Cabot Head History Multi-Cache
hikerboy: This one has had a long run, thanks to all the cachers who made the trek out to this unique spot on the Bruce Peninsula.
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Difficulty:
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Size: 
(regular)
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A 5 stage multi-cache to learn some history of Cabot Head Lightstation, restored by the Friends of Cabot Head, a jewel of the Bruce Peninsula. To get there, take Dyer's Bay Road off Hwy 6, drive through (slowly please!) the hamlet of Dyer's Bay, then follow the shore road for 8 km to its terminus at Cabot Head. The lighthouse is open from 10-7, every day from Victoria Day to (Canadian) Thanksgiving.
Once you get out to the lightstation, the whole thing should take an hour or less but plan to stay for a while and enjoy the beauty!
FIRST FINDER gets a Cabot Head Lightstation keychain. There is a Cabot Head historical postcard in the container for each cacher who finds it (please take only one).
Proceed to waypoint 1. You will find a historical plaque. In what YEAR did Wingfield survey the bay (aka Basin) which now bears his name? __ __ __ __
If you happen to know the name of a living geocacher who was involved in a much more recent hydrographic survey of Wingfield Basin, you can now skip to "SHORT CUT", below.
Next head back toward the lighthouse to waypoint 2. From this plaque take note of the YEAR these two ships went down: Kincardine __ __ __ __ and Gargantua __ __ __ __.
At waypoint 3 you will find a plaque describing storm baskets. In what YEAR was the storm tower erected at Cabot Head? __ __ __ __
At waypoint 4 you will find a plaque describing the old fog plant. In what YEAR was the diaphone installed? __ __ __ __
Close to waypoint 4 you will also see a memorial to a much more recent tragedy on these waters. The memorial is not connected with this multi-cache.
Waypoint 5 will take you to the lighthouse, where there are two plaques on the outside. What YEAR was Harry Boyle's last year as lightkeeper? __ __ __ __ In what YEAR was the lantern at Cabot Head first lit? __ __ __ __
Go in lighthouse. The lower level has historical artifacts. The second level has a scale model of the lighthouse in its original form. The third level houses the second to last light beacon. The answers to the final questions are found on the small red information plaques found on the top (fourth) level.
Height in FEET of Bentley Bluff: __ __ __
How many FEET is Georgian Bay above MSL: __ __ __
How many MILES away is Cape Croker - multiply this number by 2 to get: __ __
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SHORTCUT
If you know the username of the geocacher who was involved in surveying Wingfield Basin, take each alphbetical character in that username and convert it to a number where a=1, b=2, c=3 (etc) then add ALL characters in the username and multiply by 100 to get: __ __ __ __
Then go to the hydrographic survey monument found at waypoint 6. It has 7 numbers. Take note of the first FOUR numbers: __ __ __ __
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CALCULATE THE FINAL
Add up your 10 numbers (or 3 numbers if using shortcut) then divide by 1000 to get: __ __ . __ __ __
SUBTRACT it from 45° 28.956'
ADD it to 81° 3.208'
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CAUTIONS
Poison Ivy is prevalent all over the Bruce Peninsula, perhaps nowhere more so than Cabot Head. There is a sign that says POISON IVY along the right side of path from parking to the lighthouse. Look around the base of the sign and take note what this plant looks like!
It is possible you will see snakes (especially if you visit in the morning when they are out warming up on rocks and paths). If you see one, look at the tail... if it's pointy then it's not a rattler. You unlikely to see a rattlesnake as they are generally reclusive.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Qba'g znxr vg uneq ba lbhefrys.
Treasures
You'll collect a digital Treasure from one of these collections when you find and log this geocache:
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