"They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters..."
The onset of World War II brought a demand for trained merchant marine officers that could not be met by the existing academy in Kings Point, NY. The government also wanted a training location on the Pacific coast. San Mateo County volunteered the use of Coyote Point, which was then unused. On June 25, 1942, 400 workers and their tools arrived on site. A mere 65 days later, they completed a facility with barracks for 336 cadet midshipmen, classrooms, gymnasium, a dock and other training equipment. Classes began immediately, while work on additional facilities continued.
Cadets trained as either engineering or deck (navigational) officers. Courses included signaling, radio, celestial navigation, steam and diesel propulsion and electricity. To these were added war-time necessities: gunnery, damage control, and self-rescue from sinking or burning ships. The end of the dock featured a 3-story high tower from which cadets would leap into the water below - this being about the deck height of a torpedoed and sinking freighter.. Over 4,000 cadets passed through the Coyote Point school during the course of WW II. While there are no specific records of their fates, the merchant marine suffered about 4% fatal casualties during the course of the war.
With the ending of the war, the site was redundant and reverted to the County. In 1947 the temporary buildings from the marine academy became the home of San Mateo Junior College. 'Temporary' lasted until 1963, when the school was renamed the College of San Mateo and moved to its current campus. The old buildings were then demolished, except the Commandant's quarters which remain as a county training facility called the "Captain's House".
Other traces of the merchant marine can be found if you know where to look: The training mast from the school is now the flag pole for the harbor. A memorial to those who trained here and died in the war is located on the bluff near the current museum. (See extra waypoints.) The dock and diving platform were removed and replaced with a breakwater for the yacht basin.
The cache is a pill bottle in a common hide style. The location can be muggle-infested on weekends; please be stealthy. It is within Coyote Point Park - an access fee is charged on weekends and during the summer. You can avoid this by parking at either Harbor View or Ryder Park to the south and walking or biking up the Bay Trail.