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Damariscotta Mills Fish Ladder Traditional Cache

This cache has been archived.

MainePublisher: This cache page has been archived due to trespassing issues. Please understand that adequate permission is required for all caches. If the issues are resolved later, please let me know and I will be happy to initiate another review.

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MainePublisher
geocaching.com volunteer reviewer

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Hidden : 10/1/2007
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size:   regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

Ever seen fish climb a ladder?

The Damariscotta Mills Fish ladder dates back to 1807. It was created to aid as well as harvest the small fish, alewives, as they migrated upstream from Salt Bay to Damariscotta Lake. It was so important that early townspeople provided a bushel of alewives to every widow. In 1993 an eight year restoration began resulting in what you can see now. Between Mothers day and Labor day the fish return to this small river and try to swim upstream to spawn. In the early years these fish were an important food source for the local people and the harvesting machinery is still in place and interesting. I suggest parking at the smokehouse at N 44 03.640, W 69 31.540. This is the bottom of the fish ladder where the harvesting equipment is located. Take the .2 mile walk up the fish ladder and past a few houses to the lake and the cache location. It gets a 2 terrain only for a short and narrow walk across the top of a small dam. There is a place to park much closer but you'll miss the fish ladder. Of course the most interesting time to come is during the run. Can't comment on parking or the muggles at that time but it seems like both would be problems.

Cache is a Loc n Loc hidden at the base of a rock near the biggest pine tree on this little island. Has some swag as well as a FTF buck which may have a different cache name as this cache was originally intended for a different location but this one is much better.

Definitely not winter friendly so plan on above freezing weather. Daylight hours only.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

onfr bs n ebpx arne gur ovttrfg cvar gerr ba guvf yvggyr vfynaq

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)