GC14AFB Kelp forests of Avalon (Traditional Cache) in Arizona, United States created by flgAZ

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GC14AFB ▼

A cache by flgAZ Message this owner

Hidden : 7/21/2007

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: small (small)

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Geocache Description:

Hiking here I was struck by how similar this part of the Coconino forest has the same structure in the vegetation as what I see while scuba diving the kelp forests near the channel islands off of the coast of Los Angeles California.

Both plants employ the same strategy of expending most of its energy growing tall the reach the most sunlight. Where the Ponderosa pine make cellulose which makes a sturdy trunk where it can stand tall under it's own weight. Kelp employ a different structure. It is like a vine but very strong to withstand the forces of the water around it. It's structure is somewhat like celery, very hard to break by pulling it, but you can "snap" it easily. To get to the sunlight on the surface the kelp have pneumatocysts, or gas-filled bladders , usually located at the base of its fronds that float the plant upright in the water column.
Scuba diving one can control your buoyancy and go up or down at will. Walking on land I really couldn't go everywhere I wanted, so to place the cache I fashioned a tool to place it. I left the tool nearby it you would like to use it.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

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)