**PLEASE BE SURE TO READ CACHE DESCRIPTION PROPERLY**
Since I started Geocaching in Fremantle in 2013 there is one location I have always wanted to place a cache.
Over 10 years later and here it is, I hope you enjoy........
THE STORY
The 88.8 foot, three masted, square rigged ship arrived from Java to the newly named ‘Fremantle’ in the early 1800s, arriving at Gage roads just north of Rottnest. She was laden with general supplies for the colony. As is common in Fremantle the afternoon sea-breeze, known as the Freo Doctor, had started, and continued to pick up as the crew waited for the Pilot to arrive.
On arrival the wind was deemed too strong for entrance into the shallow South Bay so the decision was made to beat back and forth across Gage roads until the wind died off.
The pilot, confident in his abilities and his local knowledge did not bother to take leads or observations, instead relying on the light at the Jailhouse (now the roundhouse) to Guide him safely home. Night fell, and sure enough there were the fires. As they approached, the pilot spotted a dark object, which he took to be the vessel Lady Emma. Intending to pass under her stern, the pilot steered the ship SW of the object and……………………………
CRASHHHHHHHHHH
Pandemonium ensues.
In the Middle of the night the pilot had mistaken the natives' fires as the light at the Jailhouse, and steered far too south. The object he had thought was the Lady Emma was in fact the Stragglers reef, and in passing to the SW the pilot had steered the ship directly onto the reef. The seabreeze had lessened throughout the night but was still present, and as a result was now driving the ship further onto the rock splitting her apart.
The Captain, having resumed responsibility after the crash, ordered the sails furled, and the crew scurried up the mast of the wreck in the dark to do so. Then they removed the cargo of pigs from the ships boats to make them ready for launching, bought the stream hawser and warp on deck, and layed the stream anchor out to the Eastward and hove taught. The crew, at this point exhausted from their passage from Java, the day of beating back and forth in heavy winds and now a shipwreck, then proceed to pump saltwater, along with nearly 50 tonnes of fresh drinking water out of the ship. Many blue lights were burnt throughout the night to attract attention.
At first light one of the ships boats was dispatched to Fremantle, and shortly after the Harbour master and Commander of the schooner Champion, set off from Scotts Jetty to assist the stranded vessel. Only a few hours later the ship had been refloated and foundered into South Bay while the crew continued pumping around the clock to keep her afloat. The hull was later condemned and the livestock and hull both auctioned off in Fremantle. The pilot was sacked for his negligence.
LOCATION ONE
Finding the location of the final should be straight forward, I wrote it down and gave it to the crew and they were so wrecked I think they left it on board. (But note, if you'd like to go straight there to get the coords for the final, the geochecker wont help you, but you're very smart, so you should see why.)
If that doesnt help though, I have hints as always although you'll need to do the work here. The first location is at:
S AB C.DEF E GHI JK.LMNO
AB = How old said ship was when wrecked + Ⓓ
- Let the year the ship was built in be ⒶⒷⒸⒹ
C= (Number of bags of sugar onboard said ship +100) ÷ 100
DEF= (Number of barrels of flour + 100) - (Number of bags of rice on board ÷ 100)
GHI= (◇◆◈) ÷ ◇
- Where ◇ = number of decks on said ship
- Where ◆ = number of masts on said ship
- Where ◈ = number of competent pilots on said ship
JK= ⓨⓩ + Lower estimate of selling price of ponies in pounds sterling
- Where ⓦⓧⓨⓩ is the year said ship was wrecked near Fremantle in
L= Higher estimate of selling price of Ponies in pounds sterling
M & N= (Time the Harbour master and Commander arrived to help said vessel) - ☾
- Where ☼☽☾ is the registered class of said vessel at time of wreck
O=C
Due to the nature of this hide, the built in Solution Checker wont help you, so I have added another one, ONLY FOR THOSE OF YOU SOLVING THE PUZZLE
You can check your answers for this puzzle on GeoChecker.com.
THE FINAL
You should know when you're at the final, it sticks out.
This is also where the built in (second) solution checker is used.
And unfortunately its here my help ends, and your adventure really begins. I do hope you enjoy the location as much as I did, its a pretty cool spot. The final cache should be easy when you finally get to within a metre of the cache, no camo or mechanisms this time, just a hanging bison.
I suggest most people visit GZ and come up with a plan of attack before you attempt it. Please do take care, it is just a cache, you can always log a DNF and come back another day. I would also reccomend equipment and bringing along any qualified friends you may have.
And do keep an eye cast west; who knows, some say you still see the ghostly blue lights burnt by the crew of the wrecked ship.
LEGAL
Neither geocaching.com nor I leeuwinbybike accept any personal responsibility for any accidents or injuries that occur while attempting this cache. The cache is rated at a 5 terrain for a reason and will not be possible for some people.