OMAX - Ottawa's Canal (Bridges)
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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The Cache is not at the posted co-ordinates
This cache has been placed for Cache-O-Max. Please refrain from looking for it until 6 AM on Saturday, 2 May, 2009
This cache will take you from Elgin & Wellington to the Dow's Lake area.
The Stamp is a part of this cache - Please do not remove it!
As Ottawa is built on so many waterways, bridges are an important part of all of our lives. This is particularly true of people who live between the Rideau River and the Rideau Canal. Were it not for bridges, we would all either have to invest in small boats, or else be imprisoned on the island until winter. Bridges are a very important part of our day to day lives, and yet they're something that we often take for granted. Hopefully, in taking this walk along the canal, you will have the opportunity to learn a little bit about the bridges that span the Canal, from downtown to Dow's Lake!
You do not need to go to the posted co-ordinates, but I would recommend going to the general area.
Looking south, you should notice a series of Canadian Flags. To the left of these is a plaque commemorating the northernmost bridge across the Canal. You will need five dates off of this plaque
In which years were the three bridges in this spot built? (Sapper's Bridge - 1827, Dufferin Bridge - 1873, Plaza Bridge - 1912) What is the most prominent date on the plaque? (2000) In what year did Public works and services divest this bridge to the region of Ottawa-Carleton? (1997)
Now that you have the information from this first bridge, you will have to visit each of the Canal bridges between here and Dow's lake.
Once you have found the plaque for the second bridge, take note of the year of it's rehabilitation.
As you cross the third Canal bridge, you might very well walk very near to the first cache that I ever found. You might have used the plaque that you will need for this cache, while you found the other. There is a plaque on either side of the bridge, so take your pick! once you find the plaque, take note of the most prominent date on the plaque, the year that the bridge was built, and the number of arches that were added. It was here, that Theodore and Maria used to meet.
Shortly after leaving the last bridge, you will come upon the Canal's newest span. Named for the village that the builders of the Canal founded, this bridge is only a couple of years old, despite century old attempts to create a crossing here. What is the earliest date on this plaque? In which year was this bridge opened?
Continuing along the Canal, you will eventually come upon one of the two bridges in this stretch of Canal that currently does not have a plaque. While you walk under the bridge, count the number of pillars, and the number of parallel beams that are under the bridge.
Less than a minute later, you will come upon yet another bridge. This ornate raising bridge has a plaque that is used as a part of one of my (& Smork's) other caches. There are two dates on this plaque - You will need both.
Some time later, you will come across the last bridge in this stretch of Canal to boast a similar plaque. In which year was the bridge here built? When was it rehabilitated?
Once you get to the last bridge, mark a waypoint, and adjust it to N45 xx.x49 W075 xx.x72.
By this time, you should have collected a total of 17 numbers. Add them together to get a five digit number. Add 5138 to this number, in order to get a number in the form ABCDE.
The cache is located 0.AB Miles away from the waypoint that you marked at the last bridge, along a bearing of CDE.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Unatvat sebz n cbfg, va gur fgbhgrfg bs gur guerr gerrf