The Cross Traditional Cache
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Spanish explorers Portola and Crespi (see also Anchors of Pacific Grove cache) arrived on Del Monte Beach in 1769 and a wooden cross was erected at the landing spot. In 1969, in celebration of Monterey's 200th birthday, a replica cross was erected at the landing spot. In 2009, in the dark of night, vandals cut the historic marker down with a chainsaw. I happened to be first on the scene the next morning when riding by on a bike. The City elected not to replace the cross at the beach and instead moved it to this location in the San Carlos cemetery sadly now hidden from most people. Interestingly, a few years later, an anonymous group erected a metal cross on the beach at the landing spot on Good Friday. Many celebrated the new cross during that Easter weekend, but it too was removed the following week. This geocache is placed in honor of the adventurers Portola and Crespi, the birth of Monterey, and the historic cross. Convenient parking across the street. The cross (inside the cemetery) is about 150 feet South of the cache location (which is outside the cemetery on the baseball field side of the street). Note: an access gate to the cemetery is located about 150 feet west of the cross -- it's worth going in to see it up close and read additional historical context.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Unatre. Urnq yriry (nccebk. 6 srrg). Cyrnfr hfr fgrnygu naq er-uvqr ba gur fnzr oenapu nf sbhaq.
Treasures
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