A Turn in Time Saves Many
Adopted from chartmaker
The coordinates for this earthcache will bring you to an old iron bridge which is no longer in service but is used by snowmobiles during the winter months. The bridge is not open to road traffic and has not been used for several years. The river is quite deep in the area and is used by recreational vessels on a regular basis. You may also encounter people relaxing and swimming near the bridge.
Note: While the map shows two through roads in the area only the easterly road is a through concession road. The westerly concession road dead ends at the iron bridge.
The Ausable River makes a significant turn at a bend in the river at this location. This was not always the situation as the river originally did not have a bend at this location and previously continued to flow northward towards Grand Bend where it flowed either into Lake Huron or made a turn approximately 800 feet east of Lake Huron and flowed southward via the original 'Old Ausable Cut' to Port Franks and out to Lake Huron near the easterly residential area of Port Franks.
The Canada Company dug out an extensive channel beginning in the area of the iron bridge running essentially westward for approximately five miles with only one small dogleg to the area of the easterly limits of the community of Port Franks where it the original 'Old Ausable Cut'.
It must be noted that the channel dug out by the Canada Company from the area of the old iron bridge was dug deeper by the Canada Company by approximately eight feet compared to the existing depths of water from the Old Ausable Cut to the mouth of the Ausable River at Lake Huron. Obviously with less available depth in the channel in the Port Franks area ice jamming would take place in the spring and water flow would would back up in the channel causing flooding. Fortunately spring flooding has not been an issue in the area for several years now. Snowfall amounts have not been as great in later years as well.
To Log this Earthcache:
> > > CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR ANSWERS < < <
- Which company created a canal or a cut in virtually a straight line from the area of the old iron bridge to Port Franks where it met the 'Old Ausable Cut'?
- How long is the channel between the old iron bridge and the the mouth of the Old Ausable Cut?
- Alongside Highway 21, particularly to the west of the highway, there is a cut through an interesting natural feature. What is this natural feature and what is it composed of at this location? Estimate the height of the large dune on the north side of the (new) Ausable Cut.
- Please take a photo showing yourself and/or some personal item with the old iron bridge in the background. Your photo MUST contain something with your Geocaching name and the current date clearly readable. Each person logging this cache must have their own unique photo. You are not required to show your face in the photo. Include this photo with your log.
Do not include any of these answers in your log, except for the required photo.
You may log a find at any time, but please ensure that your answers are submitted within 48 hours. Logs without answers after this time may be deleted without notice. If you are submitting answers on behalf of a group, please include a list of account names of those who were with you to complete this earthcache.
Note: Just south of he river crossing there is a very nice natural area park with off-road parking and a hiking trail to the cut. Canoe launch is available 300 meters north from the parking area. It is a most enjoyable trail which brings one to the south side the the Ausable Cut.
Reference Material:
The below reference contains material relative to the creation of the five mile Ausable River short-cut and a creation of a marsh in the area. Well worth the read.
Lake Smith; Lampton Heritage Museum, Grand Bend, Ontario; VirtualMuseum.ca / CommunityStories.ca