GC221XC Camouflage (Multi-cache) in Kwazulu Natal, South Africa created by The Fossil Hunters

This cache has been archived.

ROTSIP: As there's been no cache to find for months, I'm archiving it to keep it from continually showing up in search lists, and to prevent it from blocking other cache placements. If you wish to repair/replace the cache sometime in the future, just contact us (by email), and assuming it meets the guidelines, we'll be happy to unarchive it.

GC221XC ▼

A cache by The Fossil Hunters Message this owner

Hidden : 12/16/2009

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: small (small)

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Geocache Description:

This cache is situated in the Burman Bush nature reserve, which is a small (50 hectares) patch remnant of coastal bush that is virtually unchanged since early settlers arrived at Durban in the 1820s.
There are several walks, including the Pithi walk which is 500m long; the Hadeda walk, at 1km long; and for the 2km Forest Olive trail. Each of the three trails is marked by coloured arrows at ground level. The reserve has a large number of duikers and a number of other small mammals.

The co-ordinates of the parking area outside the reserve can be found at S29° 49.068 E031.01.044.The reserve is open between 7:30 am and 4:00pm.

Camouflage

In the world of the hunter and the hunted whether it be nature, warfare or even geocaching - the art of concealment and deception is a vital element.

“The word camouflage first came into use in World War I and derived from the French verb camoufler , ‘to make up for the stage’, though it has antecedents dating back to the sixteenth century via the word camouflet, a practical joke. Brown paper was twisted into a conical shape; its lower edge was lit and its apex held under the nose of the unsuspecting victim asleep in a chair.

In a general sense, camouflage is the art of concealing the fact that you are concealing. It can also be defined, particularly in a military sense, under the headings of concealment, deception or misdirection, and screening.

There are two aspects of concealment: first there is the sense in which objects merge into the background making use of natural and artificial means such as paint or materials. Characteristic examples were the disruptive patterns painted on the roofs and sides of aircraft factories to confuse aerial bomb-aimer and the covering of artillery with netting as concealment against airborne camera. Second, there is the disguise of vulnerable objects to make their appearance different and therefore uninteresting to the enemy. Examples of this were the additional funnel added onto a tanker to deceive U-boat commanders.

Deception or misdirection may be divided, firstly into general attempts to mislead the enemy as to intention, to give a false idea of strength, or to draw the enemy’s attention away from a real attack. An example of this was the deception scheme used by the British before El Alamein so that a false axis of attack was indicated by means of dummy vehicles, tanks and dumps, while the real offensive was prepared in secrecy elsewhere. Second, methods of local deception such as attempts to distract attention from a real target by means of decoys or to make the enemy expend his strength and ammunition on a false target. In the World War II decoy fires outside British towns and industrial targets helped misdirect the bombs of the enemy’s main forces who believed they were dropping their loads on the flares of their pathfinders.

Screening includes the concealed screen, which may take the form of false crests, walls or hedges, or of visible screens intended to hide military activity or act as a decoy.”

Extracted and condensed from 'Camouflage – The History of Concealment & Deception in War' by Guy Hartcup

The hides will use a number of the elements of camouflage described above to test your finding skills. Dense tree cover may cause a problem with the co-ordinates.A number of the hides are off the path, please be gentle with the environment in your search.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Ybt.....tebhaq yriry....gerr

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)