Kearney Pirate’s Treasure Traditional Geocache

This cache has been archived.

Heartland Cacher: ARCHIVING "Kearney Pirate’s Treasure"

Greetings Still Searching,

It has been a while since I first looked at (Kearney Pirate’s Treasure). I cant find any recent responses about maintaining this cache so it will be archived and removed from the active cache listings.

When you have repaired this cache, drop me a line and I can review it again for listing on the geocaching.com site.

If you don't care to continue on with this project, please remove any remaining cache bits from the area.

Thanks for your understanding,
Heartland Cacher,
Your friendly Geocaching.com reviewer.

[RED]NOTE: do not select reply in your e-mail program if you wish to respond to this message from the geocaching.com mail bot. Go to your cache page and e-mail Heartland Cacher from the log there or email me at HeartlandCacher@gmail.com , referencing the cache URL's, or waypoint numbers. [/red]

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Hidden : 3/23/2005
Difficulty:
4 out of 5
Terrain:
5 out of 5

Size: Size: regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

It is very easy to get to a parking spot for this cache. Actually you can park within 400 feet of this cache but that is where this one begins to get difficult. This cache is in the water. No swimming is allowed in this lake but small boats are. The cache is about two feet below the surface of the water. All you have to do is remove it from the clip and it will float up the rest of the way. The rope has a float on it so it souldn't sink when the container is removed.

I have put a 2005 USA geocoin in this cache as a first to find prize. Please be sure to get this container sealed up well but not too tight on the cap. I would also like to thank Contryguy for helping out with this one.

I really don’t have a good story or reason why I placed this cache here. This just seemed like the right time and place to put it. Most cache spots seem to have an interesting location, a bit of history, or some type of legend behind them. With this cache it is the method of retrieval that makes it a bit different from others in the area. This is a difficult thing to convey in a cache description so I am choosing to start my own legend about this location. As with most legends this one will be a wild story, a bit unbelievable also. This is my first attempt at a cache like this as well as creating my own legend. I hope this will add up to a memorable experience.


With the discovery of gold in the Black Hills in 1874 came a seemingly unquenchable desire for gold on the eastern coast of this country. This was located in a new and unfamiliar part of the country but the chance for adventure and unbelievable wealth quickly changed all of that. People quickly came to the Black Hills and gold was quickly gathered up and loaded into freight wagons for the long and dangerous trip back east. Traveling with a wagon full of gold was a very slow and dangerous journey. This was a risk most were willing to take.

Carl Pennypacker had just arrived onto the shores of this country with his pockets full of money looking to make his own fortune for himself as well as the many people across the Atlantic whose money he also carried. After a long journey by boat to this great new country he headed to the nearest tavern as soon as his feet hit the gangplank. Here is where he first heard the tales of gold that was being hauled across the plains by the wagonload. He was eager to learn as much as he could about the entire process. From getting the gold out of the small mountain streams to the long and slow wagon journey across the plains. Here is where he came to realize he had an opportunity to make a fortune for himself as well as fulfill his obligation to his investors. He would have the gold taken to the nearby Platte River by wagon and then load it onto his awaiting schooner to quickly sail it eastward down the river and into the hands of the greedy buyers of this mineral back on the east coast.

He quickly put together a crew for this new adventure and the story of his intentions quickly spread up and down the coast. This is probably where the famous pirate, Grey Beard and his first mate Ventureman probably heard of his unbelievable plan and came up with a plan of their own.

The now known as Captain Pennypacker proudly examined the ship his crew had put together floating in the Platte. Back at the turn of the century this river actually had water in it. He then named this magnificent ship the Challenger. They set sail westward to buy cheap gold. Little did the inexperienced Captain Pennypacker know that Captain Grey Beard and First Mate Ventureman along with their crew had a ship of their own called The Shadow waiting downstream to intercept the Challenger on its return, when the belly of this ship would be full of treasure.

The fatal mistake Captain Pennypacker made, some say driven by gold fever, was removing all of his cannons to make room for gold aboard the ship. He didn’t realize just how big of a mistake this was until he had passed by Fort Kearney on his return trip. As he approached the spot known as Bassway Strip he encountered the Shadow. The Shadow fired upon them and Captain Pennypacker had nothing more than a pistol to defend his ship. His only option was to try and outrun the Shadow. He quickly found himself making a poor maneuver and trapping himself in Bassway Strip. He chose to defend his ship to the end. He had put every cent of his and his investors into the ship and cargo. If this were lost his investors would surely take his life so he had no choice. He held off the pirates for a few hours but the pirate’s patience was wearing thin. They fired a volley of cannon fire at the Challenger and it went down. The cargo, crew, and captain were all lost. Soldiers from the nearby fort arrived after hearing the battle and quickly sank the Shadow.
Some believe part of the Shadows crew escaped to come back later and retrieve part of their ill-gotten goods. As the story goes the pirates then settled in the area and began making what appeared to be an honest living. As time and several generations passed by the pirate in these people faded away and they became a very generous and giving people. It is rumored the descendants of the Platte River Pirates wander the nearby area placing the remains of the original lost treasure in geocaches for others to find. Some say a lot of the treasure lays at the bottom of the lake. You will have to find this part out for yourself.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Gur pbagnvare vf cnvagrq terra fb ybbx sbe gur fvyire onaq.

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)


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