Because this is a multicache, the coordinates given above DO NOT represent the location of the final cache.
Wreck Alley is located between 1 and 2 miles off the coast of Mission Beach, San Diego, California. It is home to several artificial reefs, where purposely-sunk boats have been placed to attract fish and other marine life. Several of these sites have been marked by buoys anchored to the "reefs", as an aid to scuba diving. The buoys also serve as excellent destinations for paddlers trying to exercise their navigation skills (GPS and otherwise).
This multicache puzzle requires the cacher to visit three of the dive sites in Wreck Alley in order to obtain clues to the final, physical cache, which is located in Mission Bay enroute to/from Wreck Alley. The cacher can launch his own boat at several places in Mission Bay, or he can rent a boat at several businesses in Mission Bay, including any of four boat shops within Quivira Basin. The cacher should have a waterproof GPS unit, or should keep his unit in a dry bag during this activity, and he should secure the GPS or the dry bag to his person or the boat.
The three wreck sites can be visited in any order, and include the site specified at the beginning of this page:
1) N32 46.022’, W117 16.616’ --- Ruby E
2) N32 46.801’, W117 16.983’ --- Yukon
3) N32 46.351’, W117 16.103’ --- NOSC Tower
The site of the final cache is given as: N32 45.abc’, W117 14.def’, where the letters ‘a’ thru ‘f’ are derived from the following clues:
NOTE, 6/19/11 and 7/29/15: some clues have been modified to reflect the temporary loss of some dive buoys during the winter season -- these buoys should reappear during the summer months -----
a) Yukon: number of dive buoys, plus 3.
b) Yukon: color index of dive buoys, plus 2.
c) Ruby E: number of dive buoys, plus 7.
d) Ruby E: color index of largest dive buoy, plus 5.
e) NOSC Tower: --old clue: number of dive buoys, plus 4.
--new clue: bearing index to Crystal Pier, plus 4.
f) NOSC Tower: --old clue: color index of dive buoys.
--new clue: bearing index to Belmont Park Roller Coaster
Color indices: 1=white; 2=red; 3=yellow; 4=pink;5=mix of colors.
Bearing indices: 1=16degT; 2=90degT; 3=145degT; 4=180degT.
(note: add 14deg to compass bearings to get "true" bearings).
You can check your answers for this puzzle on Geochecker.com.
The final cache is just large enough to contain a log and a pencil. Please be careful when grabbing or replacing the cache so as to avoid dropping its contents into the briny deep. The difficulty rating of "5" applies to intermediate or advanced paddlers, and novice or beginning paddlers should not attempt this geocache. A difficulty rating of about “3” would apply to a motorboat such as is used for fishing or water-skiing. In any case, it is not advisable to attempt this geocache when the ocean swells are larger than about 2-3 feet, or when the wind speed is greater than about 15 knots (see e.g. (site) for predictions of swell and wind conditions near Mission Beach).