Hudson Highlands Gorge EarthCache
New York Admin: Apparently the cache owner's email doesn't work because he/she does not respond to adoption request frome geoaware. With no owner I'm going to go ahead and archive this earthcache. If the owner resurfaces he/she will have to work out issues with geoaware .
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The earthcache is accessible by kayak or powerboat on the Hudson River in the Hudson Highlands of SE NY. The total elevation gain will range from 0 to 1 meter, depending on the tide stage :-), but wind and current can significantly affect effort.
The rugged landscape of the Hudson Highlands, only 60 km (37 mi) north of New York City, is developed on very old (Precambrian) and very resistant metamorphic rocks. These rocks are estimated to be between 1.1 and 1.3 billion years old, deformed along with the rocks of the Adirondack Mountains during the Grenville Orogeny. The narrow and winding course of the Hudson in this area is fascinating, especially considering the fact that the river is actually an estuary here, having already reached sea level at Newburgh, NY, several miles to the north. The river is significantly wider, and the shorelines more gently sloping, both north and south of the Highlands.
This interesting geomorphology played a significant role in the outcome of the Revolutionary War, where just south of the present day Bear Mt. Bridge (just north of here), the colonial forces built a chain floating on large logs across the Hudson to halt the advance of the British fleet into the interior of the territory. Several forts were built along the river in the highlands (the US Military Academy at West Point is just around the bend in the river north of here), and communications were accomplished by a series of signal fires at the tops of the peaks along the river. The names of the town of Beacon and Beacon Mountain just north of here recall that history.
This cache is in the middle of the Hudson River. To claim the cache find the navigation aid at the northern end of Iona Island (NW of the cache). Describe the appearance and location of the aid and tell me what the significance of the aid is.
Just south of here, the river turns sharply to the SW to run for 3.5 km along the Ramapo Fault (which forms the southern boundary of the Hudson Highlands) before turning again to the SE on its way to the Atlantic Ocean.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Znxr fher lbh ner jryy cercnerq naq dhnyvsvrq gb ivfvg guvf pnpur. Purpx gvqr naq pheerag gnoyrf, jrngure sberpnfg, naq sbyybj nyy ehyrf, erthyngvbaf, naq pbzzba frafr thvqryvarf sbe fnsr xnlnxvat/obngvat. Gurer vf n tbbq chg va gur rnfgrea fuber ng gur zbhgu bs Naafivyyr Perrx. (yng A 41º 17.8465' ybat J 73º 56.2847')