Ferry timetable to Rathlin can be accessed at:
https://rathlinballycastleferry.com/
The puzzle is not at the posted coordinates.
To find the correct coordinates, answer the questions below. The cache can be found at N55 17.ABC W 006 11.DEF
Hopefully this puzzle will help you learn a little bit more about Rathlin Island before your visit.
Start off with an easy one:
How many miles is it from Ballycastle to Rathlin? Call this number A.
One of the island’s more famous visitors in recent times is Richard Branson. He was rescued from the sea near Rathlin when his hot-air balloon crashed at the end of his transatlantic voyage. When did this happen? The third digit of the year is B.
Going back in time, another famous visitor was Robert the Bruce. It is said that, while hiding in exile from Scotland in a cave on the island, he was inspired by a spider to continue to lead his country’s struggles. The famous phrase, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try and try again” was coined here. But when did this take place? The second digit of the year is C.
There are lots of examples of wildlife to see on the island. You can see two varieties of seal basking along the shoreline, these make great photo subjects (please do not disturb). If you travel by various means to the West Lighthouse Bird Sanctuary you can see cliff nesting colonies of puffin, guillemot, kittiwake, razorbill and fulmar. To calculate D, you will need the number of letters in the colour of one of the seal varieties name. From this number, subtract the number of eggs typically laid by a breeding puffin in any one year. Call this number D.
Rathlin Island has seen its fair share of conflict and heartache over the centuries, many of these events relate to the surrounding sea. One of these tragic events was the torpedoing and sinking of HMS DRAKE, a 14,100 ton heavy cruiser on 2nd October 1917. How many people on board lost their lives? The digital root of this number is E.
The Irish Hare can be glimpsed on the island. If you are really lucky, you might see the unique Rathlin mutation of the species. What word is used to differentiate it from the more common Irish Hare? To the number of letters in its special name, add the number of lighthouses on the island. Call this number F.
Checksum is 38
Cache is a camo’d container containing only a log, BYOP.