The Knights of Malta, who were not true knights in the medieval
sense but were a religious group also known as the Order of St.
John of Jerusalem, were one of the seven flags flown over St.
Croix. Cotton was one of the many crops they cultivate. For some
time St. Croix was one of the wealthiest islands in the West
Indies. The prosperity was due greatly to sugar cultivation, rum
production and slave labor. St. Croix's economy existed through
trade. The island exported five commodities; sugar, rum, cotton,
molasses and hard woods and imported almost everything it
needed.
You will be entering into an area where cotton was king, Estate
Cotton Valley. This is the drier side of St. Croix however, between
August and April the hills are flush with green. If you venture
further east to Point Udall, you will be greeted by the Giant
Saguaro Cactus scattered through out the furtherest eastern hills
in the United States and more Geocaches.
Take a rest on your way east and look around, have a bit to eat.
If you are early enough you might see a few race horses being taken
to the sea for their morning swim or being exercised in the field
near by. You know you are near if you see a field of goats
meandering around in one of many pastures on the Estate.
Be very careful of muggles around the area doing the day. This
is a popular place for locals on the way to beautiful beaches alone
the eastern and southern shores of St. Croix.
The original cache started off as a small tube with the initial
items listed below:
Dr. Evil! Travel Bug all the way from
California.
Little rubber fish from
California
Log Sheet to sign
Sharpie Pen (the log sheet is seal in
a plastic)
The new cache is a micro cache that has a tiny log and that is
it. So, bring a pen to sign the log. DO NOT GO IN THE BACK OF THE
STORE. IT IS NOT THERE.
If you see someone looking at you from the second floor, give
them a thumbs up... they knows what you are doing, but they will
not tell you anything, not even a hint. While there, go say hello
to the owners of the place. They would appreciate your
business.
Congratulations deenafrog for
being the FTF of the original "Smokey's Gazebo Tube".
There have been a few hunters that have rambled around in the
store, even looking behind rum bottles and stocked can foods.
THE CACHE IS NOT INSIDE THE STORE.