada!

While it is true that puzzle caches take more time and effort to complete, a well thought out puzzle can be a fun endeavour. You could even make solving the puzzle a family affair. Properly designed puzzle caches often result in the cacher walking away with several tidbits of information that they probably never knew before. We have another puzzle cache, which is actually listed as a multicache, that serves to enlighten cachers about all the soldiers that died in WWI and WWII. It is called Happy Canada Day! (from Jewel&Gem) (GC2Z4Z9). To find the actual cache, cachers must read all of the plaques at the war memorial to find the clues needed to solve the puzzle. In the process, one learns valuable information about those who paid the ultimate sacrifice so that we could be free. This aspect of puzzle caches is, indeed, a valuable benefit. By the way, the reason this cache was listed as a multicache was due to a new cache reviewer who insisted on it being a multicache instead of a puzzle cache. There is one drawback, however, to puzzle caches. What happens when the information changes? One of our previously listed caches, Music Is Life Series: International Dance (GC31V53), is a great example of this. Just a few days ago, we were alerted to the fact that a cacher was unable to solve the puzzle due to missing information. The puzzle clues involved retrieving information from surrounding businesses. Well, apparently, some of the businesses are no longer there. I will have to revisit the cache area and create some new clues to replace the missing ones.

Hunting for puzzle caches does, indeed, reuire a bit more work and effort to find. But this should not be considered a bad thing. Sure, it is always easier to get out and find those traditional caches. With puzzle caches, it takes longer to find caches which results in a longer time to increase your numbers. A cacher once said to me that caching shouldn’t be just about the numbers. If it is, you end up losing the fun aspect of geocaching. Well-designed puzzle caches create a different type of fun, but it is still fun, none the least. If you haven’t tried any puzzle caches yet, I would encourage you to try some. Take it from someone who hated puzzle caches, you won’t be disappointed.

Twenty caches form a musical note. (click to enlarge)

If you do enjoy puzzle caches and are interested in lots of them, check out the two puzzle cache series located off the coast of Bell Island. For more information on these puzzle cache series, check out Music Is Life: Mega Series! and Newfoundland Who’s Who!, two blogposts on the series’. Also, what is your view on puzzle caches? Do you love them, hate them, or are neutral. Let us know! Use the comment section below.

Happy Caching!

Frank (Jewel)

Categories: Geocaching, Ramblings | Tags: , , , | 3 Comments

International EarthCache Day!

Posted on October 11, 2012 by Frank

This Sunday is International EarthCache Day!

What are you going to be doing this Sunday, October 14th? Some people will be going to church. Some will be doing household projects. Others will be enjoying the great outdoors. Geocachers will, of course, be geocaching. Some geocachers might do a combination of geocaching along with one of the activities I just mentioned. If you go geocaching, however, you might want to go find one EarthCache. Why? Because it is International EarthCache Day!

Topsail Beach Cusps, a newer EarthCache (click to enlarge)

According to Geocaching.com, "each EarthCache teaches visitors about the playground all geocachers enjoy – the earth. An EarthCache takes adventurers to a unique site showcasing geological features. EarthCaches can reveal why a giant boulder came to rest in the middle of a prairie or how a river flows in two opposite directions in one day. Instead of finding a container at an EarthCache, geocachers learn and report their geology discovery to log a smiley."

There are a total of 14 earthcaches on the island and 5 earthcaches located in the Big Land, Labrador. Here is a list of all 19 of them.

So make sure that you find an EarthCache this Sunday. I am sure there will be a souvenir in it for your efforts. Personally, I am in Sydney, NS without a vehicle. Therefore, I will not make it to an EarthCache this weekend. What a bummer! Oh well! I will still be caching, however, weather permitting.

Let us know what EarthCache you found and how the experience was. Simply leave a comment below. Oh, one more thing. Help out our earth by making Sunday a CITO (Cache In, Trash Out) day!

Happy Caching!

Frank (Jewel)

Categories: Geocaching, Happenings | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Even Travel Bugs Need A Vacation Sometimes!

Posted on October 5, 2012 by Frank

As I write this post, the familiar RDF (rain,drizzle, fog) continues for the third day in a row. It is a blunt reminder that our beautiful summer has come to an end. And with the end of summer comes the end of vacations for most of us. The peak season for hotel bookings has come and gone. Some hotels and motels even close after the summer. One type of hotel, however, never closes and is available 24/7. The hotel I am referring to is a travel bug hotel.

A well-decorated TB Hotel. (click to enlarge)

I realize that, most likely, everyone who reads this blog knows what a travel bug hotel is. Just in case I am wrong in my assumption, however, I will digress to explain it to you. A travel bug hotel is like a central place or repository for dropping off any kind of trackables. It provides a convenient place for someone, who is looking for a trackable to move, to drop by and pick up one. For Geocaching.com’s premium members, all we have to do is do a pocket query for caches that contain trackables and simply go to them. Travel bug hotels, however, remain a better option for finding, picking up, and dropping off trackables. Simply put a watch on a travel bug hotel cache, and you will receive an email every time there is activity on that cache. It’s that easy! Or is it?

Perhaps better trackable education is needed. (click to enlarge)

While travel bug hotels are a nice concept, I find that there is a huge downside to them. On the best of days, trackables go missing. New cachers pick them up and either forget to log them as taken or don’t know that they have to log them. Other times, cachers ignore any kind of code of ethics and simply take them. They are never heard from again. For more reading on missing trackables, read our previous blog post called Putting the "Un" in Trackables. Travel bug hotels have the potential to cause large numbers of trackables to go missing due to the fact that they usually contain large numbers of trackables. I recently had to report five trackables in my own travel bug lounge as missing. I am trying to track who could possibly have them but the task is really difficult. I have often considered archiving my travel bug lounge. Somehow, we have to better educate cachers on the importance of logging trackables.

We have a Travel Bug Departure Lounge near the airport. (click to enlarge)

Despite their status as travel bug repositories, a travel bug hotel is still just a cache and cachers still visit them looking for that find and, perhaps, an elusive bug or coin. There are several travel bug hotels and lounges on the island. We have our own travel bug departure lounge located near St. John’s airport. It is called YYT-TB St. John’s Travel Bug Departure Lounge (GC) . The purpose of the lounge is to enable cachers to drop off trackables that they wish to leave the island on a flight. It is also a spot to drop trackables that arrive on a flight. Here are a couple more travel bug hotels located around the province.

In principle, travel bug hotels are great places for moving trackables. If cachers were more educated or played by the rules, they would be great in practice as well. For now, I will leave my TB lounge as is and hope that no more trackables go missing from it. Time will tell, however, if it will survive in its present role.

How do you feel about travel bug hotels? Please take a moment and take our poll.

If you would like to make a comment on this post or any of our posts, please do so. We welcome your valuable input.

Categories: Geocaching, Ramblings | Tags: , , , | 1 Comment

Caching Three Stars – September

Posted on October 1, 2012 by Frank

As with previous months, September didn’t result in any stand-out caches until towards the end of the month. The latter half of the month resulted in a cache with a great view, a cache that isn’t always easy to get to, and a great event cache, all making it into our caching Three Stars. If you haven’t found them yet, I encourage you to do so.

____________________________________________

View For The Gods

What a beautiful view! (click to enlarge)

Our winner of the first star for September was just featured in our last blog article entitled Milestone Marker 1500!. The cache is called View For The Gods (GC1YRJQ) and was placed by Ron 30207. Originally, we had no plans to go get this cache. In fact, we never even knew it existed. We had been in North River helping our friends put off a geocaching event (check the second star). The event occurred on Saturday and we never got the chance to go caching. Therefore, we decided to do some caching on Sunday. My son, tinyseeker, and I went around to get all of the event caches first. Then, our friend Dora (Diego and Dora) joined us to get all of the caches in the Clarke’s Beach area. It was then, that we decided to attempt this one. When we finally navigated the streets of Clarke’s Beach to find the entrance gate leading to the cache site, our GPSr indicated that we were only 650 meters away from the cache. We didn’t immediately realize that we would have to walk 2.4 km to reach ground zero. The long walk was well worth the trip. We were treated to a magnificant view of the Clarke’s Beach and surrounding area. It took us 40 minutes to make the trek in and 30 minutes to make the trek out. It would have been great if we could have stayed a little while, but we had to get back for an awesome cooked Sunday dinner, prepared by Diego.

____________________________________________

Cabin Fever — Caching Meet and Greet — 2012

A great turnout for the event. (click to enlarge)

Our second star is special to us for the simple fact that it was an event hosted by our friends with a small bit of assistance by us. We realize that, since we assisted with this cache, we might be accused of showing favoritism to this event. We hope you all realize that our assistance was in a logistics manner. Most of the layout and details of the event were done by Diego and Dora, the event hosts. The event was called Cabin Fever — Caching Meet and Greet — 2012 (GC3V1A6) and was held at Dora’s family cabin. For a detailed description of the event, please see our blog post devoted to the event called Cabin Fever: An Event To End The Summer!. This event struck the right balance of caching, food and fellowship. The event involved a couple of hours of meet and greet followed by a BBQ. After everyone had the chance to socialize a bit, they were sent on their way to find 20 caches. A few even came back for a bit more fellowship. It was truly a well organized event.

____________________________________________

Water Challenge

This little land strip is not always here. (click to enlarge)

Water Challenge (GCG2ET) , a cache placed by Alastair Allan, turned out to be a very interesting cache and gets the nod as our third star for September. The cache, itself, is just a regular cache with a logbook and trinkets inside. Its hiding place wasn’t too difficult either. In fact, getting to the cache was fairly easy too. It was easy, however, only because we attempted it at the right time. As the picture shows, there is a thin strip of rocks leading to the cache area. We attempted the cache during low tide. The rocks are exposed then. At high tide, you would have to use rubber boots and wade across to the other side. We thought this cache was ingenious and we raise our proverbial hats to the cache owner for this interesting hide.

____________________________________________

Favorite Places – St. Mark’s School

This sign seemed out of place until you read the cache description. (click to enlarge)

We love caches that are placed to provide some kind of memorial to what an area used to contain. It is for this reason that we had to award Favorite Places – St. Mark’s School (GC3QHWJ) an honourable mention. The cache was placed by wademercer and got our attention when we seen a sign, that read “Teachers Only,” standing in the middle of a completely overgrown area. There wasn’t much evidence that anything used to be here but whatever was here had to involve teachers. After completely reading the cache description, we found out that there used to be a school here but it was closed years ago and then destroyed by fire. The area had become overgrown with trees and shrubs. Obviously, this area was the teacher’s parking lot and, with a little imagination, you could picture how things used to be.

____________________________________________

Categories: Three Stars | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Milestone Marker 1500!

Posted on September 25, 2012 by Frank

Milestones. How much do you keep track of your milestones? Personally, I keep track of mine very well. I chose, however, not to be blogging on my milestones when I first started this blog. After this weekend, however, I realize that I might have been too hasty in that decision. Now, don’t get me wrong. You won’t find me blogging on every 100 finds. It’s not that I wouldn’t enjoy doing that or think it is frivolous because I don’t. I simply don’t have the time to be blogging that frequently. I have decided, however, to blog my milestones at 500 cache intervals and only if the milestone cache is one of significant importance or greatness.

What a beautiful view! (click to enlarge)

This past weekend, we were in the Bay Roberts/North River/Clarke’s Beach area to assist our geocaching neighbours in hosting a geocaching event. On Saturday, we took part in the event but decided to wait until Sunday to do some caching. After having breakfast on Sunday, I set out with my son to get 13 of the 20 caches that were put out for the event. The remaining 7 event caches were my own, so I couldn’t go after them. After that, one of my geocaching neighbors/friends (Dora) accompanied us to do a bit more caching around the area. The other one (Diego) stayed back to cook us Sunday dinner. It was then, that we were treated to a spectacular view and our 1500th find!

A beautiful view. (click to enlarge)

The cache that resulted in our milestone is called View For The Gods (GC1YRJQ). To get to the cache, you must first navigate your way through the streets of Clarke’s Beach until you arrive at a gate, which is on the road that leads up to a communications tower and the local water supply. From the gate, your GPS indicates that you are about 650 meters from the cache. However, since bushwacking to the cache is near impossible, you must walk the road a total of 1.7 km and, then, turn off on a trail for the remaining 800 meters. If the gate wasn’t there, you could drive to within 800 meters of the cache. Of course, if you own an ATV, you can go all the way. For us, we had a locked gate and no ATV. Therefore, it was time to hike.

Definitely worth the hike! (click to enlarge)

It took us about 40 minutes to get to ground zero. The road was in good condition and the trail portion was muddy in just one spot. There was no boggy areas, however, which made the trek more comfortable. Finding the cache was pretty easy and it was in great condition. We never bothered to trade swag as we had forgotten to take any with us. After signing the log and returning the cache to its home, it was time to check out the view. And what a view it was! From up here, you could see all of the Clarke’s Beach area just as the eagles see it. In fact, one of the logs on the cache has a photo that shows two eagles sitting at the top. It would have been a great place to have a picnic or just to sit and think awhile. Not for us however. We stayed a few minutes to enjoy the view and then headed out. It took us 30 minutes to make the trek out as we were now heading downhill.

While this cache took a great deal of energy to find, it was worth it in the end. We gave it a favorite point and would recommend the attempt to anyone. Kudos go out to the cache owner, Ron 30207 for placing this cache. We couldn’t think of a better cache to get us to 1500 finds.

Happy Caching!

Frank (Jewel)

Categories: General, Geocaching | Tags: , , , , | 4 Comments

Cabin Fever: An Event To End The Summer!

Posted on September 22, 2012 by Frank

Such a beautiful spot for a cabin and an event. (click to enlarge)

Well folks, it is official! As you read this post, summer has officially come to an end. To be extremely accurate, it ended at 12:19PM today. It was an awesome summer, one of the best Newfoundland has seen in awhile. Despite the amazing summer, the number of geocaching events in Newfoundland were not as amazing with only a few being held. Therefore, what better way to, both, celebrate the great summer that we’ve had and usher in the new fall season than with an event. Today, DiegoandDora, with a bit of help from us, hosted the Cabin Fever – Caching Meet and Greet – 2012 event and it was just what the doctor ordered to cure any trace of Cabin, I mean Caching, fever you may still have.

A great time for socializing and food before heading off to cache. (click to enlarge)

The event started at 11:00AM with a one-hour meet and greet. The log book was set up near the entrance of the cabin and, for the first time in quite awhile, nametag stickers were placed at the entrance so that it would be easy to identify the cachers. At 12 noon, a BBQ was held consisting of hamburgers and hotdogs. After everyone had time to eat and mingle some more, the prizes were drawn for. The First-To_Find (FTF) for the event went to Geo-Joe and Geo-Jane who, ironically, were last to arrive. They were presented with an FTF trackable. The prize giveaways continued until every cacher or caching team had a prize. The prizes ranged from trackables to ready-to-go caches. There was even a prize consisting of a nameplate that read “Geocachers Live Here.”

Lots of grub for everyone! (click to enlarge)

At around 2:30PM, the cache listings were handed out. In total, there were 20 new caches placed around North River for the event. Diego and Dora placed 13 caches while Jewel&Gem placed 7 caches including Tinyseeker’s Birthday Cache. He celebrates his 14th birthday the day after the event. Diego and Jewel patrolled on quad taking pictures and talking to the cachers, providing help where needed.

Cachers got to submit an entry to name the coin before it is launched as part of Trackable Week! (click to enlarge)

One of the more unique things done at this event was a Name the Trackable contest. Worldcaching.com donated a geocoin for the event. Instead of giving it away as a prize, it was decided that the coin would be named using a contest and then launched. Since this event took place during Geocaching.com’s Trackable Week, this was a very fitting thing to do. Each cacher submitted a name for the coin. After the event, the organizers read through all of the names and chose a winner. The coin was then activated and will be dropped into a cache at the earliest convenience.

A great turnout for the event. (click to enlarge)

Overall, a great time was had by all! There were a total of 39 cachers in attendance. Some were caching greats and veterans while others were first-time cachers. For one cacher, this event was his very first cache. With summer literally just finished and autumn just beginning, this event was both the end of a great summer caching season and the kick-off of what should be an amazing autumn caching season. Either way, it is sure to be the magical cure to satisfy that caching fever. As I submit this post, cachers are still off caching. Awesome!

Categories: Happenings | Leave a comment

Canadian Coast Guard: An Honoured Past, A Committed Future

Posted on September 20, 2012 by Frank

Our Anniversary banner. We are even featured on the $50 bill. (click to enlarge)

You might be asking what the Canadian Coast Guard and geocaching have in common. Well, nothing really, except for the fact that I work for the Coast Guard. With further thought, one can find a degree of separation between the two. There are many caches located along the East Coast trail and at Signal Hill and Cape Spear. If a geocacher was to ever have the misfortune of falling into the water while searching for these caches, the Coast Guard would be called into action to help save you. The Coast Guard officially celebrates its 50th Anniversary in 2012 and now, there are two more degrees of separation – two geocaches that are devoted to the Coast Guard. Rather than write my own history of the Coast Guard, I will simply quote from the Coast Guard’s website.

——————————

A helicopter servicing a remote lighthouse. (click to enlarge)

The origins of a Canadian Coast Guard can be traced to as far back as the 1700s when the first lifeboats and lighthouses were established in Eastern Canada. The various governments that preceded a unified Canada had their own patrol vessels which began to appear along the eastern seaboard and in the Great Lakes in the 1800s. In 1868, one year after Confederation, the federal government established the Department of Marine and Fisheries. This department assumed responsibility for marine affairs, including the operation of government vessels and for various elements of marine infrastructure (aids to navigation, lifesaving stations, canals and waterways, marine regulatory bodies and supporting shore infrastructure). In 1936, responsibility for marine transportation shifted to the Department of Transport. By the 1940s, many organizations and communities pressed the government to form a national coast guard. Ocean commerce expanded tremendously, culminating, with the opening of the St-Lawrence Seaway in 1958. The Canadian Coast Guard was officially created by the Honourable Leon Balcer, the then Minister of Transport on January 26, 1962.

Our flagship and largest icebreaker, The Louis S. St. Laurent. (click to enlarge)

For the past 50 years, The Canadian Coast Guard has been a symbol of service and safety. The women and men we call our own have not only provided years of excellence in service delivery, but have embodied the ideals the Coast Guard has come to represent. On January 26, 2012 the Canadian Coast Guard will proudly celebrate its 50th Anniversary. As we celebrate our past, we must also consider our future. Greater demands for our services, a changing climate in the Arctic, advances in technology and expectations for a greater presence in the North have set the tone for what we must strive to become. The Canadian Coast Guard owns and operates the federal government’s civilian fleet, and provides key maritime services to Canadians. As a Special Operating Agency of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), the Canadian Coast Guard helps DFO meet its responsibility to ensure safe and accessible waterways for Canadians. The Canadian Coast Guard also plays a key role in ensuring the sustainable use and development of Canada’s oceans and waterways. The organization may have witnessed many changes to its structure, fleet, and people over the years, but the passion and heart to serve the citizens of Canada have been the same for the last five decades. The Canadian Coast Guard looks forward to celebrating this milestone with its employees, partners, and all Canadians. Fifty years marks a golden opportunity to commemorate a rich history, but it also marks a perfect opportunity to set the stage for the Canadian Coast Guard’s bright future.
——————————

Protecting our oceans and waterways. (click to enlarge)

In honour of the Coast Guard’s 50th Anniversary, I have created a brand new puzzle cache called Canadian Coast Guard: 50th Anniversary Cache (GC3WGV2). Clicking on the link right now will not show you the cache listing. The reason for this is that it isn’t published yet but should be in the next day or so. For all you pin collectors, there is a treat inside. Besides some other Coast Guard related swag, there are 5 Coast Guard 50th Anniversary pins. Be sure to only take one thing from the cache and please replace it with a sea-related item. The cache also contains 5 anniversary writing pens. The coordinates of the cache take you inside our base on the Southside Road in downtown St. John’s. Obviously, you can’t go there. So, simply answer the ten questions about the Coast Guard and you will find the real coordinates. I have even provided links to bring you to the webpages containing the answers. So be on the lookout for this cache.

The Canadian Coast Guard College in Sydney, NS. I am headed there this October. (click to enlarge)

There is also one more cache that was placed in honour of the Coast Guard’s heritage and legacy. It is located near the entrance of the Coast Guard College in Sydney, Nova Scotia. It is called An honoured past, a committed future (GC3HEKM) This cache is currently published and I can’t wait to hunt for it when I attend the college in October.

So, join me and the Canadian Coast Guard in celebrating 50 years of protecting our oceans and waterways. I, like many others who work there, are very proud to be a part of this great organization. For more information on the history of the Canadian Coast Guard, click here for a downloadable pdf.

Categories: General, Geocaching | Tags: , , , | 1 Comment

Blog at WordPress.com.