What an awesome little big park tucked away in old Elderslie and well worth the visit with the kiddies. There is even some fitness equipment for the active cacher and a large grassed space to kick a footy.
Our three year old calls it the ‘pirate park’…..and with a bit of digging we discovered some interesting history about this place. In fact the cache is named after a lovable rogue who roamed these parts in years gone by….
Captain Yoghurtbeard was in charge of the HMAS Merino, a vessel which could barely be described as seaworthy but was enjoyed nonetheless by all the crew, most of whom had a passion for slippery dips. One fateful night however the pirate ship struck trouble in rough seas and crashed against the sandstone cliffs near the re-purposed gallows and found its final resting place. The crew all perished, presumably drowned in water and bark chips……however Captain Yoghurtbeard’s body was never found and it is said his ghost has been spotted riding the local bus into Camden. Rumour has it that he hid his treasure (in the form of a geocache) somewhere in this park.
So this cache is a good ol’ fashioned treasure hunt. The listed coordinates should present you with a wealth of information. The Captain liked rules and this treasure hunt starts with a sign showing the things you cannot do in his waters - count how many landlubbers (humans) you see on the face of the sign. Then stroll northwest over to the shipwrecked Merino and count how many smiley faces you see on all parts of the ship.
From the stern of the ship walk directly toward (and past) where the two Xs mark the spot, and then between the twin orange rivers for a total distance of A metres. The distance A is determined by multiplying the number of humans and the number of smileys. There you should find the treasure….. unless someone has already taken it – in which case just sign the log so the Captain knows you’ve stopped by. Bring a pen and please ensure it is replaced firmly!
Arrgghhhh!