Boxmeer its only island! Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(micro)
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The cache is situated can be rached by road. Park your car at N51.40.058, E005.57.476. If the water level in the Maas is exceptionally high the cache might be not accessible. You should NOT go up the small hill at the left at the cache site. No need to enter the meadow. Ensure that the small little hook stays in the cache. Bring your own pen and when placing the cache back please "camouflage" the small rope well. If the rope is broken please send me an email. Thanks and enjoy.
The cache is situated at the only island that Boxmeer has, the Northern island. You can park your car at N 51.40.058, E 005.57.476. You can reach the island by road. If the water level in the Maas is exceptionally high the cache might be not accessible. The cache itself might surprise you. If you have no time to return it might be worth to check the hints. You should NOT go up the small hill at the left of the cache site. No need to enter the meadow. Please make sure that the small little hook stays in the cache. Bring your own pen/pencil and when placing the cache back please "camouflage" the small rope well. If the rope is broken please send me an email. Thanks and enjoy.
When walking towards the cache site at your left you will see hedges with hawthorne (Meidoorn), Blackthorne (Sleedoorn) and elderberry (Vlierbe)s. After you found the cache it is worth following the road to the end in the middle of the island. Please do not enter the meadow at the end.
The Maas is a rain-fed river. Especially when there are heavy rains in the Vosges (Northern France) and snow is melting in the Vosges the water can raise with 6 or 7 meters.
The Maas was, as many rivers, meandering through the landscape. At Boxmeer the Maas made a huge S-curve. When the ships sailing at the Maas were getting bigger and bigger this became a problem for the ships and it was decided to dig a canal to cut off the two curves of the “S” (see small drawing). In 1979-1982 this work was done and the two cut off S-curves were each closed at one side and in one of them a small marina was created. At some places the shores of the Maas were covered with chunks of basalt to protect the river banks against erosion by the river. Herewith the river was much better navigable. Due to this work two islands were created, the Northern island and the Southern island. In the beginning the Northern island was part of the province Limburg and the Southern island was part of the province Brabant. However the accessibility of the islands pleaded for a change. So after some time the Northern island was transferred Boxmeer in Brabant and the Southern island to Gennep in Limburg.
You might note some high trees at the riverbanks along the Maas. These were used in the past as a beacon to show the steersman during high tides where the riverbanks were and where the actual channel was.
You will also note at some places in the Maas the so called groynes (Dutch “kribben”). These are the small stones dikes in the river that are standing perpendicular to the riverbanks. These are meant to protect the riverbanks against erosion and to guide the water to the middle of the river (and therewith ensuring that this part of the river will stay deep).
If you have no time to return it might be worth to check one or more of the hints. Please place the cache back as you found it. If the log book is almost full or there is something with the cache please be so kind to mention it in your internet log.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
1) Lbh qb abg arrq fperjf gb ohvyg n srapr.
2) Purpx gur fcbvyre cubgb.