The Minesing Swamp EarthCache
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-- THIS IS AN EARTHCACHE, READ BELOW FOR LOGGING REQUIREMENTS --
Minesing Swamp is the largest remaining intact wetland in southern Ontario. The Swamp's unique hydrology provides for an interconnected network of swamps, fens, bogs and marshes.
This RAMSAR Wetland of international importance, is located 120 km north of Toronto Canada. The reservoir like Hydrology of the area has made it essential to the areas ecosystems and downstream villages, and has made it a Class 1 wetland. This wetland extends to Wasaga Beach in the North, and contributes to the beautiful sand beaches, and unusually warm waters.
Attempts at colonization and agriculture in the area always ended in slow disaster as the spring floods will often cover the land in up to 7 feet of water. Logging and Agricultural practices often resulted in the destruction of villages downstream from extremely high floodwaters. Just north of the coordinates you will find a village that has been long abandoned by people trying to tame the river.
The swamp is the northernmost reach of Carolinian forest, something you will not find anywhere else within 300 kilometers. The fen grounds in the eastern edge of the swamp resembles of mid-canadian Muskeg, or the hudson bay shorelines of Ontario, and act as one of the largest deer wintering grounds in the province. The swamp hosts the one of the largest Blue Heron rookeries in the province as well, and one of only 2 places where walleye are known to spawn on land. The diversity of microclimates, and abundance of flora and fauna in the area is simply astounding!
The soil in the area also seems out of place, with sandy beaches, and grainy sand based forests. There are many rare and endangered plants and animals in the swamp, some of which are only found here. Birds that are typically found much further south have made this area home such as egrets, and Baltimore orioles, which are quite common here, but almost never seen anywhere else nearby.
How to get here:
The "old McKinnon Road" theoretically extends north from N 44° 21.446 W 79° 53.105 all the way to the bridge, but I would recommend parking on dry land and walking or biking in. A Canoe Route is the route that I prefer to take into this area, which is detailed in this waymark (WMMXY)
To log this EarthCache: At the coordinates above there is a bridge from a ghost town. From the Bridge, Determine the depth of the middle of the river, and place the measurement in the found log (this will change as the seasons do). Remember to bring a rope with a weight attached to it, or some other measuring device - You will not be able to do this with sticks!
TO LOG THIS FIND HAVE A PICTURE OF YOUR PARTY AT THE BRIDGE, AND THE DEPTH OF THE RIVER IN YOUR LOG
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Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
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Treasures
You'll collect a digital Treasure from one of these collections when you find and log this geocache:
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