On a trip to Anacortes last summer, we saw a curious structure near the water as we were driving along Hwy 20 (Oakes Ave.) just east of Roadside Park. What could it be?
La Merced was a four-masted schooner ship, commissioned over a hundred years ago. It's now a forested hulk serving as a protective breakwater in Anacortes, on the north coast of Fidalgo Island. Since it was moved into its present position back in 1966, the boat has become partially camouflaged by trees that have grown in the mud and sand that fill its hull. Listed in 1990 on the National Historic Register, the ship is now a piece of maritime history.
GZ has an informative sign and can be reached by parking at Roadside Park (parking waypoint 1), then walking down the stairs to the paved Guemes Channel Trail along the waterfront. You may want to enjoy the view midway down the stairs and/or grab a traditional geocache along your way! At the bottom of the stairs, follow the trail eastward about 1000 feet to GZ, where the trail ends at a fenced gate. Alternately, park at the end of Edwards Way (parking waypoint 2) for a stroller- and wheelchair-accessible walk along Guemes Channel Trail that avoids stairs, beginning about one mile from GZ. A pleasant walk either way.
To claim this virtual cache—
1. Post a photo of yourself or a personal item (GPSr, keys, dog, etc.) with La Merced in the background (your face does not have to show in the photo) and
2. E-mail or message us the answer to this question:
How many days did the ship's voyage to Australia/New Zealand take, one-way?
Please do not post in your log the answer to the question nor a photo of the informational sign. Thank you.
High Fives to LibLabLady for the FTL!!
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.
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