Wreck of the Santa Clara Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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Shipwrecks occurred with alarming frequency in the early years of the Coos River maritime history. Heavy seas, violent storms, hidden reefs, and shifting sands plagued mariners as they attempted to bring their vessels across the mouth entrance to Coos Bay. Dozens of ships were stranded between the 1860's and 1920's off Oregon's south coast. The loss of life and cargo were enormous.
One of this region's most tragic, documented maritime disasters was the wreck of the 223 ft. wooden steamship named Santa Clara. Late in the afternoon of November 2, 1915, she struck an uncharted reef or sandbar on the south side of the entrance to Coos Bay, near Coos Head.
The vessel lay close to shore, but deep, churning surf prevented easy retrieval of people on board. In addition, heavy fog, steady rain, and darkness hindered rescue efforts and created confusion. After assessing the chances of passengers' survival, Captain Lofstedt ordered five lifeboats lowered. Women, children, and a few crew members were in the first, which capsized as it neared shore. Its passengers were thrown into the bitterly cold surf; eight drowned immediately. The final report listed twelve known dead and five missing.
The accident brought out the best and worst in people who quickly arrived on the scene from their homes around the bay. By the third day, the ship's owners had yet to give merchants permission to salvage goods. Impatient, they took matters into their own hands and boarded the vessel to take the merchandise. A free-for-all of looting shortly followed the wreck, which was fueled in part by casks of various kinds of liquors the “pirates” opened and distributed. These “pirates” worked in groups of eight or ten and threw the booty to shore, keeping piles of foods, ship's fittings, and house items, like clothing, meat, flour, canned and paper goods were kept for themselves. Some of the Bastendorff caves…much like the nearby cache site named Gimli’s Retreat…were used to store the looted items from again being looted.
In terms of loss of life, the wreck of the Santa Clara is one of the most tragic in the region. When combined with unrestrained raiding, the event will be long-remembered with sadness and perhaps, disappointment in human behavior.
The Cache is located next to a DEAD and DECAYING BROKEN SPRUCE TREE, and located on the former beach site of the 1915 Santa Clara shipwreck Disaster. WEAR SHOES…for there are small splinter stickers growing in the sand. Dogs will not like this cache find. The terrain is flat. Winter rains may flood this area. BRING YOUR OWN PEN.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Ybbx sbe n FZNYY PNCFVMRQ OBNG. Gur OYHR pnpur vf haqre guvf FZNYY PNCFVMRQ OBNG.