Kayak/Canoe Launch- Pratt Cove Preserve Mystery Cache
Kayak/Canoe Launch- Pratt Cove Preserve
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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From Main Street in Deep River, follow Essex Street for about a mile until you get to the bridge. The listed coordinates are for the launch and parking. The terrain rating is actually closer to a 2 for most of the trail, but degrades in the area of the cache. I averaged the readings and got down to 15 foot accuracy and bounce wasn’t too bad at the time.
Another in a series of launch site caches started by my good friend Wingit. This is my favorite place to go for a quick paddle when I just need to “get away from it all.” It is part of the Connecticut River Estuary Canoe/Kayak Trail system, partially funded by the Long Island Sound License Plate Program. Trail maps have been available at North Cove Outfitters in the past.
If you go left after putting in, you can explore the marshy area of Pratt Cove for a few minutes, depending on the tide. The main kayak trail takes you under the bridge (tight squeeze at high tide!), through a winding channel, past a marina and out into the Connecticut River, just south of Eustasia Island. If you’re lucky, you will hear and see the Essex Steam Train chugging along the cove. After a quick five-minute paddle easterly along the shoreline you can enter Post Cove, another quiet retreat from the sometimes-busy river. Both locations offer many opportunities for wildlife viewing; I have seen heron, egrets, osprey, swans, ducks, and beaver. You can do a round trip in about one hour.
When looking for hiding opportunities in the vicinity of this launch, I happened to follow a trail that goes through the preserve (owned by the Nature Conservancy) and was surprised to find what appears to be an old quarry in the woods. Doing some research, I discovered that there had been as many as nine quarries in Fountain Hill Cemetery and the surrounding area. The cemetery is actually quite close- just across the cove abutting the Valley Railroad tracks.
So, to find the cache you must do a little research and math yourself at the launch site. Find out how many acres of tidal marsh Pratt and Post Coves include. Then subtract this number from 1024 to get the last three north coordinate numbers. Next, find out in what year the Connecticut River was designated one of 14 “American Heritage Rivers” and subtract this number from 2547 to get the last three west coordinate numbers. You will be looking for a large plastic container stuffed with goodies and a Dunkin’ Donuts card FTF prize. Please rehide as you found it (or better!). Bring your kayak or canoe and enjoy this beautiful area.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Orgjrra 2 ynetr obhyqref
Treasures
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