Rhodes Pond #3 - Flora! Flora! Flora! Traditional Cache
nthacker66: I have to archive my rhodes pond series since there is no rhodes pond until the state fixes the dam and refills.
I dont really cache anymore except for earth caches - but I will put out paddle caches and will re-do this series when it comes back.
Hopefully to keep caching an adventure and not a numbers game.
Rhodes Pond #3 - Flora! Flora! Flora!
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Size: 
(micro)
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Congrats on the FTF - Rhodes Pond Warriors - team consisted of Nocona1,lukedrywalker,CanterGirl,PinkDolphin,cazziliz,dflye,RPStew,2Alxndrs,3eagleshigh,Cissy839, ChucKremer,TerrificTingens,HawaiianCanoe,she_007, Wally from Raleigh,Team_Ducky17,htomc42,nightranger
Rhodes Pond has a very diverse ecology. These series of caches places have a common theme celebrating some of life of this wonderful place. They are all designed to be terrain 5 using a kayak or canoe and done best in their sequence. This is about a 3.5 to 4 mile "loop" through the pond, the swamp and the headwaters of the Black River. A couple of the deeper caches in the swamp may be harder to reach at lower water levels. Portage is hard back here, but not impossible. Take precautions and prepare! Most of all ENJOY this magical place. **All caches are reachable from the comfort of your craft BUT make sure not to over reach, or else you will be swamp food!** Also note - these were placed to be done in sequence #1 and #2 then the black river swamp cache, onto #3 through #7. It will take you on an "ecological" tour of sorts. Enjoy!
Hydrophila, cypress knees, lillipads, bogs - what else can you name back here? This area of the swamp is shallow during fair conditions, so depending on the water levels, may be a very difficult paddle and may require portage. But it is a wonderful place to see the the vegetation of the swamp bed. To the north and west a bit is a clearer and shallow swamp giving way to a more "marshy" area. Beyond that is the seaboard railroad (you may have heard some of the locomotives chugging through during your paddle) Notice the many cypress knees about this area. Dendologists are not 100% certain of their function but they do believe it helps the underwater roots of the Cypress trees get oxygen. This cache is hidden to honor the exposed vegetation.
This one is rated a 4 difficulty because of the hide and because of the paddle itself - with good water leves the paddle back into this area is challenging with obstacles and finding your way into channels that will support your craft. Lower water levels and you will surely be portaging back here. Of course, use the hint if you are having problems.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
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Treasures
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