Unless you can broad jump 30 feet or take fishing waders, you will get wet. But unless you decide to try within 24 hours of heavy rain, fording the stream should not get you wet above the waist, or with the correct approach the stream depth should be 18” or less where the current is faster. Are you willing to get wet to log this cache!
This cache was partly inspired by Lynn of CCCooper Agency who though nothing of fording White Clay Creek in late March (45-50 deg F water) to quickly get to caches in the park. (I preferred the much longer route using Chambers Rock Road bridge). By early May the water will be above 60 degrees and stay warm until October, so enjoy.
The cache was an ammo container stocked with fancy sea shells. attached to a large tree so it doesn’t float down stream when high water occurs. It had survied many years and many floods when it was underwater. Finally either a flood or fisherman-muggle got to the cache.
In mid April trout seasons starts and the park is packed with fisherman, but after the initial 2-3 weeks, the park returns to normal.
This site is located in White Clay Creek State Park. Between March 1 and November 31 there is a park entrance parking fee of $3 per car or $6 if you don't have a Delaware tag. Best place to park is at the lot on Chambers Rock Road, or at the Nature Center off Hopkins Road.
If you want to check out the White Clay Creek water flows, go to:
Stream gage
less than 100 CFS (cubic feet per second) is only 18" deep
170 CFS ia bout 2 feet deep
400 CFS is about 3 feet deep and swift
1,000 CFS is deep, swift, and dangerous
more than 4,000 cfs use whitewater raft and scuba gear, its a 10 terrain rating then
Update 7-23-09 Cache went missing (suprised me that it survived 6 years in flood plain) and has been replaced. Over the years the stream has changed and now the island is only surrounded by water during high flows. Come in from the west on trail that gets you to within 100 feet and requires crossing the stream, or come in from the east (dry route but a very bad thorn infested bushwhack--dont try this way in the summer.
Update 7/28/12 The cache is now a green bison tube that is hopefully above what any flood will reach. I crossed creek and water was not more than knee high
Update 2014: Cache is now temporary film can on the ground.