Please don't be put off by the complex appearance of this cache page. This puzzle is really quite straight forward. Most of the blurb on this cache page is just for your information
What is Parallax?
Parallax is a technique that is mostly used by Astronomers to find the distance to stars and planets. However the principle can be used to locate a very exact spot, much more accurate than the GZ located by a GPS. In the first picture below there is a distant object, the wind turbine, and a near object, the tree sapling. From position A the sapling looks to the right of the turbine. From position C the sapling looks to the left of the turbine. Only along the line labelled B, will the two be exactly lined up.
Now look at the second picture below. This shows that if you line up distant object A with near object B, and also line up distant object D with near object C, when both pairs of objects are lined up you can only be in one spot. It is a surprisingly powerful way of finding an exact location.
Please note that stage 1 of this multi is only accessible when the Pier is open, See pier openning times The final location of the cache is accessible any time.
The Cache
This cache is a two stage multi. The published co-ords are at the entrance to Brighton Pier. You don’t need to go there for any clues, but you do (kind of) have to go past there, because stage 1 of the cache is somewhere on the Pier.
Take a look at the two side by side photographs above (sorry to those Cachers using a GPS that only shows text in the description, you need to see the pictures). Both were taken with a zoom lens standing exactly at stage 1. In order to answer the questions for the final location you need to be standing exactly at stage 1
Left Hand Photo.
The near object is the RH edge of the Albion Hotel. The far object is the LH edge of the tower block in the distance, (Which is on Blackman street east of the Station).
Right hand photo.
The near object is the LH edge of the Brighton Wheel. The far object is the very top of the Whitehawk transmitter.
Walk around until you have lined both these pairs of objects up and then you are standing exactly at stage 1.
STAGE 1
At stage 1 you should be standing next to an upright black object. There are lots of these objects about, but you need to be at exactly the right one using the parallax view. Once there, answer the following questions.
1) The black object is one of a number that are in a straight line. How many are there in the straight line south of this one (not including this one) = AB
2) How many are there in the straight line north of this one (not including this one) = CD
3) You are standing on the pier board walk. Look at the board that is nearest to the black upright object. It has EF nails in it.
4) Just east of where you are, is a building with some white panels on it. Those panels have a large number of identical raised shapes on them about the size of a hand. Count the shapes, (not the panels, the little shapes that are on the panels). Take that number and divide by 2 to give GH. Count only the ones you can see from stage 1
Final Stage
The cache is at:
N 50 49.(E+D)(H+C)(B+A), W 000 08.(G+B)(H+F)(F+A)
JUST FOR FUN
You don’t need to do this next bit to log the cache. Estimate how accurate this method of positioning yourself is. See how far you can move from the place you have chosen as stage 1 before the objects are definitely NOT lined up any more. It is surprisingly accurate. If you have an estimate of how far you can move, before being out of parallax, post it in your log. Thanks.
