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Weir is it #4 / The canal Traditional Geocache

This cache has been archived.

uncle_crispy: I don't think I'll be fixing this one

sorry for the delay everyone

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Hidden : 6/4/2009
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size:   small (small)

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Geocache Description:

More river history!

Fifth in a series.

In the 40s / early 50s, the coal silt was dredged from the river and put into "impound basins" near the banks of the river. Some of these basins are 100+ acres; check out Black Rock Santuary near Phoenixville or Heuser Park in Upper Merion as prime examples turned into parkland.

In this case, the nearby navigation canal was used as an impound basin. If you go to the nearby cache "Dog Leg Canal" you'll see that the canal ends there now. It used to continue on, then eventually flow into the Schuylkill with a lock that I think could have been as far away as N 40 07.455 W075 27.635 (almost a mile from here).

These impound basins feature a very large concrete "weir" that was used to drain the basin as it filled. The weir is at N 40 07.729 W075 28.662, over the wall of the impound basin. You don't need to go to the weir.

Approach this cache using the Schuylkill River bike trail. The large earthen wall to the North is part of the wall of the basin. The weir is inside. The basin itself appears to be private property (but is not posted here); you can get a view of the basin at N 40 07.684 W075 28.772 if you're really curious. That climb would be a slippery 3.5/4 terrain with lots of poison ivy around.

This cache is placed very near the drainage outflow from the weir into the river. Please note the terrain rating and don't wander into weeds that you don't have to do.

The cache is hidden under a fake rock.

Thanks to Polaris1000 for the suggestion and even giving me coordinates! Cache on!

There seems to be a snake nearby. Hypertufa makes excellent shelters for snakes and toads. Please be nice to whatever you encounter!

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Gjb srrg sebz ovxr cngu naq jngre sybj, gbjneqf Fpuhlyxvyy

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)