Ban the Torpedoes! Traditional Cache
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(small)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
UPDATE: The WWII anti-torpedo net that used to rest here and, until recently, had gone largely unnoticed has in fact been removed from the site! Hopes are that it (or a portion thereof) will be put on display in the St. John's area. Check back for updates
During the Second World War, our province played a vital role in Allied naval strategy for the North Atlantic. Three Newfoundland military installations were of pivotal importance. A Royal Canadian Air Force station was established in Torbay and a United States air/naval base built at Argentia. The third, HMCS Avalon, a Royal Canadian Navy base, was established in St. John’s. In addition to the defence of North America, the protection of trans-Atlantic convoys from German attack was a priority. These convoys carried necessary war supplies to Britain and were protected by Canadian, American, and British navies and air forces. Based in St. John’s, the Newfoundland Escort Force (NEF) was established in 1941 to escort convoys through the mid-ocean gap between where Canadian escorts left a convoy and the Royal Navy picked it up. When the formation of the NEF was approved in May 1941, St. John’s was becoming a defended harbour and home base for the Newfoundland Defence Force. In response to the very real threat of enemy submarine attack, a series of three anti-torpedo baffles were installed across ‘the narrows’. The cause to fear attacks launched from U-boats on land-based facilities was realized on more than one occasion. One confirmed incident took place on March 3, 1942 when the German submarine U587 fired three torpedoes at St. John’s harbour. One struck Fort Amherst and the others exploded on the cliffs below Cabot Tower, reportedly breaking every window in the building. Other accounts report that the harbour baffle actually stopped a torpedo which became entangled in the netting. The subsequent removal would have certainly been an unenviable and ‘ticklish’ job at best! As similar nets were deployed at Bell Island, Argentia, and Bay Bulls, the origin of the baffle at White Hills remains somewhat debatable, though its proximity to St. John’s certainly leads one to draw obvious conclusions. Easy access to the cache is via gravel road and maintained trail, with a short bushwack through fairly open woods. Cars should probably park at the bottom of the gravel road – trucks and SUVs can easily drive to the gate. The original ammo can has been replaced with a container hanging in a nearby tree, able to hold a few small trinkets and now making it winter friendly. Other caches in the area include “The Keychain Exchange Cache” (GC2DN04) near your parking spot, "Split Fork" (GC2RW7Z) on your way up the hill, and "A Stone's Throw Away" (GC2RW96) just down the trail. You can also find "Magneto” (GC1QE8W), another cache for the curious, further up the road and many more around these parts. The White Hills area is becoming a caching 'mecca' - a trip up this way is sure to please! Uber-adventurous cachers may want to bring along their ATB to experience the thrill of taking on one of the extreme mountain bike trails that permeate the hillside. ..."Satan's Choice", anyone?
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
N zbhagnva ovxr cngu vagrefrpgf gur znva teniry genvy. Sbyybj gur cngu n fubeg qvfgnapr gb gur yvggyr jbbqra sbbgoevqtr. Irre bss gur genvy va n fbhgureyl qverpgvba naq purpx gur gerrf arne n ynetr jvaqguebj.
Treasures
You'll collect a digital Treasure from one of these collections when you find and log this geocache:
Loading Treasures