20,000 Geocaches Under the Sea

Note

This is a traditional cache hidden underwater, please read the Cache Overview and Handling the Cache sections before attempting to find it. Please take note of the listed attributes and the fact you need an unpowered watercraft (row boat, canoe, kayak, stand-up paddle board, or inflatable craft) under 18 feet and a personal flotation device (PFD) in order to retrieve the cache. You do not need to, or should you, leave your boat. This is a seasonal cache and is not recommended during periods of ice due to safety concerns and inability to access the container.

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO SWIM OR WADE TO THE CACHE.

Attempting to swim /wade to the cache is dangerous (the water depth is over your head) and may result in legal trouble. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas: A World Tour Underwater (French: Vingt mille lieues sous les mers: Tour du monde sous-marin) is a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne (1828 – 1905). The novel was originally serialized from March 1869 through June 1870 in Pierre-Jules Hetzel's fortnightly periodical, the Magasin d'éducation et de récréation. The novel edition was first adapted in November 1871, followed by 150 years of successive editions and adaptations on stage, radio, and film. The book was widely acclaimed on its release and remains so; it's regarded as one of the premiere adventure novels and one of Verne's greatest works. Along with Around the World in Eighty Days and Journey to the Center of the Earth, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea has earned Verne credit as one of the founders of the science fiction genre. While the novel is increasingly less circulated in the face of more futuristic works of science fiction, almost every person has heard of Captain Nemo and his submarine the Nautilus despite being first penned over 150 years ago.

Unfortunately, when first translated to English in 1873, there were numerous translation errors. In French, the title of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas: A World Tour Underwater became the English Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. The change from Seas to Sea has led many to believe the description of 20,000 Leagues refers to depth, when in fact it refers to the distance Captain Nemo traveled while circumnavigating the globe.

A free copy of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea can be downloaded here. Reading the book is not a requirement to find the cache.

Cache Overview

Parking and launching coordinates have been added for your convenience. The launching coordinates provide the best slope, but unfornately all of your options are rocky. Once in the water, proceed in your watercraft to the posted coordinates and begin your hunt. Regardless of where your GPS says GZ is, be prepared to search a small area around that point. Natural drift, possible degraded GPS accuracy, and how the cacher before you replaced the cache may alter the container's location in realtion to the actual GZ. One any given day, there may be one or more buoys in the water. These buoys have nothing to do with the cache and you should steer clear of them. The lake water is not potable.

You are looking for a container between the size of small and regular, at a depth of approximately 12 to 24 inches below the water. The container will be visible to the naked eye, but does require you to look for it. If you don’t have the ability to reach over the edge of your boat to that depth with your hand, then you will need to bring a “special tool” to provide the additional reach you need (hence the special tool attribute). The container has a loop to help with the retrieval. Physically retrieving the cache is not designed to be difficult, but will require some effort. If you can't reach the container, come back with a special tool; don't "abandon ship" to grab it. Careful handling and resetting the hide will ensure a good experience for the next cacher.

Handling the Cache

Once spotted, retrieve the container and bring it to the surface to sign the log. BYOP. A permanent anchor (actual GZ) moors the cache to the lake bed while a temporary anchor holds it at hide depth. While bringing the container to the surface; the temporary anchor will continue to exert pull on the anchor line, so keep a grip on it. Use the loop to secure the anchor line to your boat so the lid doesn't go back into the water and sink. The container can be pulled approximately 2 feet out of the water if you are over GZ. When you see a red paracord wrap on the anchor line, you are out of slack and need to stop pulling. If you continue to pull the anchor line past this marker, you will risk moving the anchor on the floor of the lake or capsizing your boat. Moving the anchor in this fashion will allow the cache to drift further from the posted coordinates and make it harder for the next cacher to find. If for some reason you need more slack, moving your boat closer to the mooring anchor will get you that slack. When finished with the container, please take a moment to make sure it is sealed properly. Note that certain weather conditions (high winds, thunder storms, etc) make handling the container too difficult and retrieving the cache unsafe; please come back another day.

When replacing the cache, hold the anchor line taunt and as straight up and down (not at an angle) in relation to the mooring anchor as best you can. Lower the container back into the water and let go, it will stop at the proper hide depth on its own. Following this procedure allows the cache to sink directly over the mooring anchor (actual GZ) and helps minimize coordinate accuracy problems for the next cacher.

There will likley be muggles about, so not drawing attention to yourself is appreciated. I know this is allot to read through, but it will be very inuitive when you handle the cache yourself. Take your time, think about your next move, be deliberate with the container, and be safe.

In theory, this may seem to be a simple hide concept; but it was actually quite diffiuclt to put in "right" and "fair." I hope you think this is a fun, interesting and different cache experience.

Good luck on your hunt Captain!

Additional Waypoints

018XN9W - Launch
N 38° 58.505 W 104° 42.932

P08XN9W - Parking
N 38° 58.475 W 104° 42.933