Tropics Traditional Cache
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(small)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
The beautiful island of Saba is an active volcano located a few miles off the coast of St. Marten and is one of my favorite places in the world. The island sports fantastic diving opportunities, a small abandoned sulfur mine, friendly residents, fantastic hiking trails, and a spectacular cloud forest at the summit of the volcano. The island can be visited as a day trip from St. Marten but is well worth an overnight stay.
The terrain rating is high because one must take a ferry or small plane from a neighboring island to get to Saba. If finances permit, I recommend the plane as the take offs and landings are amazing. Once on Saba, taxis are available for the steep trip up the mountain for those not up to a strenuous hike. The walk back down is not difficult and I have done it in less than an hour.
If you have time and like strange places, stop at the town of Hell's Gate for a quick jaunt to the old sulfur mine. If a primordial forest of air plants and giant tree ferns is more your speed, the town of Winwardside is the start of a trail taking you up 1000+ steps to the summit of Mt. Scenery.
The cache is a sandwich sized plastic container with "Tropics" written on the lid and is hidden in plain view inside the structure near the water feature. Its location may shift so if you don't see it lying around, ask the owner of the establishment. The cache is available from morning till late evening every day except Monday. On Monday, it is only easily available around breakfast time (basically during business hours). If your travels take you to Saba on a Monday, the owner of the place can be found at the hotel next door and has said he will be happy to open up the structure for geocachers. He has also agreed to maintain the cache as needed.
The original contents are a bit sparse as I was traveling very light on this trip and the stores were closed for Christmas. There is a log book, some plastic animals, and a state quarter. Contributions to the cache contents are greatly appreciated. I have enclosed a treat for the FTF. Enjoy!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Bapr lbh'er uhatel naq guvefgl, fgneg ybbxvat sbe gur pnpur. Vg rfcrpvnyyl urycf vs lbh'er guvefgl.