Frenchmans Rock Mystery Cache

A simple field puzzle with the final within 100 metres of the posted coordinates

Nicolas Baudin:

Nicholas Baudin led a French expedition "to the coasts of New Holland" (as Australia was known at that time). He departed France in March 1800 and finally returned to France in March 1804. His two ships were the Géographe and Naturaliste. 

 In April 1802, Baudin in Géographe met the English explorer Matthew Flinders sailing in Investigator at Encounter Bay in South Australia. Despite the English and French being at war with each other, they shared information. Flinders told Baudin that there was an abundance of food, water and timber on nearby Kangaroo Island. 

Flinders, when he had landed earlier in 1802, had found the island to be uninhabited by humans but with abundant wildlife. The island had been originally inhabited by Aborigines but stories of their existence and departure from the island were (and still are)  largely unknown. It seems that they left the island sometime in the last 2000 years with little knowledge of why or how. What is known is that the island was called "Karta" or "Island of the Dead" by the tribes in the southern part of the South Australian mainland around the Murray River - the Ngarrindjeri  people.

After visiting Port Jackon in New South Wales in late 1802,  Baudin returned to the southern coast and 1803 he stopped at the island, stocked up on his food and water supplies and explored the island. Baudin named many of the beaches and bays - the French influence is still strong on the Island today, as are the names and places along the Fleurieu Peninsula on the South Australian mainland. 

Frenchman's Rock:

Frenchman's Rock has been described as a 200 year old piece of graffiti. It is the location where Baudin and his crew found freshwater when navigating the North Coast of Kangaroo Island. They stopped at the bay to collect meat and fresh water. Baudin stayed for 3 weeks and during that time, he mapped the island and collected many flora and fauna specimens. 

Baudin and his men announced their arrival on the island by inscribing the rock. The inscription reads: "Expedition de decourverte par le commandant Baudin sur le Geographe 1803". The English translation is "Expedition of discovery by Captain Baudin in the Geographe 1803".

Just over 100 years later in 1906 a domed shelter was erected to protect the rock. But further weathering meant the original was eventually removed and replaced with a replica in 1918.  The original was stored at the South Australian Museum but is now back on the island at the visitor centre on Howard Drive in Penneshaw. 

The Field Puzzle:

The posted coordinates are at the original site of Frenchmans Rock. You can still see the dome and the replica of the rock. There are quite a number of plaques nearby celebrating various events. Three of these are adjacent to each other and these three all relate to visits by French Naval ships. The names of these ships are listed below. Two of these plaques mention the District Council of Dudley. The third refers to the Penneshaw Progress Association.

To solve the puzzle you need to find the plaque which mentions the Penneshaw Progress Association and a French ship visit. You need to identify the ship named on the same plaque. The final coordinates you need can be found listed here next to the correct ship's name. All three coordinates are listed on the cache page as virtual locations so when you have the correct one it should be very easy to find it.

S 35° 43.298′ E 137° 56.740′ for B.S.M. Garonne.  

S 35° 43.302′ E 137° 56.815′ for Commandant Blaison

S 35° 43.318′ E 137° 56.724′ for Commandant Bory