This area is part of the once great idea for the Florida Barge canal that would create a canal to link the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic ocean. The idea of such a canal was first proposed by Philip II of Spain in 1567. It was repeatedly considered over the years but found to be economically unviable. Secretary of War John C. Calhoun once again proposed a canal in 1818 in order to solve the losses due to shipwrecks and piracy. The Florida Railroad, finished on March 1, 1861, served a similar purpose, connecting the Atlantic Ocean at Fernandina to the Gulf of Mexico at Cedar Key.
In the 1930s, regional politicians lobbied the federal government to fund canal construction as an economic recovery program, including the creation of the Canal Authority of the State of Florida in May 1933. President Franklin D. Roosevelt allocated $5 million in emergency funds in 1935. Local opponents of the canal protested that the canal would deplete Florida's aquifers, and work was stopped a year later.
At Ground Zero.... you will find placards that will tell you the rest of the story, and give you the information needed to answer the questions below... once you have emailed me the answers, you can then log your find for this virtual geocache.
** View the image gallery below and you will see a picture labeled " Ground Zero Hint " these are the placards you will need. Just past these placards around the bend is the virtual location 1 which will have the last answer you will need to complete this virtual.**
To complete and log this virtual... please email the answer:
1) On one of the placards, a U.S. President is quoted as saying..." The Step I have taken today will prevent a past mistake from causing permanent damage." Look at the base of this wooden post... what number is associated with this post and this information on the placard.
2) On one of the placards, a magazine shows its concern about this canal by saying" A sea level canal might open underground channels in the Ocala limestone of such size and extent as would drain a wide area, with consequent extensive damage to ground water supplies." Look at the base of this wooden post... what number is associated with this post and this information on the placard.
3) On one of the placards, Spanish explorer Pedro Menedez Aviles is presumed to have sent this communication to Spain's King Philip II in 1560. " Your Majesty: In order to protect your interests ( Land and Gold ) in LaFlorida, we must discover or construct a passage across this peninsula." Look at the base of this wooden post... what number is associated with this post and this information on the placard.
4) Go to the Virtual stage 1 which is right ahead around the bend.... at Port Santos.... there is a sign with a large red letter S on top of it..... Fill in the two blanks for the final part of this virtual: NO _________________ FROM _________________
Please DO NOT POST ANY ANSWERS ON THE CACHE PAGE....answers must be emailed or private message through geocaching to log this cache... Thank you.
** PARKING: You can park anywhere on the grass from the West side of the Sheriff Station to the entrance to the walkway. Permission has been granted by the Sheriff Office and Greeway Trails staff who own the land.**
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.