As the far end of the pier may be difficult to access, I've added gallery pictures of all the info boards with the required numbers etc for the quiz section. These can also be found at https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/15RqySFdPpJXJGkdvSK6pAZwjt635FZKA?usp=drive_link.
This means the cache should be solvable without actually going onto the pier first.
November 25 2024.
Re-enabling. Currently the far end of the pier (essential for both finding clues and finding the cache itself) is open. I've had no word from the owners as to availability, opening times etc but in the absence of that the best thing to do is open it up and see how it goes!
Apr 17th 2021 - re-enabling with a new container, same place. Sorry - forgot to add a new log book but there's room in the old one to squeeze your details in! PLEASE take note, there are 4 tabs on the container you ned to unclip.
Sep 30th 2017 - We're removing the 'members-only' attribute and throwing this one open for all geocachers to access!!!!!
IMMENSE thanks to Hastings Pier Charity in the first instance back in 2015 for granting the permission allowing this cache to be placed; and to site manager extraordinaire (for the initial rebuild process) Peter Wheeler for his enthusiasm for the cache and coming up with a solution for our initial barely-workable idea, and for constructing the final housing.
To complete the cache, you'll need to go onto the pier and look around at certain items.
EDIT - one item is not accessible now because the pier restaurant premises include it so I've given the answer...
NOTE NOTE NOTE
It seems from recent find logs that people haven't realised that the final location of the cache is NOT at the final co-ordinates you'll be working out, but there's a riddle to solve to lead you to it, so PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE TAKE NOTE, CHECK OUT THE FINAL RIDDLE!!!!! You'll only have to walk another few paces, honest :-).
PLEASE NOTE OPENING TIMES!
It's free, but opening hours are purported to be 9AM - 9PM daily; however, we can't find official corroboration of these times.
Right then - you'll need to give yourself a bit of time and you will have to visit the pier to determine the final location - which is not at the starting co-ordinates BUT:
YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO LEAVE THE PIER to find the cache, and nothing needs to be unscrewed...
All of the clues can be answered using the information panels on the pier itself
Images of the panels can also be found at the below URL as it seems many panels may now be inaccessible:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1PkPoU5lCy1GlGgGkp4uSH4K2gEVPuw5h?usp=sharing
You'll probably need to take some time with the puzzles, so we imagine it'd be best to print them out beforehand and take a leisurely few minutes solving them over a cup of coffee or a bag of chips (if you can find a cafe or the chip shop open) :-)
The clues for the destination come in three parts:
The Hastings Pier Wordsearch. In this, you'll be looking for words related to the pier and its rebuild. Find the word on the wordsearch grid, and after the last letter of the word is a number and all you have to do is find the word matching the clue in order to get the numeric value required for the first 5 digits A, B, C, D and E.
This will give you the clues towards the Northings part of the final waypoint.
OK Here we go!
A = Panel 10 tells us about a shelter for what structure? <--- The answer for this is "BANDSTAND" as the panel is now inaccessible
B = Who used to ride bicycles off the pier in his sideshow?
C = Which famous biblically-named band played here in the 70's?
D = 70% of the what were replaced in the restoration?
E = What was the surname of Eugenius, designer of the pier?
There are some decoy words in the grid so have fun!
The next part is PierDoku!
This will help towards the Eastings part of the final waypoint (you'll also require one value from the previous step!).
You'll need to find 5 numbers for F, G, H, I and J by solving the Sudoku BUT you'll see that in the grid, the top row is missing - you'll have to fill this in before you can crack on with solving it!OK Here we go!
The numbers in the top row, from left to right, are:
- Which Information Panel mentions Jimi Hendrix?
- How many kg can a mackerel weigh?
- How many knots does a local fishing vessel sail at?
- How many pennies ("d") was £3.50 worth in 1872?
- Add together the four numbers of the year of the pier's opening day; then add the resulting numbers together...
- Which Information Panel shows us a picture of a Spitfire?
- Which Information Panel is above a lifebelt in case of mad bicyclists?
- How many funnels are shown on the image of a paddle steamer? Take 1 away from this number.
- What is the life expectancy of a barnacle in years?
The answer numbers required from the finally solved sudoku are those in the shaded squares and are F, G, H, I and J, and are in ASCENDING NUMERICAL ORDER - so if they were 1,2,3,4,5 (and they're not!) you would have F=1, G=2, H=3, I=4 and J=5
OK go for it!
'Scuse me while I twiddle my thumbs...
Right then - what you have now is numbers towards the co-ordinates for the final waypoint so you need to do a bit of maths now...
For NORTHINGS go to N 50 5(B-A).(E-(B+A))C(D^A)
For EASTINGS go to E 0 3G.(J-H)(F+G)(I/C)
That's all there is to it!
You there? OK!
You can check your working with the geochecker HERE
Here's the final riddle (provided by and slightly reworded from the fantastic site manager Peter Wheeler, who built the main container):
Lean West and look North for where the rust gives way to grey
Now go there, and 8 screws in you'll find the chest!
Happy hunting and remember -
1:- YOU WILL BE IN A MUGGLE-INFESTED AREA SO STEALTH STEALTH STEALTH WHEN EXTRACTING IT!!!!!
2:- THERE CAN BE FIERCE CROSSWINDS SO HOLD ON TO THE LOGBOOK WHEN YOU FIND IT!!!!!
*!*!*!*!* Congrats to Nicksp8 for FTF! *!*!*!*!*!*