Kayak only cache! This is the twelfth cache of the "Monster Mash Trail" series that are scattered along the scenic Pocomoke River that begins in Snow Hill, MD. The Monster Mash Trail is compiled of various monsters from movies and "real" monsters. Local legends dictates that the Pocomoke Forest, which this river runs through, is extremely haunted and has a plethora of history and lore so we thought this type of theme would be perfect! This is a small, water-tight container. You can only reach this cache by kayak at the peak of the high tide. You will not be able to access the cache by any other water craft means. Please BYOP! Happy Hunting!
About the monster: The white werewolf of Worcester county is purportedly a werewolf spirit that haunts an unidentified church in the Pocomoke Forest. There isn’t much else known about that particular werewolf rumor, however there are many accounts of live werewolves spotted all over these woods. Werewolves, or lycanthropes, at their most basic definition are humans with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf or wolf-like creature. There are millions of accounts of these beasts all over the world that span as far back as ancient Mesopotamia. Generally each culture that had any lore that dealt with werewolves had their own version of these beasts. In European folklore, there were a few ways of spotting someone who is a werewolf in their human form. These include thick uni-brows, curved fingernails, low-set ears and a swinging stride. One technique for detecting a werewolf in human form would be to cut the flesh and inspect the wound for any fur under the skin. A Russian superstition states that you could identify a werewolf by checking under the tongue for bristles. The characteristics of a werewolf in its animal form varies but typically they are indistinguishable from ordinary wolves save for a few differences like possessing no tail, were often larger, and would have humans eyes, as well as a human voice. According to some Swedish accounts, werewolves would run with other wolves as a pack but would only run on three legs, using their fourth leg as a mock tail to confuse would-be werewolf hunters. It was also believed that once a werewolf had returned to its human form that it would suffer from debilitating weakness, nerve pain, and sometimes a form of depression. In medieval Europe, a type of werewolf that was most commonly feared was one that was more witch like in nature who was always a woman with poison-coated claws and possessed the ability to paralyze small children or cattle from a distance with only its gaze.
We chose the werewolf as a “real” monster because it originally began in folk lore, however in modern times, the werewolf is mostly seen on the big screen and isn’t always the villain. Werewolves have become a symbol for power like their ancient rival, the vampire, and occasionally even becoming the hero. Their fictional characteristics almost always differ greatly from their “real” mythological counterparts. Many depictions of werewolves in modern culture showcase them as towering canine behemoths that present a clear culmination of man and wolf in one way or another; whether it be a human physique and a canine snout, covered completely in hair with a human face, or any other combination conceivable by the imagination. Stereotypically werewolves in movies and other forms of fiction are presented as immortal, display an ability to regenerate, or have a high immunity to otherwise lethal diseases or wounds. Often times these abilities are carried over to their human forms and cause them to appear superhuman. The transformation into one of these creatures can be permanent, but more commonly it is temporary; either happening whenever the afflicted wills themselves to change or at the height of a full moon. Along with these terrifying attributes come a method of their defeat by way of a vulnerability to silver that was first introduced into the modern fictional werewolf lore in the 20th century with the retelling of “Beast of Gévaudan” in 1935. Whether you believe in the werewolf or not, there can be no doubt that it has survived through the ages and become one of those beloved monsters that people are intrigued by, relate to, and perhaps even fear still.