The Gate Keepers Series (GKS)
The Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park is the third largest state park in the state. There are 57 entry points or public gates. While it is permissible to enter through any of the gates most people tend to enter through a handful of the most used gates. This series will bring you too many of the lesser known gates and therefore probably will not be park and grabs (specifics will be included for each individual cache). This series will most likely require some bushwhacking and during the summer some may not be accessible, without boots or at minimum getting your feet wet. All will be off the ground (or in a dry area) for those that are brave enough to venture through water to reach them in the wet season. Some will be easier some will be more difficult but I would recommend byop and tott for all the hides. I want this to be a fun series so the containers will be all over the board but no nanos. Please check for parking waypoints for most of these locations. It is unfortunate but some people don’t understand how to carry out their own trash. Please help keep the park clean. Remember to carry that grocery bag with you and by participating in, “Cache in Trash Out” at all sites.
When accessing all of these cache I would highly recommend bug spray, sturdy footwear, long pants, long sleeves, and in case you missed it bug spray. If you look at the cache in your browser, you will notice a list of the official cache associated with this series in the list box so you can keep track of the cache you have found or the ones you still need to find in the series. The series will not be put out all at once. This will be spread out over months (If you would like to place a hide in this series send me a message). Remember also you will be traversing into the park where there could be difficult walking, no visible trails, animals, reptiles, and yes, even spiders. If a cache needs attention please let me know. If it is something that you can correct I would appreciate that and then a quick note to let me know of the repair. Cache on.
This cache was placed with permission of the Florida Park Service. For information about placing caches in THIS state park, please contact the park office at 941-575-5816. For further information about the Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park: www.floridastateparks.org/charlotteharbor
THE CACHE:
As you enter the gate at the parking waypoint, use your binoculars and look straight in front of you and about 1/3 of a mile away, up in a pine tree. Do you see it? You should see the remains of an abandoned eagles nest. Don’t worry you are not going to bushwhack that far. This cache is going to be some thick bushwhacking, there is no trail. I will suggest you walk the perimeter until you notice a slight opening in the palmettos (there has been a melted golf ball laying in the perimeter path where I head in…I left it there as a marker) . You can select anyway you want to get back there but you are only getting a 3.5 for the terrain so don’t make it a 10. You will want to walk north on the perimeter path, then head west through the palmettos, and south to find GZ. When you arrive at GZ there is an opening, take a break and use those binoculars again. There are eagles, owls, woodpeckers, mockingbirds and many more birds to see. You are only a couple hundred feet off the road but you will feel like you are in the middle of nowhere. It is usually very quiet and the birds will be the loudest noise around you. Relax and take in the remote feeling before you have to find your way out.
Scout1950 you braved the elements and terrain you earned this FTF