WA Explorers - Vancouver Traditional Geocache
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Size: 
(regular)
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This cache is part of the WA series celebrating our early explorers and pioneers. This is one of 12 caches spread throughout the south of WA. There is a clue placed inside this cache in the form of a letter and a number that you will need as it will be used to find the two bonus caches for this series.
George Vancouver (1757-1798) joined the navy at age 15 and spent seven years under Captain James Cook during two voyages to the Pacific. After serving in the West Indies he was chosen to lead an expedition to the South Seas and the west coast of the Americas and in 1791 left England in the new sloop Discovery, accompanied by the armed tender Chatham.
He sighted land near Cape Leeuwin and, sailing south-east, named Capes Chatham and Howe. Two days later the ships entered a spacious harbour which he named King George the Third's Sound. Vancouver also discovered and named Oyster Bay (now Oyster Harbour) and other features, claiming them for Great Britain. He reported on the terrain, animal life and the native inhabitants, and planted watercress, vines, almonds, oranges, lemons and pumpkins 'for the benefit of future visitors'. He continued east, surveying past what is now Esperance.
Adverse weather then forced him to head away from land and going south of Van Diemen's Land. After this he mapped part of New Zealand, then on to Tahiti and then Hawaii. Further east in the Pacific he made detailed surveys of the vast and complex north-west coast of America from a point near San Francisco to the Alaskan Peninsula, most of the work being done in open boats. On his return to England he settled down to prepare a full account of his voyage and all his charts for publication, as requested by the Admiralty. Five volumes were completed and the sixth was in preparation when Vancouver died, aged 41.
The cache is placed on Point Possession: the place where Captain George Vancouver took possession of Western Australia on 29th September 1791. Flags were flown, toasts were drunk, on the edge of what Vancouver called the best natural harbour in the world.
Allow for about a three hour return walk from the parking spot.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Orgjrra gur terl naq gur terra