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This cache, a 3X6 inch plastic jar, was placed in the vicinity of Spruce Run Reservoir on April 14, 2012, marking the centennial of the Titanic disaster. The cache will include a Topps collectible card depicting the great ship as well as a travel bug projected to reach Southampton, UK where the ill-fated voyage began. The cache was relocated on May 23, 2015 to avoid state parks permit requirements.
Where does one hide a cache designed to honor the memory of 1514 lives lost in the North Atlantic in 1912? It only seemed fitting to bring it into proximity to water. Many lives have been lost in the local waters, Spruce Run and Round Valley Reservoirs, when sudden storms engulfed unwary boaters. Of course, the Titanic tragedy could have been avoided, as we all know, with just a modicum of caution by heeding iceberg warnings, slowing down, furnishing lookouts with binoculars, having sufficient lifeboats, and so on. Untold thousands/millions of pages have been written to describe every aspect of the story. Two of my favorite books on the subject are: Titantic Voices (Sutton: 1994), which has detailed first-person testimony and rare footage; and Titantic: Legacy of the World's Greatest Ocean Liner (Time Life Books: 1997). William F. Buckley writes in the latter's preface of the implicit warning in the Titanic saga against "extrahuman conceits." Recall the famous reassurance offered by a steward to comfort a nervous passenger: "Even God couldn't sink this ship."
You will find the closest parking on Van Syckel's Road using a pull-out located at 40 degrees 39.936 minutes North,74 55.903 West. Walk around the gate on the unused paved road, head south to the boat launch road in 500 feet. Turn right and go another 500 feet to the Highlands trail at 40 39.832N, 74 55.935W. The blazes are aqua/teal. Turn left to enter the trail, then hike 0.2 miles to the cache, which is 20 feet from the trail and about 50 feet from the water. A bit further down the trail, visit if you wish a bird blind. Wildlife abound; I saw a blue heron and a red fox.
In addition the the collectible card for the FTF, you'll find a fern fossil from the vicinity of St. Claire, PA, an "Armor of God" coin, a gold dollar coin, and the travel bug, "Back to Home Port." The top of the container is painted with a white star for the name of the ship's owner.
Please take care not to use spoilers in the log, including give-away photos. Do share your thoughts about this iconic story!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Nf jvgu gur jngre-gvtug pbzcnegzragf bs gur fuvc, guvatf ner abg nyjnlf nf gurl frrz. Lbh'yy unir gb guvax bhgfvqr gur obk, be creuncf vafvqr bs vg, gb fbyir guvf bar.