Getting Around To It by TeKnight

Getting Around To It
by TeKnight
Photos from geocaching.com and from the cache site- Photographers: Runfrog, MikeOtt, and drrichardh

Last month we featured a cache that has been described as Delaware's greatest mental challenge. This month we feature what may be one of the most physically challenging cache sites in the state.

TeKnight has, so far, created only one cache site. There are some who think this is enough! Don't let that peaceful view, shown here, fool you. This one requires endurance. TeKnight notes: " No doubt about it, this one's going to take some work. It's about 5 miles round trip, depending on your choice of entry. There is enough high ground throughout the trip (mostly) to stay out of the mud- but unfortunately, the stickers like that too! Your choice. Everything that floats collects back here…

With all that water you'd think this would be an easy grab by boat. But there's a gotcha lurking here too. Tides.

Still TeKnight seems to think boating to the site is a good option. "Yes, you can get there by boat. It actually makes for a pleasant trip! That’s how I'm gonna maintain it." A check of the log for this site shows that several geocachers have exercised this option. Others have made the trek.

There no big secret here. The cache site is in Churchman's Marsh. That's the big expanse of water on the north side of I-95 between the New Castle exit and the Route 273 exit. The problem is - as the old saying goes - "You can't get there from here". That little bit of "beach" showing at the bottom of the picture is near the cache site. But the beach is a peninsula. For those who are not sure what this is, think of a very small replica of the state of Florida out in Churchman's Marsh. You have to start from the mainland.

Actually, TeKnight has provided a set of recommended coordinates for a parking place. But there are options to this too. It would be a good idea to check the google map and pick one that's closest to the trail.

It would be a good idea to set a waypoint for your parking place so you can find your way back.

The trail starts smoothly enough. There's even these helpful "markers" that seem to be pointing the way. Problem is, they eventually head out across the middle of the marsh. While there's no quicksand lurking here you can still sink into the mud.

Eventually you will come to the ridge. And here's where this course starts to become a challenge. Runfrog (January's featured Geocacher) notes:"I think a much better name for this cache would be "Bushwhacker's Delight". Whew!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!".

The ridge is about 10 feet wide and climbs to about 10 to 15 feet above the water. On one side is the White Clay Creek, on the other is the Marsh and ahead of you is underbrush. Runfrog comments: "Do you like/love/ have a passion for Poison Ivy, Multi-Flora rose (make that man-eating Multi-Flora Rose..... Gals you won't be safe either), scrambling through mud, over fallen trees, up the sides of mountains (say what?), hungry man-eating eagles? If so this is the cache for you."

Runfrog brought cutting tools and blazed the trail but given how quickly thorny things grow in the marsh don't count on finding an easy walking path. It took RunFrog a couple of tries but he eventually made it.

Multiple tries seems to be normal for this cache. It took Horn229 a few tries. Eventually he teamed with BaldBoy and found success.

It has been mentioned that some come by boat. CcCooper Agency, the world's leading geocacher, used this method as did The Dam Trolls (February's Featured Geocacher), Hart612 (December's Featured Geocacher) and metazbad. The problem for both hikers and boaters is the tide.

Unless you want to risk being stranded out on the peninsula, be sure to check the tide tables and plan your attack accordingly. Only a handful of Delaware Geocachers can state that they have been successful with this one. And not a lot are trying. The last successful find was posted on March 5, 2006. Prior to that no one had been here since December 3, 2005.

Programmer64 and his wife claimed First to Find on this one. And there's a story here. Seems that Mike Ott, Kalt Bluetig, Programmer64 had discussed a joint expedition. When Mike and Kalt Bluetig arrived at the starting spot they couldn't find Programmer64. Much later, after much walking and cutting of brush, just as they were approaching the site, they finally met Programmer. He and his wife were headed back after making the first to find! There's some interesting comments in the log entries for this find. Still everyone stayed on good terms and shot these pictures.

Mike and Kalt Bluetig continued on to the site and logged their find. Here we can see Kalt not far from the hiding spot. I-95 is in the distance showing the exit to New Castle and Newport.

TeKnight has stated that the cache container is easy to find. After the trek it took to get here, one would hope that would be the case. What a let down it would be to come this far and not find the container. Still TeKnight does warn geocachers that they need to carefully put the container back where they found it. Fishermuggles have been known to visit the area!

At the recent Winter Breakfast Event TeKnight announced to everyone that he is planning his 2nd cache site. When he placed this one he promised; "-Not all my hides will be this intense, I promise!" But with a twinkle in his eye he asked the group if they would support a cache site that required ropes to get to it.

So, here it is - Delaware's most physically challenging geocache site - for now. Are you up for "Getting Around To It" ?

Mike Ott logs in.

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The Team of Maxiam takes a well deserved lunch break on the point after finding the cache.