GCJWME The Toronto Island Kirkley Cache (Traditional Cache) in Ontario, Canada created by davidwk

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GCJWME ▼

A cache by davidwk Message this owner

Hidden : 6/30/2004

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: other (other)

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Geocache Description:

This cache was placed by the students of Kirkley Community High School, Lowestoft, UK as part of a media studies visit to Toronto. We hope the cache will give us a lasting connection with the city that we enjoyed being part of for ten days, and we're looking forward to monitoring it's progress even though we're far away.

The cache itself is an ordinary white sandwich box (please see later note) placed in Toronto Park which we visited (with a great many Trontonians) on Canada Day 2004. We loved the city but had to return to the UK so we thought we'd leave behind something with an English theme. The cache contents feature a very British 1960,s rain hat, a St. George's flag from the recent Euro 2004, UK magazine cuttings from the week preceeding the planting and a pot of hot English mustard - we were a little concerned about leaving a food item but its very well sealed. There are also a number of other ordinary cache bits and pieces.

The cache also containes the 'Mug Bug' a travel bug attached to the last of the 'Thankyou' mugs we had made to give out to those who helped us with trips and events whilst in Toronto. The aim of the bug (and whatever should remain of the mug)is to make it back to the UK.

Along with the things we collected whilst in Canada the cache and travel bug log will form part of an ongoing exhibition that students at the school may access.The cache is situated in Island Park close to a picnic area which, incidently features flocks of thieving seagulls! The cache is very close to an enclosure where children might be entertained whilst the cache is sought.

We're aware of the difficulties and inadvisability of leaving a cache too far away to be maintained properly so we have friends in Toronto who will keep an eye on it and on each (annual) trip to Toronto we will undertake a major service.
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This is a postscript written some five years beyond the original cache placement and it bears testament to the fantastic camaraderie and friendliness of the caching community. A few weeks ago (May 2009) around the time of the cache’s 5th birthday it went missing. Sadly I disabled the listing but felt that in all fairness it had seen a good run and I thought that was that.

I was not prepared for the messages of support and above all several offers to revive the cache. I am therefore delighted to say that the cache is now back in business and here’s to five more years. Very grateful thanks to all concerned

The cache container is now a camo wrapped peanut butter jar.
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Yet another postscript.

This cache has nine lives like a cat. Having recently been restored by the kindness of local geocaching 'rescuers' the tree which contained the cache was severely damaged in a storm and for the last few months has hovered between life and death. As a result of yet another Canadian geocaching hero the cache was saved from an untimely end at the teeth of a chainsaw and has been relocated. Thanks to va3thn for saving the cache a second time.
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And still more:

Having suffered a traumatic fifth birthday involving theft, terrible storms and chainsaws, the cache (reborn through the efforts of fantastic local geocachers) disappeared just after its sixth anniversary. However the cache does appear to have a charmed life and also very good people watching over it. Again I am much indebted to va3thn who noticed several DNF messages and very very kindly replaced the missing cache. Thank you again va3thn.

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And yet another note of thanks - this time to Skyecat who kindly replaced the logbook and container thus ensuring the continuing health of the cache which is now just five days off its eighth anniversary!

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I've just realised that the tenth anniversary of placing the cache passed at the end of June. None of us teachers or students had any idea that a whole ten years on this cache would still be going strong - largely thanks to the goodwill of people who we will likely never meet but are looking out for us and our cache.

At the time when this was planted the students on our trip ranged from around sixteen to about eighteen. In those ten years they will have moved on in all sorts of ways and some may even now be young parents. I'm sure they all remember that magical summer in Toronto with the same pleasure that I do. Every cache notification is a pleasant reminder. Happy tenth birthday Toronto Island Kirkley cache!!!!!

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