Given the measly holding power of our previous puny anchor, we returned today with a concrete cinder block in a raft of it’s own which we towed behind us to secure our position. Our foolish flotilla of marine madness once more breached the waves as we set out for the long sought El Dorado under the lake. Reaching an all too familiar area, Skeezer towed in our anchor dinghy and managed to lift out the concrete block and cast it to the depths without entangling us all and dragging us down as well. Straightaway, Summergirl spotted the cache close off port from our most securely anchored floating platform. We prepared for the deep, and leapt into the cold. Skeezer repeatedly dived down attempting to affix the marker rope and free the cache with nothing but slimy hands to show for his efforts. Summergirl managed to dive down and attach the marker rope - to the chain on the cache and not onto the hook in the concrete block. Three lifeguards rowed up to us in a johnboat, despite our clearly visible and splendid diver down flag, and were very curious as to what we were about. They informed us that earlier in the day they saw a guy with green flippers searching as well, but that they thought he was looking on the other side of the buoy from where we presently were. Again, Skeezer dove and dove with the same sorry results as before. After the lifeguards rowed back to shore, Summergirl repeatedly proved herself quite the mermaid as she dived down, re-affixed the marker rope, retrieved the cache, and sliced her hand on the encrustation of zebra mussels which covered the concrete block and parts of the cache; all over the course of several dives.
Using a providentially provided for pair of pliers, Skeezer released the end cap and freed a minor torrent of scummy, evil-smelling water. The contents were in rough shape and the logbook was pretty much soaked. We poured the water out of the bags and laid the logbook on the gunwale in the sun to dry. The bag with the fishing tackle was especially rank and mildew ridden but given our position in a small inflatable, we couldn't air those items out as we would've liked; far too many sharp hooks to chance it. We logged our visit and took with us the carabineer, the two quarters, and one of the evil mollusks. We left behind $50,000 worth of Chinese Hell Bank Notes, a Summergirl fish pendant, our signature mini magnet, and the Hulk's Hummer on the Go travel bug. We rebagged everything and then bagged it all again in the ziplocs we had brought for that purpose. Summergirl dove down in her frog mask one last time and returned the cache to its home at the bottom of the lake.
We must mention that the driveway marker is very helpful and that the zebra mussels are a distinct hazard. Also, it would be good to thoroughly dry out the cache and all of the contents to keep this wonderful watery waypoint in shipshape condition.
It may have taken us four attempts to find this, but we finally did it! Thank you for the amazing aquatic adventures, S&S.