Mike's Geocaching Blog

Sunday, July 18, 2010

FTF in the South Slough

And the number of new kayaking caches increases! Emeljay put out two new caches in the Bay Area’s South Slough and today was a great match of tides and getting off work. Put in at Charleston public dock and made great time southward due to the typical afternoon winds. Of course, in the back of my mind I’m thinking about the work involved for the return trip. But the lure of FTF pulled me further up the slough - I was not in control! MUST…CONTINUE!

Found both caches fairly quickly but it was time to get back to Charleston. I rounded the back side of Valino Island and bore into the wind and chop. It seemed for thirty minutes I was making very slow progress. I hugged the shore around Crown Point then headed across open channel for what seemed like an hour before reaching the calmer waters near my put-in. Looked at the time - what? an hour to get back? That’s what it took getting to my turnaround point! That was a surprise.

Paddle Track

Nearly four mile paddle after work, two FTF caches…..sweet! I’m hungry for dinner now!!

Saturday, July 17, 2010

March of the Ents - Wrap Up!

Only three caches away from 3600 - only three caches in the March of the Ent series left to find - hmmmmm,  wonder where I’ll go caching today…........

This strategy worked out nicely today. Love matching a milestone opportunity with a cache hunt to the top of a mountain. It was a bit breezy but quite enjoyable hike to the top of Arago Peak.

Sunday, July 11, 2010

The Joy of Caching by Mackie

Mackie put out two caches way up on a ridge top that will only be reached by paddling across Eel Lake then bushwhacking up through a newer clearcut to a main ridge top separating the two arms of the lake…..unless you have keys to the gates, then you could just drive to them! These caches have been on my radar for quite some time and today I determined to clear them off…..hopefully.

After a short and calm paddle across the lake I found Bad Duck’s new cache, Clearly a Cut below, then spotted a very nice exit location to start my hike up the hill. Once ashore I put on the hiking boots and headed up a fairly decent game trail. Huffed and puffed my way to Clearly a Cut above cache only to find the hiding spot devoid of any container! Nooooooooo, I thought…..All the way up here and it’s gone?! Thankfully, I poked around some more and found that it had been moved slightly! Sweet! Then a ridge top walk to the north to get The Joy of Caching which was found quickly. While walking the ridge top road I came across a bear carcass with claws still intact! Kicking myself now for not bringing it back - those claws would have made a great necklace, yes?

On the return trip down the slope to my kayak I came across a nighthawk nest with two eggs. the adult guarding the nest flew off feigning a broken wing hoping to lure me away from the nest. Very cool stuff.

I also placed two caches on the lake today - come and get ‘em!