The Maryland Geocaching Society welcomes you to the 2018 edition of Cache Across Maryland! This is one of eleven geocaches placed throughout the "Old Line State" in locations chosen to showcase Maryland's diverse beauty. From the mountains of Western Maryland to the Atlantic Ocean, Cache Across Maryland 2018 will once again demonstrate that Maryland truly is “America in Miniature”.
Each geocache contains a code which you will use to determine the location of the CAM 2018 Picnic to be held on May 5th, 2018. The code can be found on the inside of the cache container and on the inside front cover of the logbook. Don't forget to record this code! Any geocacher who has completed at least TEN of the eleven CAM geocaches and attends the CAM Picnic on May 5th will receive a Certificate of Completion and a Cache Across Maryland 2018 Geocoin in Antique Silver. We hope you enjoy CAM 2018!
Welcome to Eastport!
Eastport is a neighborhood of Annapolis, Maryland embraced by Spa Creek, Back Creek, and the Chesapeake Bay. This peninsula was settled as an independent town in 1665, and mostly farmed until the mid-1800s. After the establishment of the United States Naval Academy across the Severn River in 1845, the farmland was soon developed to house workers at the USNA as well as those working in the maritime trades. Annexed by the city of Annapolis in 1951, it has its own particularly unique history.
The area played an important role during the American Revolutionary War as an encampment area for Lafayette’s troops on their way to Yorktown, and as the site of Fort Horn, which protected the city harbor from the British fleet. It played the same protective role during the War of 1812. Today, Eastport, located just across the bridge from the City Dock area of downtown Annapolis, is the maritime district of America’s Sailing Capital.
The residents of Eastport respect their uniqueness so strongly that in 1998, when they felt their neighborhood would be hurt by the temporary closing of the Eastport bridge for repairs, there was a tongue-in-cheek secession from the city. The “Maritime Republic of Eastport” was established, and in January 1998, along with secession, the MRE declared war, with the first “skirmish” taking place on Superbowl Sunday that year. This ‘Tug-of-War’ battle has become an annual fund-raising charity event. Also known as “The Slaughter Across The Water”, 2018 will be the 21st year of battle. Relations between Annapolis and the Republic remain friendly though, and in 2009, Josh Cohen, a former resident of Eastport and one of the Founding Fathers of the Republic, was elected mayor of the city of Annapolis.
Just across the bridge from Eastport in Annapolis, there are museums to visit, historic homes to tour, and the United States Naval Academy is close by. The Maryland State House is a short walk from Eastport across Spa Creek, as is the City Dock area, where numerous restaurants provide many dining options.
Quaint and rich in history, it is no wonder that Eastport was named an “Outstanding Neighborhood in the State of Maryland”.
The Geocache
This geocache is NOT located at the listed coordinates.
This is a Wherigo cache. Download the Wherigo cartridge here and copy it to your GPS or phone app. You will start your adventure from the posted coordinates, providing answers at the cartridge prompts to move on to the next stage. Remember to save your progress frequently! If you have trouble starting the cartridge at stage one, walk away from the area and re-start the cartridge and move back to the posted coordinates. As you approach the next zone, be sure to watch the screen for the next question which will present automatically when you enter the zone.
Parking in Eastport is street-parking only - there are no meters or garages. This area can be very crowded at times, so it could take awhile to find legal parking. Heed all private or business-only parking signs, and don't block any roads or driveways, so that we don't upset the residents of the MRE. They may declare war on your vehicle!
This geocache was placed by permission of the property owner. The MGS extends its thanks to the folks of Eastport for approving this cache placement.
