Kinnakeet Multi-Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(micro)
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Kinnakeet is the historic name of Avon, located on Hatteras Island, in Dare County, North Carolina. This FOUR-STAGE cache will take you on a tour of the area. Total distance is approximately 5 miles and may be done by car or bicycle. By car the cache will likely take 30-45 minutes; somewhat longer by bicycle.
The historic name Kinnakeet lives on in the hearts and minds of locals, part time residents, and many tourists. The name Avon was adopted by the United States Postal Service when a post office was established in 1883. The water tower virtually shouts the name Kinnakeet and signs along Highway 12 at the northern and southern ends of Avon proudly proclaim, "historically named Kinnakeet." Old Kinnakeet Village is located west of Highway 12 and may be missed by many visitors.
Although there are some rental homes and a few shops, the village has many permanent residential homes, the oldest dating from the late 1800s and early 1900s. Some of the older homes have foundations and flooring made from shipwrecked wood found on the Atlantic beaches. As you continue around the village you will come upon the harbor and Peter's Ditch where you will find a water sports company and commercial fishing businesses. If you explore enough, you will pass several small family cemeteries that attest to the lives and long history that have shaped Kinnakeet Village from the days before Highway 12 and tourism.
North of Avon the Little Kinnakeet Life Saving Station is still standing. Built in 1874, it remained in active duty until it was decommissioned in 1954. Today it is located in Cape Hatteras National Seashore and a sign indicates it is being restored, but there has been little activity in recent years.
You may drive or bike this FOUR-STAGE cache that will take you to the Little Kinnakeet Life Saving Station, Avon harbor, and one of those family cemeteries before directing you to a small cache just off a road on the edge of the village. Depending on how much you explore, the driving distance will be 5-6 miles.
STAGE 1 is at N 35 24.352 W 75 25.450. You will be standing near Little Kinnakeet Life Saving Station. It is a short walk from Highway 12 or you may drive to it on an unpaved lane. (Note: you must have a Off Road Vehicle permit to continue beyond the station to the Pamlico Sound.) You will notice the station has an observation tower with smaller rectangular windows under the eaves around the top. How many of these windows are there? Record this two digit number as A B.
STAGE 2 is at N 35 20.998 W 75 30.805. Parking is close and you may be able to spot the clue from there. BINOCULARS MAY BE USEFUL TO READ THE CLUE FROM THE PARKING AREA AND NOT HAVE TO ENTER PRIVATE PROPERTY THAT HAS RECENTLY BEEN POSTED. Visit at sunset for a chance to see stunning colors. At the entrance to Avon Harbor is a channel marker - red in color and triangular in shape - with a single digit number. Record this number as C.
NOTE: THE CHANNEL MARKER SIGN HAS BEEN REMOVED, BUT A PICTURE OF IT IS HERE: (visit link)
STAGE 3 is at N 35 20.933 W 75 30.577. The Scarborough Cemetery is one of several small family cemeteries found in Kinnakeet Village. Except on Sunday morning, parking is convenient at a small church nearby. Under a canopy of live oaks with Spanish moss you can visit Farrow Scarborough and record the year of his birth as D E F G and the year of his death as H I J K.
STAGE 4 and the cache is found at N 35 20.(A+K)IC W 75 30.F(G-A)B. From the cemetery drive east and take Old Main Road to West Kinnakeet Reef Court. You are looking for a camouflaged keychain pill container suspended a couple feet off the ground. WARNING: although very close to the road, many prickly pear (sharp-spiked ground hugging cactus) guard this location - GO BAREFOOT OR IN FLIP FLOPS AT YOUR OWN RISK.
The cache DIFFICULTY is rated 3.5-star due to four stages, the time involved (30 to 45 minutes if driving), and the camouflaged container. TERRAIN is rated a 2-star as all locations are flat and involve a short walk from nearby parking or the road; undergrowth and prickly pear at Stage 4 are the only hazard (well, mosquitos can be viscous at times).
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Fznyy erq oreevrf ba guvf pbzzba vfynaq fueho jvyy, jura va frnfba, cbvag lbh gb gur pnpur.
Treasures
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