Olifantsbos Submarine Lookout Traditional Cache
SawaSawa: Enforced archive due to the most unfortunate and regrettable blanket ban on Cape Point caches
Olifantsbos Submarine Lookout
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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A short hike and easy rock scramble to a great viewpoint overlooking Olifants Point in the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve.
The cache can be done as a stand alone or as part of either of two excellent circular walks, the Thomas T Tucker Shipwreck Trail or the Sirkelsvlei Circular Route.
The latter is also the route which passes two other highly recommended caches, Sirkelsvlei (GC20357) and Koggelman Arch (GC203C3).
According to the notes on Peter Slingsby’s definitive Cape Point map elephants were last seen in the Cape Peninsula back in 1620! It is thought that the name ‘Oliphantsbosch’ was given by passing sailors who thought that the round-topped kreupelhout (Grey Tree Pincushion – a species of Protea) and Mimetes (another Protea species) trees were grazing elephants. There are many neglected graves in the area left from the tiny fishing settlement that was here in the 18th and 19th centuries. One of these graves is the location of the nearby Tombstone Gulch cache (GC3E5D).
The submarine lookout (Fortress Observation Point) "Bosch" built in 1941 was part of the naval defence system installed in various locations around the Cape Peninsula to protect the vital coastal route for allied shipping during World War II. It would be interesting to know whether anyone was on duty (and looking out) when the Thomas T Tucker ran aground on its maiden voyage just over 1km away at Olifants Point (admittedly during heavy fog) on 27 November 1942.
There are three ruined structures at the site. One seems to have been an accommodation block, the other a lookout and the third smaller square hollow block with an entry from the top and no windows (?).
To reach the cache:
Park at or near S 34 15.537 E 18 22.928. Walk back approx 100m to the trail head at S 34 15.595 E 18 23.006. Follow the trail upwards to a junction at S 34 15.659 E 18 23.093 taking the right fork upwards.
Continue to S 34 15.838 E 18 23.203 as the trail passes the ruins on your right. Look for a faint trail heading towards the ruins from here and follow this to the steps of the first building (accommodation block). Continue around the right corner of this building and head for the main lookout at S 34 15.868 E 18 23.140 with a rusted door lying on the ground on its east side.
After ‘looking out’ head around to the southern side of the lookout and either scramble down and then up again over the rocks with the white beacon and then down the gap before the smaller square structure or pass down the small ‘valley’ to the west of the beacon rocks.
Your objective is the square concrete post at S 34 15.907 E 18 23.133 visible in the distance to the south on the edge of the cliffs. Find any convenient route through the bush and around/over the rocks.
Do LOOK-OUT for the rusty strands of barbed wire around the site and particularly at S 34 15.890 E 18 23.138 which will probably be en (your) route.
Having reached the square post look-out (and temporary seat!) and admired the stunning view down to Olifantsbos Cottage (available for rental) and over Olifants Point and the site of numerous ship-wrecks, the cache, a small cylindrical camo-container containing some small geoswag items, can be found at S 34 15.906 E 18 23.134 under a large triangular rock a few metres East of the post.
Make your way back to the main trail and either a) head back to your car the way you came (15 minutes) or b) turn right (SE) and continue along the trail to either complete the Thomas T Tucker circular trail (approx 2.5 hours total) returning along the beach or to do the Sirkelsvlei Circular Route (approx 3 hours total and one of the best trails in the Reserve which takes in two additional caches).
If you decide on either of the latter a signpost at the trail junction at S 34 16.163 E 18 23.542 will direct you accordingly, although the choice will be pretty obvious.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Uvqqra oruvaq gjb ynetr ebpxf jrqtrq vagb gur perivpr
Treasures
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