Etymology is the history of words, their origins, and how their form and meaning have changed over time. By an extension, the term the etymology of a word, means the origin of the particular word. One of the Riffster Clan's favorite hobbies! (Geocaching excluded, of course) Have you ever wondered how the term "ALOHA!" came to be? Informative websites will give you some malarkey about how the term derives from the Proto-Polynesian root qarofa, and ultimately from Proto-Polynesian. It has cognates in other Polynesian languages, such as Samoan and Maori
What rubbish...
In the late 1800's, my great, great, etc uncle, Brandubh Riffster, was seeking employment with the U.S. Army, Corp of Engineers, and during an interview, fibbed just a bit, stating he had experience at map making. Many significant errors have been attributed to Uncle Brandubh's utter incompetence, with, perhaps, the most spectacular, being this phrase. You see, Uncle Brandubh had been tasked with mapping out Lake Ogrechobee, in South Florida. Not a particularly difficult task, given that it's just a big oval. However, being dumber than a bag of hammers, even Uncle Brandubh could mess that up.
One thing all map makers do, once they complete a particular grid, is place a unique mnemonic upon it, which serves as a subtle reminder to them regarding the geographic region. Thus, with just a glance, a map maker can recall what the area was like, and any key features. These mnemonics are supposed to be subtle, oft hidden in the margins. Uncle Brandubh didn't quite grasp the concept of subtle. (Sigh...) As he was working his way around Lake Ogrechobee, he was repeatedly attacked by alligators, seeking to dine on a plump Scotsman, and these attacks weighed heavily on his choice of mnemonics.
After completing this task, Uncle Brandubh's boss yelled at him, because he forgot his mnemonic. Uncle Brandubh rushed into the mapping office, grabbed the first map with something vaguely oval shaped on it, and scrawled "ALOHA!" across the bottom. Unfortunately, the map he grabbed was not for the Lake Ogrechobee region. Uncle Brandubh's failing eyesight caused him to grab a map of Hawaii, instead. The publisher did not catch the mistake, assuming that "ALOHA!" must be some Hawaiian word for "Welcome!", and sent it to the division in charge of tourism. That division printed out roughly 80 bazillion flyers with that phrase scrawled across the map of Hawaii, which you can find to this day, infesting rest areas and other touristy places. The Hawaiian citizens were initially upset, however, they recognized that this error brought them gobs of visitors with bulging wallets, and decided to just go with the flow, pretending that "ALOHA!" actually was a word from their language, though at first, they did not agree on which word it meant. Hence, the confusion regarding "ALOHA" meaning both "Hello" and "Goodbye".
And what, exactly, did "ALOHA!" mean to Uncle Brandubh?
A Lot Of Hungry Alligators
And now you know...
I saw so many hungry alligators whilst hiding this cache, (as well as snakes, ticks, mosquitoes, poison ivy, black bears, drunken hunters, drunken boaters), that this bit of family history came to mind. Please use extreme caution when hunting for it. No smiley is worth your safety.
Access to Seminole Forest requires a permit, which can be had for free, by calling their office during banker's hours, (352) 360-6675. You will still need to pay the $2 access fee, even with a permit. Launch your paddle craft at the bridge and head east to the Wekiva River. You will need to figure out an access route to that stretch of the river. There are often seasonal blockages from aquatic vegetation.