GC17RF2 Blackwater River (Multi-cache) in Florida, United States created by lorriebird

This cache has been archived.

lorriebird: Hello to all watchers of this cache!

The new version of the Blackwater River is ready to go. All the stages and the final location have changed so drastically that I will be archiving this one and publishing the revised Blackwater River with a new number: GC1BTX6. The new one has been submitted and I hope it will be published soon.

Since the revision will have a new GC number, all finders of this first version (GC17RF2) are free to log the new one if they wish to do so. But of course, the flip side of having a new GC number means that previous finders must fulfill all the requirements of the new version before logging it again! Should be easier the second time, no? [}:)]

Thank you for your patience. I hope you will join me over at the new Blackwater River, GC1BTX6. C'mon out and hit the water!

GC17RF2 ▼

A cache by lorriebird Message this owner

Hidden : 2/5/2008

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: regular (regular)

Join now to view geocache location details. It's free!

Watch

How Geocaching Works

Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions in our disclaimer.

Geocache Description:

There is an ammo can safely tucked away somewhere on dry land in the beautiful Collier Seminole State Park. So why all the stars? The catch is that you must first paddle the FOURTEEN MILE canoe trail to gather all the cache coordinates!

The Blackwater River Trail is a long loop that begins at the boat ramp in the park. You will paddle down the park canal which will lead you to the Blackwater River. The river winds its way southbound until it gradually widens and empties into Blackwater Bay. You will paddle your way through the smaller mangrove islands at the north end of the bay heading back to the northwest until you link up with Palm Bay. The north tip of Palm Bay leads to a no-name creek which will carry you past the ruins of an old trading post, the Grocery Place. Continue on this creek to Mud Bay and exit Mud Bay on the north end back to the creek which will return you to the Blackwater River for your final leg home.

I believe the Blackwater River Loop Trail is some of the most beautiful paddling in south Florida for both scenery and wildlife. You will see mangrove river lands, tidal creeks, shallow bays and mudflats. You will paddle through mangrove tunnels that are so quiet you will hear the rustle of feathers as the birds fly overhead. You may see manatees, bald eagles, dolphins and perhaps even a bobcat! The kingfishers will fly over your head scolding you for entering their territory. You will definitely see many kinds of wading birds that will only be feet away from you, especially on the flats of Mud Bay. My hope is that this paddling trip will be something to remember always!

Now for the lecture. Cachers, this is not a journey to be taken lightly!! This is a loooooong paddle that will require planning and execution and it is rated five stars for very good reason. You MUST plan for winds and tides. Speak to a ranger to find out if it is a good day for the winds. Mud Bay is passable ONLY at or near high tide...so don't find out first hand how Mud Bay got its name! If there are strong winds out of the north, there will not be enough water to cross Mud Bay even at high tide. Only you can know your physical limitations. Are you able to drag your boat through knee-deep swamp muck if you happen to misjudge the tides? Do you have a back-up plan if you make a wrong turn and take a little longer than you planned? Can you paddle for the entire day or should you turn it into a two-day trip camping overnight at the primitive (meaning no water or facilities) campsite located at the old Grocery Place? And most importantly, only you know if this cache is right for you. It will be heavenly for some, and for others....well, you know! :-) Your cell phone will work out here (the ranger station phone is 239-394-3397...stop reading and program it in right now!). Take emergency gear, flashlights and more food and water than you think you need. Take charts in addition to your GPS and don't forget extra batteries. Carry a dry change of clothing and an extra pair of shoes. And probably the most important of all is to always paddle with a friend!

A few more notes about your planning. You must stop at the ranger station and file a float plan...and don't forget to get your trail map! If you plan on doing the entire loop in one day, I strongly recommend that you are ready to launch as soon as the park gates open at 8:00 am. If you do not have a kayak, you can rent a canoe at the park. Plan on 2 miles per hour. You will probably make better time than this depending on the winds. The last time I went it took me 8 hours including a one-hour stop for lunch at the Grocery Place. Lovely spot! NOAA chart #11430 is helpful. Only the eastern half of the loop trail is marked, and there are no channel markers on the western half of the loop. Mud Bay can be a little confusing if the water is low. There are three white poles in Mud Bay; one in the center and one at both the north and south ends marking your trail. You can do the loop in either direction so that you can plan to be at Mud Bay at high tide. The cache stages can be done in any order. When you finish your trip please let the rangers know that you are off the water so they will not come looking for you.

And now for the cache itself. The stages will be easy to find...this cache is supposed to be just a beautiful nature trip for you. You are simply gathering numbers from permanent markers and signs throughout the trail to plug into the final cache coordinates. You will not need to search for any hidden stages, but you will have to visit each stage to get the numbers you need. You will not be able to 'cheat' using google maps! After you complete the entire trail, you will be able to hike on dry land to find the cache. At the final cache site your GPS may vary slightly due to tree cover, but the hiding place should be very obvious to you once you get near it. Again, this is not designed to be a tricky cache...it is about an amazing journey.

And finally as always, a huge thank you to park manager Ranger Chad Lach for allowing me to place this cache. I would also like to thank all my fellow cachers who have cached responsibly in Collier-Seminole State Park. This will be my sixth cache in this park. The management of CSSP has seen over the past year that cachers are good environmentalists who do no harm to our natural resources. Please keep up the good work so that we may continue to enjoy geocaching in one of the most beautiful parks in Florida!

Now how to find the cache...

The cache page coords are the boat launch. The cache can be found at N25 59.ABC W081 35.DEF

The stages are named for each coordinate you are looking fill in. Each stage will take you where you need to go to find that particular coordinate. Again, there are no hidden stages to search for...each coordinate can be found on a permanent marker or sign so you may feel confident that what you are looking for is readily and easily available. The note section of each stage tells you what to look for once you arrive at the stage coordinates. If you have any questions about how to complete the cache coordinates, please feel free to contact me before you head out...I will be happy to help.

Good luck, and happy paddling!

Additional Hints (No hints available.)

This cache has been archived.

Watch

Geocache Description:

Attributes

Inventory

Bookmark Lists

Blackwater River Multi-Cache

This cache has been archived.

Watch

Geocache Description:

Attributes

Inventory

Bookmark Lists