Both Sides Now! Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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A small cache hidden on the koppie on which the small town Gariepdam is situated. The staff of the construction companies lived there during the construction of the Gariep Dam in the 1960’s and early seventies. The dam was originally named after Dr Hendrik F Verwoerd, the former prime minister of the RSA. The dam was officially opened in March 1972 by the widow of Dr Verwoerd as he was assassinated in Parliament in 1966. After the dam was completed, the houses were sold to the public as holiday homes. Today the town is mainly inhabited by retired people and it has a quiet atmosphere, but can get quite busy in holiday seasons. In 1995 the dam was renamed to “Gariep Dam” – the Khoi name for the river in which it was built.
The cache is a 0,3l container containing the usual goodies. From the hiding place one can look far off into the distance – southeast of the town is the dam with its majestic wall of 914m at the crescent and 88m high, and to the northern side the plains and mountains of the Free State where some of the fierce battles of the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) were fought.
Take your camera along, and maybe even a picnic basket and enjoy the stunning scenery from the koppie.
On the day the cache was hidden, the dam was 101% full and the water was running freely over the spillway – a sight to be seen – and the wind was blowing fiercely and squalls of rain pelted down.
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)