The cache is not at the listed coordinates, however, if you park at the listed viewpoint, you can see the Day and Night Battery Observation Posts (BOPs).
The coordinates for this cache are: S 33 58.NOC E 025 38.DEF
The clues can be solved by doing the following caches:
GC2P50W - Concrete Camouflage - Amsterdam Hoek - Will give you N,O
GC2P4XY - Concrete Camouflage Cape Recife - Will give you C,D
GC2P513 - Concrete Camouflage - Skoenmakerskop - Will give you E,F
During the second world war, a number of camouflaged fortifications were built around Port Elizabeth. The largest of these were the Day & Night Battery Observation Posts (BOPs) built in 1940 in Humewood.
In addition, three fortress observation posts (FOPs) were built at Amsterdam Hoek, Seahill - on the Cape Recife peninsula - and Skoenmakerskop during 1940. Each is double-storey with a flat roof reached by a steel ladder, with loopholed free-form parapets rising above the roof.
At the time of the construction of the buildings, the BOPs and the FOPs were covered with the typical Eastern Cape coastal bush. As a result, it was decided to incorporate into the designs of the more prominent structures a curvy, free-form profile of parapets, angle buttresses and 'fins' to break up the square, box-like shape of these buildings when seen from the sea against the background of the bush.
This curvy profile extended to the flat roofs, projecting floor slabs and even the concrete paths leading to the FOPs, so that the view of these structures from the air would be similarly disguised. In addition, the parapets around the flat roofs of the BOPs and the FOPs were loopholed for close defence by small arms. Another camouflage feature, which is not so unusual, is the use of a 'broken plate' plaster finish on some of the external wall surfaces and the other designs of plaster finish on the ladder 'chimneys' at the Amsterdam Hoek and Skoenmakerskop FOPs. The external finish on the remaining buildings is off-shutter concrete.
Fortunately for Port Elizabeth, these defences were not put to the test as, apart from a couple of incidents during the Second World War, when it was found necessary to put a round from one of the guns across the bows of a suspicious ship, and the usual practice sessions, the battery did not fire a shot. However, the deterrent effect of the presence of the artillery defences should not be underestimated.
The future of the Day & Night Battery Observation Posts (BOPs) is uncertain, being on prime coastal land which has been earmarked for residential or commercial development. It is vitally important that the complete set of coastal artillery buildings at Algoa Bay be preserved as South African Heritage.
Park at the end of the street to avoid security muggles.
The information for this cache listing was obtained from research performed by Richard Tomlinson and published in an article titled: Artillery Buildings in Algoa Bay.
FTF honours go to: Wikkelgat