Submarine Salvage (Dunedin, Otago) Mystery Cache

This cache has been archived.

daywalk: Checked today and sadly this fantasy submarine seems to have sunk without trace. Removed discarded clothing, alcoholic drink cans and a home-made bong, which no doubt explains the loss. It was fun learning about the WW2 background and making up the story and photo, but given the situation it seems best not to replace the cache.

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Hidden : 9/5/2010
Difficulty:
2.5 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size: regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

We know that Japanese submarines were in NZ waters during World War II*, but only recently has it been revealed that one may have been off the Otago coast. Maybe you can salvage it...

On April 1st 1942, Private Donovan at the Harington Point gun emplacements reported a sighting of a Japanese submarine at Aramoana Heads:

I observed a B1-type Japanese submarine with identification I-GC27VQ1 on the conning tower proceeding on the surface into Otago Harbour. At 06:30 hours the privateer "Royal Fortune" weighed anchor at Aramoana Spit and sent a shot across the bows of the submarine. When the submarine failed to surrender, the "Royal Fortune" hoisted the Jolly Roger and fired a broadside at the submarine. This attack caused the submarine to dive at 06:40:15 hours at co-ordinates S45 47.435 E170 43.097.



This report was was ignored at the time- indeed, the archive copy was annotated with the words "Yeah, right"- but recent findings lend some credibility to the observation. A rat-gnawed radio transcript recovered from behind a desk in the Imperial Japanese Naval Museum appears to be a last communication from the commander of submarine I-GC27VQ1. Decoded and translated from the Japanese, it reads:

... evaded pirate by submerging and advancing at 10 knots at a heading of 241 degrees True. At 07:18:38 hours turned to heading of 146 degrees True. Proceeded at 5 knots. Regret to inform encountered termination of aqueous phase at 07:31:24 hours. Natives most welcoming. Cordially invited us to scrutinise many sites of interest including coastal defences; transport infrastructure; priceless treasures within impregnable walls. Will initially make a reconnaissance in force to inspect solvent factory. Entire crew volunteers for this dangerous mission. If salvage crew sent in future, locate and follow path of submarine as it ran ashore. It's come to rest at the end of the path, on the left as you face land, completely concealed at risk of synk-ing on its left and amidst the pride of fierce agger panthers on the right. Banzai!


Commander's navigational aids:

- A nautical mile is internationally defined as 1852 m.
- You may need a speed conversion. If so, ensure that you use ALL the significant numbers you can fit into your calculator... otherwise it's likely you'll be "caught short" on distance.
- Round off your distances to the nearest 10 m.
- The initial salvage projections were done using a Garmin Vista HCx. It looks as though different software will give slightly different end coordinates. Another salvage company used an iPhone with IGCT toolkit, and needed to subtract .004 from the final S and add .010 to the final E coords.
- If you use Google Earth projections you will get close enough to locate the likely landing zone; this checkSolution will tell you if you're within 30 m of the hide.
- You're also very welcome to email to check your calculations.
- Once you're within 30m, the explicit hints will make it easy to find the hide.
- This unusual variant of the B1-type submarine is a black 1.6 litre vessel.
- Ensure the submarine is left totally hidden!


* Additional documentation you may find interesting:

The Royal NZ Navy: Chapter 14 Anti-Submarine Policy
Map of NZ cruises of Japanese submarines I-25 and I-21
Japanese submarine I-25
Type B1 Japanese submarines
Indicator Loop Stations and Harbour Defences of NZ


Grateful acknowledgement to Adnshe for the puzzle, and thanks to katiew for beta testing the problem.

Additional Hints (No hints available.)



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