During World War II, 28,000 "Wendy the Welders" (cousins of the better-known "Rosie the Riveter") worked in Vancouver's Kaiser Shipyard at this location. They turned steel plates into troop transports and aircraft carriers at a staggering pace, averaging nearly one a week. And when the war ended they all lost their jobs to returning servicemen.
The name “Wendy Rose” comes from a co-joining of these two folk heroes – Wendy the Welder and Rosie the Riveter. Stainless steel Wendy is depicted as a giantess, striding across the dam that powered the shipyards, her arms pumping with confidence, leaving behind a home to join a cargo ship waiting to be assembled. She is also invisible. Her blocky cubist coveralls and red polka-dot scarf are filled with nothing but air, while a welding hood lies in a laundry basket at her feet. It's a lot of symbolism for one statue.
The statue was designed and constructed by a group of sculptors with the moniker "Women Who Weld" and dedicated in 2011, 61 years after the end of the war. The statue is, appropriately, welded, and it's hoped that she will be even more sturdy than the ships assembled in the Kaiser Shipyard. She's already lasted longer than the Wendy the Welder jobs.
Logging requirements: The CO's grandmother worked as a welder in the Kaiser Shipyard and is commemorated on one of the stone columns at the site. To log this cache, email or message the CO the name of his grandmother. Her name is on the easternmost stone column and is on the 12th line of names from the top. Also, post a picture which includes Wendy, yourself (not your face if you don't want to), and your GPSr in your log entry. Please do not include the name or a photo of the name in your log. Your log will be deleted if you do.
Virtual Reward - 2017/2018
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between August 24, 2017 and August 24, 2018. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards on the Geocaching Blog.