Anchors Aweigh! Multi-Cache
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This is a multicache that will take you to four places in Manitowoc that have ship’s anchors on display. There is a distance of approximately 2 miles from beginning to end along paved city streets and along the Mariners Trail for short distance. It makes a nice bicycle ride through Manitowoc or can be accomplished via moped or car. The final is a micro - so please bring a pen!
There are many different types of anchors that were used on ships and boats. These anchors are classified according to their shape and size. There are three different types of anchors on display in Manitowoc. You will see each of these on this tour and learn a bit about anchor nomenclature.
The coordinates for the first anchor are:
44 05.331
087 39.770
This anchor was donated to the city by the Erich Pitz of the McMullen and Pitz Company. It is a folding stock anchor, meaning that the stock (the long arm that is bent on one end) can be slid through the shank and collapsed to make it easier to stow the anchor aboard a ship. A small pin keeps the stock from sliding through the shank when the anchor is in use. Anchors like these were common on Great Lakes ships from 1850 to 1900.
Look closely at this anchor and you will see a four digit number stamped into the anchor’s crown (the area where the arms meet the shank). This number indicates the anchor’s weight in pounds. Subtract 515 from the anchor’s weight to decipher the coordinates to the second anchor.
44 05.ABC
087 39.499
The first anchor’s weight – 515 = ABC
The second anchor is also an iron folding stock anchor, but it is somewhat larger than the first. There is no weight stamped into this anchor’s crown, but it has an eye clamped to the shank that was used to lift, or haul, the anchor over the side of the ship to drop it into the water.
From this anchor, you can see small Roman numeral depth markings on the bridge piling north of the anchor. Use the uppermost Roman numeral to decipher the coordinates to the third anchor (don't use the large bridge clearance numbers).
44 06.1FE
087 3D.F0E
D = Uppermost roman numeral on bridge piling + 2
E = D – 1
F = E + 2
This third anchor was also donated by Erich Pitz and is much like the first two anchors, but if you look closely you will see that the stock is not original, but was added to the anchor to make it look complete. There is also a length of anchor chain still attached to this anchor. Anchor chains used a special type of chain link, or studded links. The stud is the cross piece within each link and makes the chain stronger. Anchor chains were also made from “shots” of chain. Each shot was 90 feet in length and was painted with special marking so a sailor could tell how many feet of anchor chain he was paying out. Use the markings on the anchor to decipher the coordinates to the final waypoint.
44 HI.IJ7
087 G9.I7I
Maco _ _ _ _ _ = Markings found on the anchor
G H I J K
There are several anchors on display on both the east and west sides of the building at the final location. Four anchors are iron folding stock anchors, but two of these anchors are much smaller than the others. The two smaller anchors are called kedge anchors. Kedge anchors are similar to the folding stock anchors you have seen so far, except they are much smaller and weigh less. Kedge anchors were used to help maneuver a ship in a harbor where a large anchor was too difficult to handle. During the nineteenth century, Lake Michigan sailing ships typically carried three anchors – two large anchors that were used to anchor a ship offshore, and a kedge anchor for maneuvering in harbors.
There is one anchor at this location that is unlike the others. This is a Navy stockless anchor. Navy stockless anchors were more common on steel-hulled ships and were rarely used on wooden ships. Because they do not have a stock, they do not have to be hauled onto the deck of a ship to be stowed. Instead, they were simply pulled into a ship’s hawse pipe (the pipe where the anchor chain enters the ship’s hull). This anchor does have a weight stamped on top - you can see it weighs much less than the first anchor!
Thank you to Erich Pitz for donating the anchors and for permission to place this cache!
This cache was placed as a partnership with Wisconsin Historical Society and Wisconsin Maritime Museum. We hope you enjoyed learning about anchors around Manitowoc. To learn more about Wisconsin’s maritime heritage please visit our other geocaches in the Manitowoc / Two Rivers area and throughout the state, or visit wisconsinshipwrecks.org and maritimetrails.org!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Uvag: Ybbx sbe n ghor arne gur 200 cbhaq napube.
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