PERMISION FOR PUBLICATION OF THIS VIRTUAL GEOCACHE HAS BEEN OBTAINED FROM THE GATEWAY NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
Welcome to Fort Tilden. Built to defend New York Harbor against a British attack in the War of 1812, the Fort later went on to undergo upgrades and improvements in its weaponry, including the construction of the Harris Battery you will climb to log this cache (it once covered a massive 16" M1919 coastal artillary gun, the most powerful gun in the American arsenal when it was built in 1921), and the installation of an underground Nike-Hercules missle site during the "cold war" years of the 1950's. Fort Tilden never fired a shot in anger, and was decommissioned and made a part of Gateway National Park in 1974.
I grew up in the Rockaways, and will share that for several years after the decommissioning, the Park was known to few and visited by less. In those days you could wander about and explore the many remaining fortifications, which were in pretty good shape and free of litter or grafitti. Now the Park sees more use, and Hurricane Sandy has taken its toll as well. Some fortifications have collapsed, and others are so deeply buried in sand and overgrowth that I doubt anyone knows where they are anymore.
But Battery Harris--without its gun--remains. The National Park Service has constructed stairs which lead to an observation deck at the top of the concrete structure, which you will need to visit to claim a find on this virtual cache. Once there, enjoy the panoramic view which includes 4 New York City boroughs, New York Harbor, The Verazzano and Marine Parkway-Gil Hodges Memorial Bridges, Fort Hancock and Sandy Hook, NJ, and of course, the great blue Atlantic.
Here's what you need to do to claim a find on this virtual cache:
I. Post a photo from the top of the Observation Platform. You don't have to include your face if you don't want to (though we know it's lovely!), but please show your GPS or some other means to establish that you were up there.
II. Send me an email containg the answers to at least 2 of the following 4 questions:
1. How many steps are there in the LAST SET OF STAIRS leading up to the platform? (Clarification-Just count the number of steps in the set that CONNECTS DIRECTLY TO THE PLATFORM. It's just a single digit).
2. How many benches are on the platform?
3. Which side of the platform (N, W, S or E) are the benches on?
4. How many sides does the platform have? (Please count any section of the railing that ends in a right angle as a side.)
III. CITO Please! I promised the Park Superintendant that if they'd allow this Virtual to be published, we Geocachers, an environmentally responsible group if ever there was one, would help remove litter from the observation platform. So please, if you see any litter up there that isn't too gross looking, carry it down with you and dispose of it in the trash can by the trail entrance down below. Thank you.
We hope you enjoy your time in this lovely historic area. Thank you for visiting.
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR HANDICAPPED CACHERS: I'm making this cache available to handicapped cachers, as it's wheelchair accessable except for the stairs, and is worth a visit even if you can't get up to the observation platform. Handicapped cachers need only post a photo of their mobility device in front of Battery Harris, and are exempt from any other logging requirements.
IMPORTANT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: This cache is best done by bike! You can leave your car at the Floyd Bennet Field (yet another great historic area, and now also a part of Gateway National Park) on the North side of the Marine Parkway bridge, and then enjoy a scenic bike ride over the bridge and to the cache. BE SURE TO LOCK YOUR BIKE BEFORE STARTING UP THE STAIRS TO THE OBSERVATION PLATFORM.
If you do come by car, you'll have to pay a toll to cross the bridge. Parking at Fort Tilden is by permit only (although frankly, there are lots of parking spaces and you're not likely to be have a problem if the place isn't busy, but that's strictly up to you). You can park your car in the lot at Jacob Riis Park, directly to the East. There is a charge to park during the summer season, though it's free at other times of year. Drive to the westernmost end of the lot (that's to your left after you drive in), and it'll be about a 1 mile walk to the cache. If it's summer, BRING BUG SPRAY AND SUN BLOCK! There are also some nice nature trails to explore, including one that opens up directly across from Battery Harris, and will lead you out to the beach. But don't venture off the trails or you'll encounter ticks and poison ivy like you wouldn't believe!
Virtual Rewards 3.0 - 2022-2023
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between March 1, 2022 and March 1, 2023. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 3.0 on the Geocaching Blog.